Fragmentary marriage contract drawn up at Ptolemais Euergetis (Arsinoe) in AD 136 between Souchammon and Aphroditous, whose mother Aphrodite provides a dowry of gold jewellery and land, including part of a catoecic allotment near Metrodoros' farmstead. It includes the usual clauses on the husband's duties and the return of the dowry on divorce.
In English machine translation
[…] Mesore 21, at Ptolemais Euergetis of the Arsinoite nome, in the time of Julia Augusta.
[…] without distinguishing mark, and Aphrodite daughter of Neilos son of Neilos, about 44 years old, […] about 35 years old, without distinguishing mark. Souchammon (acknowledges) that he has from Aphrodite […] of approved gold, 13 quarters, which are a pair of earrings of […] quarters […] of 3 quarters, and 2 small rings, one of 3 quarters, the other of […] 100; and Aphrodite likewise (acknowledges) that she has given as dowry by way of additional gift […] of Metrodoros' farmstead, of a catoecic allotment, in two parcels, 3 arouras, and further also […] courtyard; and that the mother Aphrodite has made the gift to her daughter, apart from the other half share, common and undivided, that likewise falls to her daughter Aphroditous […] by will, and in the metropolis in the Bithynians' quarter and other places, houses and […] of a garden of 1 aroura and of a palm grove of 1/2 aroura, and in the village […] Aphrodite, on condition that she has for as long as she lives the dwelling and the rents […] the usufruct of the half share of the allotment of 3 arouras near Metrodoros' farmstead […] the same mother Aphrodite into the common household of the married couple, for […] public (dues) in the metropolis. The married couple Souchammon and Aphroditous shall therefore remain […] all things and the clothing and the other things that befit a wedded wife according to his means […] of Metrodoros' allotment of 3 arouras […] paying to the treasury all the taxes on them […] share of the same 3 arouras, of works and public dues, for as long as their marriage lasts […] she conducting herself blamelessly in the marriage; but if, a quarrel having arisen between the married couple, they separate from each other, Souchammon shall return to the mother Aphrodite, or if she is not living, to the daughter Aphroditous […]
Much of the text is restored from parallel marriage contracts. 'Without distinguishing mark' (asemos) is the standard formula of personal descriptions.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below. It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.