Gaius Julius Sabinus
(0388) Text: Γάιος Ἰούλιος Σαβεῖνος στρατιώτης | λεγεῶνος τρίτης Κυρηναικῆς κεντυ[ρίας] | Γαίου Τιτίου Μαξίμου Λουκίῳ | Ἰουλίῳ Κέλερι στρατιώτῃ λεγεῶνος | τῆς αὐτῆς κεντυρίας Μινουκίου | Νέποτος χαιρεῖν. ὁμολογῶ ἔχειν | παρὰ σοῦ ἐν παραθῃ ἀργυρίο[υ] | τοῦ νομίσματος δραχμὰς | ἑπτακοσίας τεσσ[α]ράκοντα, (δραχμὰς) ψμ, | ἃς καὶ ἀποδώσω σοι ὁπηνίκα ἐὰν | αἱρῇ ἄνευ πάσης ὑπερθέσεως | καὶ εὑρησιλογίας. [ἡ χεὶρ ἥδε κυρία] | ἔστω παντὶ τ[ῷ ἐπιφέροντι καὶ] | πανταχῇ ἐπι[φερομένη ὡς ἐν] | δ[ημ]οσίῳ κατα[κεχωρισμένη]. | (ἔτους) πεντεκαιδ[εκάτου Αὐτοκράτορος] | Καίσαρος Δο̣[μιτιανοῦ Σεβαστοῦ] | μηνὸς Παῦνει … | (hand 2) Γάιος Ἰούλιος Κλήμης στρατι(ώτης) | λεγεῶ(νος) κβ (ἑκατονταρχίας) Σεμπρωνίου Κλημέν(τος) | ἀπέχω ἀπὸ τῶ[ν] προγ[εγ]ρα[μμέ]νων | δραχμῶν ἑπτακοσίων [τε]σσα[ρά]κοντα | διὰ χειρὸς ἐξ οἴκου ἀργυρίου δραχμὰς | πεντακοσίας ὀκτοήκοντα (γίνονται) (δραχμαὶ) φπ, [τὰς] | δὲ λυπάς [ἀ]ργ[υρίου δραχμὰς ἑκατὸν] | ἑξήκοντα αὐτὸς […] | κληρον[ό]μος πε[…] | φινε. ἔτι δὲ κ[αὶ …] | ἐν πε[…] | εἱμάτια καὶ οὓς ενεν[…] | Αὐτοκράτορος Νέρου[α Καίσαρος Σεβαστοῦ] | [μηνὸς ] ι
Translation: Gaius Iulius Sabinus, soldier of legio III Cyrenaeica in the century of Gaius Titius Maximus, to Lucius Iulius Celer, soldier of the same legion in the century of Minucius Nepos, greetings. I acknowledge that I have from you on deposit seven hundred and forty drachmai of imperial silver coin, 740 drachmai, which I shall return whenever you wish without delay or evasion. This chirograph shall be valid for anyone who produces it and anywhere it may be produced as if it were registered in the state archives. The fifteenth year of the Emperor Caesar Domitian Augustus, … of the month Pauni. (2nd hand) I, Gaius Iulius Clemens, soldier of legio XXII in the century of Sempronius Clemens, have received out of the aforesaid seven hundred and forty drachmai, from hand to hand out of the house, five hundred and eighty drachmai in silver, that is 580 drachmai, and the remaining one hundred and sixty silver drachmai he himself ….
Commentary: Sabinus probably has some Jewish heritage: his paternal great-aunt bears the name “Sambathion.” While the name Sambathion does not prove with certainty his Jewish ancestry, it remains likely. Tcherikover notes the mix of Roman, Greek, and Egyptian names in the family (CPJ). Several other letters from the family have been found but are omitted from those collected here – these are limited to those mentioning Sabinus and his son Apollinarius. Sabinus’ son Apollinarius was also a soldier of legio III Cyrenaica. See the fuller discussion of the family’s archive in Elinor M. Husselman, ed., Papyri From Karanis, Third Series: Michigan Papyri IX 29 (Cleveland: The Press of Case Western Reserve University, 1971), 5-8; K. Vandorpe, W. Clarysse and H. Verreth, Graeco-Roman Archives from the Fayum, Collectanea Hellenistica 6 (Leuven: Peeters University Press, 2015), 186-198.
Provenience: Karanis, Egypt (near Fayuum, Egypt) 26 May-24 June 96 CE
Bibliography: P.Mich. 571*