Lives behind the Laws: The World of the Codex Hermogenianus

Appendix 1. The Skaptopara Inscription

167 Appendix 1 The Skaptopara Inscription Bona fortuna* ‹F›ulvio Pio et ‹P›o‹n›tio Proculo cons(ulibus) XVII kal(endis) Iạn(uariis) descriptum ‹e›t ⌈recognitum factum ‹e›x ‹l›ibro ãliõbellorum rescript‹o›rum a do-⌉ ⌈mino n(ostro) Imp(eratore) Cạ‹e›s(are) M(arco) Ạntonio Gordiano pio felice Aug(usto) ‹e›t propo-⌉ 5 ⌈‹s›it‹o›rum ‹R›oma‹e› in portico ‹th›ermarum Tr‹a›ianar‹u›m in ve‹r›ba ‹q(uae)› i(nfra) s(cripta) s(unt).⌉ Dat(um) p‹e›r Ạur(elium) Purrum mil(item) coh(ortis) X ‹pr(aetoriae)› ‹p›(iae) ‹f›(idelis) ‹G›ordianạ‹e› ‹c›(enturiae) Proculi con‹vi›canu‹m› et conp{p}ossess‹o›rem. col. I ⌈Αὐτοκράτορι Καίσαρι Μ(άρκῳ) Ἀντωνίῳ⌉ ⌈Γορδιανῷ Εὐσεβεῖ Εὐτυχεῖ Σεβ(αστῷ) ‹δ›έησις⌉ 10 ⌈παρὰ κωµητῶν Σκαπτοπαρηνων τῶν καὶ⌉ ⌈ρησειτων· Ἐν τοῖς εὐτυχεστάτοις καὶ⌉ ⌈αἰωνίοις σοῦ καιροῖς κατοικεῖσθαι καὶ⌉ ⌈βελτιοῦσθαι τὰς κώµας ἤπερ ἀναστά⌉- ⌈τους γίγνεσθαι τοὺς ἐνοικοῦντας πολ⌉15 ⌈λάκ(ις) ἀντέγραψας· ἔστιν γ‹ὰρ› καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν⌉ ⌈ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίᾳ τὸ τοιοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ⌉ ⌈τοῦ ἱερωτάτου σοῦ ταµείου ὠφελείᾳ·⌉ ⌈ὅπερ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔννοµον ἱκεσίαν⌉ ⌈τῇ θειότητί σου προσκοµί‹ζ›οµεν εὐ⌉20 ⌈χόµενοι ἱλέως ἐπινεῦσαι ἡµεῖν⌉ ⌈δεοµένοις τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον. οἰκοῦ⌉- ⌈µεν καὶ κεκτήµεθα ἐν τῇ προγεγραµ⌉- *Reprinted with permission from Klaus Hallof, “Die Inschrift von Skaptopara: Neue Dokumente und neue Lesungen,” Chiron 24 (1994): 405–41. 168 · Appendix 1 ⌈µένῃ κώµῃ οὔσῃ εὐεπεράστῳ διὰ τὸ⌉ ⌈ἔχειν ὑδάτων θερµῶν χρῆσιν καὶ κεῖ⌉25 ⌈σθαι µέσον δύο στρατοπέδων τῶν ὄν⌉- ⌈των ἐν τῇ σῇ Θρᾴκῃ, καὶ ἐφ’ οὗ µὲν τὸ⌉ ⌈πάλλαι οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἀόχλητοι⌉ ⌈καὶ ἀδειάσειστοι ἔµενον, ἀνενδεῶς̣ ⌈τούς τε φόρους καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐπιτάγ⌉µατα 30 ⌈συνετέλουν· ἐπεὶ δὲ κατὰ καιροὺς ε̣ἰς⌉ ⌈‹ὕ›β‹ρ›ι‹ν› προχωρεῖν τινες κ⌉α̣ὶ βι̣⌈άζε⌉σθαι ⌈ἤρξαντο, τηνικαῦτ⌉α ἐ̣λ̣α̣ττοῦσθαι ⌈καὶ ἡ κώµη ἤρξατο· ἀ⌉π̣ὸ γὰρ µειλίων δύ ⌈ο τῆς κώµης ἡ⌉µ̣ῶν πανηγύρ̣ε̣ως] 35 ⌈ἐπιτελουµέν⌉η̣ς δια̣βοήτου οἱ ἐκ̣ε̣ῖσε ⌈τῆς πανηγύρ⌉ε̣ως εἵνεκεν ἐπιδη̣µο̣ῦ̣ν- ⌈τες ἡµ̣έρ⌉α̣ις̣ π̣εντεκα̣ί̣δε̣κα ἐ̣ν τῷ ⌈τόπῳ τ⌉ῆς πανηγύρεως οὐ̣ κα⌈τ⌉αµ̣⌈έ⌉- ⌈νουσι⌉ν, ἀλ⌈λὰ⌉ ἀπολιµπάνοντ̣⌈ε⌉ς ἐπέρ-⌉ 40 ⌈χον⌉τ̣αι εἰς τὴν ἡµετέραν κώµ⌈η⌉ν ⌈καὶ ἀ⌉ναγκάζουσιν ἡµᾶ⌈ς⌉ ξ̣ενίας α̣ὐ̣- ⌈τοῖς⌉ παρέχειν καὶ ἕτ̣ερα πλεῖστα ε⌈ἰ⌉ς ἀ̣- νάληµψιν αὐτῶν ἄνευ ἀργ̣υρίου χ̣ο- ρ̣ηγεῖν· πρὸς δὲ τού̣τοις καὶ στρατιῶτ̣α̣ι 45 ἀλλαχοῦ πεµπόµενοι καταλιµπά- νοντες τὰς ἰδίας ὁδοὺς πρὸς ἡµᾶς̣ π̣α̣- ραγείν⌈ο⌉ν̣ται καὶ ὁµοίω⌈ς⌉ κ̣α⌈τ⌉ε̣πε⌈ί⌉γουσιν παρέχειν αὐτοῖς τὰ̣ς̣ ξ̣ε̣ν̣ίας κα̣ὶ τὰ ⌈ἐπι⌉- τήδια µηδ̣εµίαν τε̣ιµὴν κατ⌈αβ⌉α̣λόν⌈τ⌉ες̣· 50 ἐπιδηµο̣ῦ⌈σι⌉ν δὲ ὡς ἐπὶ τ̣ὸ̣ πλεῖστον διὰ ⌈τὴν⌉ τῶν ὑ⌈δ⌉ά̣των χρῆ⌈σ⌉ιν̣ οἵ τε ἡ̣γ̣ού-µενο̣ι τῆς ἐπαρχίας, ἀλ̣⌈λ⌉ὰ κ̣αὶ οἱ ἐπί- τροποί σου· ⌈κ⌉αὶ τ̣ὰς µὲν ἐξο⌈υ⌉σ̣ί̣α̣ς ⌈‹ε›ὐ‹ξ›⌉ε̣- νώτατα δεχ̣⌈όµ⌉ε̣θ̣⌈α⌉ κατ⌈ὰ⌉ τὸ ⌈ἀ⌉ναγκα̣ῖο⌈ν,⌉ 55 τοὺς λ⌈οι⌉ποὺς ⌈ὑ⌉ποφέ̣ρ̣ε̣⌈ι⌉ν̣ µ̣ὴ δυνάµε- νοι ἐνετύχοµεν πλειστά⌈κι⌉ς τοῖς ἡγε-µόσι τῆς Θρᾴκης, οἵτινες ἀκολούθως ταῖς θε̣ίαις ἐντολ̣αῖς ἐκέλευσαν ἀοχλ̣ή- τους ἡ̣µᾶς εἶναι· ἐ̣δη̣λ̣ώσαµεν γὰρ µη60 κέτ̣⌈ι ἡµ⌉ᾶ̣ς δύνασθαι ὑποµένειν, ἀλ̣- λὰ καὶ ⌈νοῦ⌉ν ⌈ἔχ⌉ειν συνλε̣ί̣π̣ειν καὶ τοὺ̣ς πατ⌈ρ⌉ῴους θί̣⌈ε⌉µελίους διὰ τὴν τ̣ῶν ἐπερχοµένων ἡµεῖν βίαν· καὶ γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀπὸ πολλῶν οἰκοδεσπο65 τῶν εἰς ἐλαχίστο̣υς κατεληλύθα-µε̣ν· καὶ χρόνῳ µέν τινι ἴ̣σχ̣υ̣σεν 67 τὰ προστάγµατα τῶ̣ν̣ ἡγ⌈ο⌉υ̣µένων The Skaptopara Inscription · 169 col. II ⌈καὶ οὐδεὶς ἡµεῖν ἐνόχλησεν οὔτε⌉ ⌈ξενίας ‹αἰτή›µατι οὔτε παροχῆς ἐπι⌉70 ⌈τηδείων, προϊόντων δὲ τῶν χρόνων⌉ ⌈πάλιν ἐτόλµησαν ἐπιφύεσθαι ἡ⌉- ⌈µεῖν πλεῖστοι ὅσοι ‹τ›ῆς ἰδιωτίας⌉ ⌈ἡµῶν καταφρονοῦντες· ἐπεὶ οὖν οὐ⌉- ⌈κέτι δυνάµεθα φέρειν τὰ βάρη⌉ 75 ⌈καὶ ὡς ἀληθῶς κινδυνεύοµεν ὅπερ⌉ ⌈οἱ λοιποὶ τόδε καὶ ἡµεῖς προλιπεῖν⌉ ⌈τοὺς προγονικοὺς θεµελίους, τού⌉- ⌈του χάριν δεόµεθά