Imperial rescript on cession of property, with application to a strategos TM 23660Talao (Oxyrhynchites)

Copy of a rescript of the emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla, posted at Alexandria, ruling that a man who cedes his property to escape a compulsory public service must cede it to the person who nominated him, not to the imperial treasury. It is followed by the opening of an application to the strategos of the Oxyrhynchite nome by Aurelius Herakleides of Talao, who had been nominated beyond his means as collector of village money taxes and evidently invokes the rescript.

In English machine translation

The cession of property (cessio bonorum) was a recognised way to escape a liturgy; the rescript's year 8 of Severus corresponds to AD 200, but the application itself is later, since the emperors are called deified and the petitioner bears the name Aurelius. The phrase translated 'civic assessment' (timema) refers to the property qualification for the liturgy.

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