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Imperial rescripts on exemption from liturgies for men over seventy TM 22552Oxyrhynchos

The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 2 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →

A copy of three imperial rescripts of Septimius Severus and Caracalla, answering petitions from Sarapion son of Sarapion, Th[…] son of Ammonios and Harmiysis son of Pichysis. Each confirms that men over seventy are exempt from civic liturgies, except those imposed on property alone; the rescripts were posted at Alexandria in Pharmouthi of year 8 (AD 200).

In English machine translation

Imperator Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax Arabicus Adiabenicus Parthicus Maximus and Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Augustus to Sarapion son of Sarapion. The laws allow those who have lived seventy years to obtain exemption from civic liturgies, so far as these are not imposed on property alone. You too, therefore, if you have reached this age and, being compelled (?) […] only […] of affairs, will have the privilege of the aged. Another from the same. To Th[…] son of Ammonios. If you have passed seventy years of life […] exemption […] are imposed. Another from the same. To Harmiysis son of Pichysis. If you have passed the number of seventy years, you will not be subjected to civic liturgies […] are imposed on property. [Posted in Ale]xandria, year 8, Pharmouthi.

Liturgies were compulsory public services; the age exemption did not cover burdens attached to property ownership. Year 8 of Severus corresponds to AD 199/200, when the emperors were in Egypt.

Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Imperial Rescripts). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.

DDbDP-text Full record →

p.oxy.60.4068

Papyri.info — DDbDP (Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri) — text · Oxyrhynchos

Αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖσαρ Λούκιος Σεπτίμιος Σεουῆρος Εὐσεβὴς Περτίναξ Ἀραβικὸς Ἀδιαβηνικὸς Παρθικὸς Μέγιστος καὶ Αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖσαρ Μᾶρκος Αὐρήλιος Ἀντωνῖνος Εὐσεβὴς Σεβαστὸς Σαραπίωνι Σαραπίωνος. τοὺς ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη βεβιωκότας ἐν ταῖς πολιτικαῖς λειτουργίαις, ὅσαι μὴ μόναις οὐσίαις ἐπιτ…