σου, ἀνίκητε⌉ ⌈Σεβαστέ, ‹ὅ›πως διὰ θείας σου ἀντιγρα⌉80 ⌈φῆς κελεύσῃ‹ς› ἕκαστον τὴν ἰδίαν πο⌉- ⌈ρεύεσθαι ὁ̣⌈δὸ⌉ν̣ ⌈καὶ µὴ ἀπολιµπάνοντας⌉ ⌈αὐτοὺς τ⌉ὰς ἄλλας κ⌈ώ⌉µ̣α̣⌈ς ἐφ’ ἡµᾶς⌉ ⌈ἔρχε⌉σ̣θ̣α̣ι µήτε κ̣α̣τ⌈α⌉να̣⌈γκάζει⌉ν ἡ̣µᾶ̣ς χορηγ⌈ε⌉ῖ̣ν α̣⌈ὐ⌉το‹ῖ›ς προ⌈ῖ⌉κ⌈α τὰ⌉ 85 ἐπιτήδια̣· ἀλ̣λὰ µ̣ηδ⌈ὲ⌉ ξενία⌈ν⌉ αὐ̣⌈τοῖ⌉ς̣ παρέχ̣ειν, ο⌈ἷ⌉ς µή̣ ἐστιν ἀ̣νά]γκη, — ὅ⌈τ⌉ι γὰρ οἱ ἡγού⌈µεν⌉οι πλεο̣ν̣άκις ἐκέ- λευσαν µὴ ἄ̣λλῳ παρέχεσθ̣αι ξε- νίαν εἰ µὴ τοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν ἡγ̣ουµέ90 νων καὶ ἐπιτρόπων ἐκπεµ- ποµένοις εἰς ὑ̣πηρεσίαν· ἐάν δε βα̣ρο̣ύ̣µ̣εθα, φευξό̣µεθ̣α̣ ἀ̣πὸ τ̣ῶν ο̣ἰ̣κ̣ε̣⌈ί⌉ων καὶ µε⌈γίσ⌉τ̣η̣ν̣ ζ⌈ηµία⌉ν τ̣ὸ τ⌈α⌉µ̣εῖον περιβληθήσε⌈τ⌉αι — ἵν̣α 95 ἐ̣λεηθέντες διὰ τὴν θείαν σου πρόνοιαν καὶ µείναν̣⌈τ⌉ες ἐν τοῖς ἰδίο̣ις τούς ⌈τε⌉ ἱερ̣οὺς φόρους κ̣αὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τελέσ̣µατα π̣αρ̣ασχεῖ⌈ν⌉ δυνησόµ̣εθα· συµβήσεται δὲ 100 τοῦτ̣ο ἡµ̣⌈εῖν⌉ ἐν τ̣οῖς εὐτ̣υ̣χεστά- τοις σοῦ καιρ̣οῖς, ⌈ἐ⌉ὰν̣ κελ̣εύσῃ⌈ς⌉ τὰ̣ θεῖά σου ⌈γ⌉ρ⌈ά⌉µµατα ἐν στ̣ή- λῃ ⌈ἀ⌉ναγραφέν̣τα δ̣ηµοσίᾳ πρ̣ο- φ[α]ν⌈εῖ⌉σθα̣, ἵνα̣ τούτ̣ου τυχόντε̣ς 105 τῇ Τύχῃ σοῦ χάριν ὁµολογ̣εῖν δυνησόµ̣εθα, ὡς καὶ νῦν καθ̣ο̣[σ]107 [ι]ωµένοι σου ποιοῦµεν. vacat 0,04 108 Adlegent vac. Πύρρος ὁ πρα̣[ι]τ̣ωρ̣ι̣- α̣νὸς ἀπὸ θ̣είας φι̣λανθ̣ρωπί110 ας ἐπὶ τὴν ἔντευ̣ξιν ταύ- την ἐλήλυθ̣ε̣ν· [κ]α̣ὶ̣δοκ̣εῖ δ̣έ̣µοι̣θεῶν̣ τ⌈ι⌉ς προ̣νοήσασθαι 170 · Appendix 1 τῆς παρούσης ἀξιώσεως· τὸ γὰρ ⌈τ⌉ὸ̣ν θ̣ειότατον ⌈αὐ⌉τ̣ο̣11 5 κράτορ⌈α π⌉ερὶ τούτων πέ̣⌈µ⌉- ψαι τὴν δίανγνωσιν ἐπὶ σέ ἔτι δε ἤδη φθάσαντα 118 περὶ τού⌈τ⌉‹ω›ν κα⌈ὶ⌉ προγράµcol . III ⌈µασιν καὶ διατάγµασιν⌉ 120 ⌈† δεδωκέναι †, τοῦτο ἐµοὶ δο⌉- ⌈κεῖ τῆς ἀγαθῆς τύχης ἔργον⌉ ⌈εἶναι· ἦ‹ν› δὲ ἡ ἀξίωσις· Ἡ κώ⌉- ⌈µη ἡ τοῦ βοηθουµένου στρα⌉- ⌈τιώτου ἐστ‹ὶν› ἐν τῷ καλλί⌉125 ⌈στῳ τῆς πολιτείας τῆς ἡµε⌉- ⌈τέρας τῶν Παυταλιωτῶν πόλεως⌉ ⌈κειµένη, καλῶς µὲν τῶν ὀρῶν⌉ ⌈καὶ τῶν πεδίων ἔχουσα,⌉ ⌈πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ θερ⌉130 ⌈µῶν ὑδάτων λουτρὰ οὐ µό⌉- ⌈νον πρὸς τρυφήν, ἀλλὰ καὶ⌉ ⌈ὑγείαν καὶ θεραπείαν