Estimate of freight charges
List of estimated expenses connected to the transportation by boat of unknown objects.
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 2303
Estimate of freight and transport charges for 100 artabas TM 2303Philadelpheia, Herakleidou meris, Arsinoite nome, EgyptMiddle third century B.C.
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 3 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A calculation of the costs of shipping 100 artabas of grain (or another commodity) by boat, including freight, inspection at Memphis, tolls, clerk's and labour fees, temple dues and a handler's fee, totalled and broken down per artaba. It was addressed on the back to a man named Phormion and probably belongs to the Zenon archive from Philadelphia, mid-3rd century BC.
In English machine translation
[recto]
[…]
100 [artabas] […]
[…]
Freight, in copper, [45 drachmas]
Inspection fee […] [at] Memphis […] 4 drachmas [of silver]. As they are reckoned, [the share falling] on the 100 [artabas: 49 drachmas 2 obols 1/4 (?)]
and at Memphis the […]
tax per artaba, copper reckoned in silver, 2 1/2 drachmas.
Exchange charge 1 1/4 obols.
Clerk's fee for the boat, 2 drachmas 4 obols of silver. Share falling on the 100, with exchange charge, 3 obols.
Labour fee 1 drachma 4 obols.
For the temples, on the 100,
they amount in copper to 2 drachmas 3 obols.
To the handler who will receive and measure out the 100, 1 drachma.
Total for the 100 artabas, in copper, 57 drachmas 2 obols.
If it were 58 drachmas 2 obols,
the charge per artaba is 3 1/2 obols,
exclusive of interest, rents,
wastage (?) and measuring.
[…] artabas […] 5 obols
[…]
[…] copper, drachmas […]
[…] per artaba 3 1/2 obols, 4 drachmas 5 1/2 obols
[…]
[verso]
To […] Phormion
[…]
The commodity shipped is not preserved, though artabas suggest grain. Several figures, including the freight sum and the share on the 100 artabas, are editorial restorations.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Estimate of Freight Charges Possibly from the Zenon Archive). 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.corn.3
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