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Select Papyri, 2.240


PROCEEDINGS OF A SENATE

Greek text: POxy 2110
Date:   A.D. 370.

In the 3rd consulship of our masters Valentinianus and Valens, eternal Augusti, Phaophi 9, at a meeting of the senate, in the prytany of Claudius Hermeias son of Gelasius, ex-gymnasiarch and senator, after the plaudits Theon son of Animonius, senator, represented by his son Macrobius, came forward and made the following statement : Fellow councillors you know as well as I that my name is on the tablet about to come into force and that I am one of the twenty-four ordained by our lord the most illustrious Tatianus for the pagarchies and contractorships. Perhaps in ignorance the president has appointed me to the administration of the soldiers' woollen clothing for the 14th indiction, at the very time when I have horses to keep ; wherefore I put it to you that the ordinances ought not to be infringed. The senators cried : What is on the tablet is valid ; what has been rightly ordained must not be infringed. Ptoleminus, ex-logistes, said : What has been ordained by our lord the most illustrious Tatianus with the approval of the whole senate must stand fast and unshaken, whence it follows that the twenty-four are not to serve in any other service whatever but keep to the heavier liturgies, not only in this but in future prytanies. If, however, anyone wishes to serve in another service, he does not do so on the responsibility of the senate, and Macrobius ought not to be burdened. Gerontius, ex-exactor, said : " What has been rightly ordained and legally done by my lord Tatianus and referred to our sovereigns and to my lords the most illustrious praefects of the sacred praetorium has its validity from them, and hence it is not proper for Macrobius to be burdened by either the prytanis or the future prytanis with other administrations." Sarmates, ex-logistes, said : " Perhaps it was in ignorance that our brother Hermeias the president impressed Macrobius who is one of the 24 ordained by my lord Tatianus, and he ought not to be burdened on the score of an administration. But if any one of the 24 should wish to be ostentatious, he knows his own responsibility" . . . . said : One of the twenty-four ordained by the rectitude of my lord Tatianus ought not to [suffer through the fault of ?] presidents, and Macrobius ought not now to be burdened with the administration of the soldiers' woollen clothing nor anything else, but should conf ine himself to the heavy liturgies. Ammonianus, ex-exactor, said : What has been rightly and . . . ordained and approved by the masters of the world and by my lords the most illustrious praefects should not be infringed either by the present prytanis or by future prytaneis, hence Macrobius ought not to be burdened with other liturgies. Valerius son of Eudaemon, ex-gymnasiarch, said : It is not seemly for us to do anything beyond what has been ordained by my lord Tatianus, hence neither Macrobius nor any other of the 24. (?) ought to be subject to intrigue in any way, but they ought to be protected by the disposition which has been rightly made. Macrobius, police-officer, said : Being one of the 24 Macrobius ought not to be burdened with another service. Achilles son of Posi, police-officer, said : We all returned thanks at the time for the disposition rightly made by my lord the most illustrious Tatianus ; Macrobius accordingly ought not to be burdened with the administration of the soldiers' woollen clothing, nor any other service, because he is one of the 24. Zoilus son of Dionysius, ex-gymnasiarch, said : "I too am in agreement with the view which has been generally expressed that these 24 should not be burdened either by (the present prytanis or by) future prytaneis ; Macrobius therefore ought not to be burdened , especially as he is one of the 24." Theon son of Eusebius, ex-prytanis, said : Perhaps in ignorance our brother the president, being unaware that Theon represented by his son Macrobius is one of the 24 persons ordained for the heavier liturgies, imposed upon him the clothing ; we therefore object that it is not right that he should be burdened on the score of the administration of the said woollen clothing. Eulogius son of Ptolemaeus, ex-gymnasiarch, said : Theon son of Ammonius, represented by his son Macrobius, being one of the 24 ordained for the heaviest liturgies, ought not to suffer any burden on the score of other liturgies. The prytanis said : "The opinions which you have advanced collectively and individually are in the safe keeping of the minutes, and Macrobius shall not be burdened with the administration of the soldiers' woollen clothing for the l4th indiction." {Signed} I, Aurelius Isidorus, scribe, drew up the minutes.

papyrus 241


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