σω⌉-µ̣ά̣τ̣ων̣ ⌈ἐπιτηδειότατα,⌉ πλ̣η̣σ̣ί⌈ον δὲ καὶ πανήγυρις⌉ 135 π̣⌈ο⌉λλ⌈ά⌉κ̣⌈ι⌉ς µὲ̣⌈ν ἐν τῷ ἔτει⌉ συν⌈αγ⌉οµ̣ένη π̣ε̣⌈ρὶ δὲ ‹κ›α‹λ›(άνδας)⌉ Ὀ̣κτ̣ωµ[βρίας καὶ εἰς πε̣⌈ντε⌉- καίδεκα ἡµερῶν ἀτε̣λ̣⌈ής·⌉ συµβέβηκ̣εν̣ τοίνυν τὰ δ̣ο̣κο̣ῦ̣⌈ν⌉140 τα̣ ⌈τ⌉ῆ̣ς κώµης ταύτης πλεον- εκτ̣ήµα̣τα τῷ χρόνῳ περι- εληλυθ̣έναι α̣ὐτῆς εἰς ἐ- λ̣αττώµατα· — διὰ γὰρ τὰς προ̣ειρηµένας ταύτας 145 προ̣φάσεις πολλοὶ πολλά- κ̣ις στρατιῶται ἐνεπιδη-µοῦντες ταῖς τε ἐπιξενώ- ⌈σεσι⌉ν καὶ ταῖς βαρήσεσιν ⌈ἐνο⌉χ̣λοῦσιν τὴν κώµην· 150 κ̣[αὶ] διὰ τ̣α̣ύτα̣ς αἰτίας πρό- τε̣ρον αὐτὴν κα̣ὶ πλουσιο- τ̣⌈έ⌉ρ̣α̣ν̣ κ̣αὶ πολυ̣άνθρωπονµᾶ̣λ̣[λο]ν οὖσαν νῦν εἰς ἐσχά- την ἀπορίαν̣ ἐλη̣λυθέναι· 155 περὶ τούτ̣ων ἐ̣δ⌈ε⌉ήθη- σαν πολλάκ̣ις̣ καὶ τῶν ἡγε-µό̣νων, ἀ̣λλ̣ὰ̣ κ̣α̣ὶ̣µέχρις τι- The Skaptopara Inscription · 171 νῶν ἴσχυ̣σ̣ε̣ν̣ α̣ὐτῶν τὰ προστάγµα̣τ̣⌈α,⌉ µε̣τὰ δὲ 160 ταῦτα κατωλ̣ιγωρήθη διὰ τὴν συν̣ή⌈θ⌉ειαν τῆς ⌈τ⌉ο̣ιαύτης ἐνο̣⌈χ⌉λήσεως· δ̣ιὰ τοῦτο ἀναγκαίως κατ̣- έφυγον ἐπὶ τὸν Σ̣ε̣βα̣σ̣τόν. 165 Imp(erator) Caesar M(arcus) Antonius Gordianus pius felix Aug (ustus) vikanis per Pyrrum mil(item) conpossessore [m·] id genus qu[a]erellae precibus intentum an VE .. ^ ....AT iustitia praesidis ‹p›ọti⌈us⌉ ṣuper his quae adlegabuntur instructa discingere qụạm rescripto pr⌈i⌉ncipali certam formam reportare dev beas. Rescripv si. Recọgnovi. Sigṇạṿị. I. Authentication (ll. 1–5) * (ll. 1–5)Good Fortune. In the consulate of Fulvius Pius and Pontius Proculus [238], on December 16copied and examined from the collection of petitions answered by our master, the emperor Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius Felix Augustus, and posted in Rome in the portico of the Baths of Trajan in the words which are written below. II. Note of delivery (ll. 6–7) (ll. 6–7) Presented by Aurelius Pyrrus soldier in the tenth praetorian cohort pia fidelis Gordiana, of Proculus’ century, fellow villager and owner. III. Petition to Gordian III (ll. 8–107) Inscriptio (ll. 8–11) (ll. 8–11)To the emperor Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius