One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 20552
Petition of Syra against her husband Sarapion for return of her dowry TM 20552Oxyrhynchos20 - 50
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 3 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A petition from Syra, daughter of Theon, to the chief justice Herakleides complaining that her husband Sarapion squandered her 200-drachma dowry, abused her and then deserted her. She asks that he be summoned and forced to repay the dowry with a 50 percent penalty. It comes from Oxyrhynchus, AD 20-50.
In English machine translation
To Herakleides, priest and chief justice and in charge of the chrematistai and the other courts,
from Syra daughter of Theon.
I lived as wife with Sarapion, having given him a dowry by a deed of agreement to the amount of 200 silver drachmas. For my part, having received him into my parents' house when he was utterly without means, I conducted myself blamelessly in every respect. But Sarapion, having squandered the dowry for whatever purpose he wished, did not cease ill-treating and insulting me, laying hands on me and leaving me in want of the necessities; and later he deserted me, leaving me destitute. Therefore I ask you to order that he be brought before you, so that he may be compelled under constraint to repay me the dowry together with half as much again. For as to the other claims [I have against him], I reserve [and shall reserve my rights].
The archidikastes was the chief justice at Alexandria, overseeing the chrematistai (circuit judges). Repayment 'with half as much again' (hemiolia) was the standard penalty for failure to return a dowry.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Complaint against a Husband). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
p.oxy.2.281
Ἡρακλείδηι ἱερεῖ καὶ ἀρχιδικαστῆι καὶ πρὸς τῇ ἐπιμελείᾳ τῶν χρηματιστῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων κριτηρίων παρὰ Σύρας τῆς Θέωνος. συνεβίωσα Σαραπίωνι φερνὴν τούτῳ δοῦσα κατὰ συνχώρησιν εἰς λόγον ἀργυρίου δραχμῶν διακοσίων . ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ἐπιδεξαμένη αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ τῶν γονέων μου οἰκητήρια λιτὸν…