Felix Augustus. Petition from the villagers of Skaptopara, also called the Greseitai. Exordium (ll. 11–2 1) (ll. 11–1 5) That in your most happy and everlasting times the villages should be inhabited and prosper, rather than the inhabitants should be driven off, you have on many occasions stated in your rescripts. (ll. 15–1 7) This policy is both salvation to the people and to the profit of your most sacred fisc. (ll. 18–21) Therefore we too bring a legal supplication to your divinity, praying that you will look graciously upon us when we entreat you in this way. Narratio (ll. 21–77) (ll. 21–26)We dwell and have our property in the village mentioned above; it is most attractive because it has thermal springs and lies between the two military camps which are in your [province of] Thracia. (ll. 26–30) In the past—as long as the inhabitants were left alone and not subject to extortion—they contributed faultlessly in full both taxes and the other impositions. (ll. 30–33)But when some persons now and then started to get rough and use force, then the village *Reprinted with permission from Tor Hauken, Petition and Response: An Epigraphic Study of Petitions to Roman Emperors, 181–2 49, Monographs from the Norwegian Institute at Athens, Vol. 2. Bergen; Jonsered, Sweden: Norwegian Institute at Athens; Distributor, P. Åstrøms förlag, 1998. 172 · Appendix 1 too started to decline. (ll. 33–44) A famous market takes place two miles from our village. Those who stay there to attend the market, do not [however] remain at the marketplace for all the fifteen days—they leave it and turn up in our village and compel us to provide them with quartering and most of the other things for their entertainment without offering payment. (ll. 44–49) In addition to these soldiers that are despatched elsewhere leave their proper routes and appear among us and likewise press us hard to furnish them quartering and provisions without paying anything. (ll. 50–53)For...