Archive of Apollonios the Strategos on the War of Quietus
(0377) Text: [Ἀ]λινὴ Ἀπολλωνίῳ τῷ ἀδελφῷ | πολλὰ χαίρειν. | μ̣εγάλως [ἀγ]ωνιῶσα περί σου διὰ τὰ ὄν- | [τα τ]οῦ καιρ̣[ο]ῦ φημιζόμενα καὶ ὅτι ἐξ- | [άφ]νως ἐ[ξῆ]λθες ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ· οὔτε πο- | [… ο]ὔτε [σε]ιτίοις ἡδέως προσέρχομαι, | [ἀλλὰ συν]εχῶς ἀγρυπνοῦσα νυκτὸς ἡ- | [μέρας μ]ί̣αν μέριμναν ἔχω τὴν περὶ | [τῆς σωτ]ηρίας σου. μόνη δὲ ἡ τοῦ πατρός | [μου πολ]υωρία ε ἀνεγείρει με καὶ τῇ α’ | [ἡμέρᾳ] τοῦ νέου ἔτους, νὴ τὴν σὴν | [σωτη]ρίαν, ἄ[γ]ευστος ἐκοιμώμην, | [εἰ μὴ ὁ π]ατήρ μου εἰσελθὼν ἐβιάσατό | [με. παρακ]αλῶ σε οὖν ἀσφαλῶς σεαυτὸν | [φύλαττε] καὶ μὴ μόνος τὸν κίνδυνον | [ἄνευ] φυλακῆς ὑπόμεινε ἀλλὰ ὡς | [καὶ ὁ ἐ]νθάδε στρατηγὸς τοῖς ἄρχου- | [σι ἐπιτί]θησι τὸ βάρος καὶ σὺ τὸ αὐ- | [τὸ ποίει …]ν δέ μου τὸν πατέρα | […]α ὄντα. καὶ γὰρ τὸ ὄνο- | [μα … ἀ]δελφοῦ προετέθη | […]ις δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ θεὸς | […]ν. ἐὰν οὖν, ἄδελφε, […τῶ]ν πραγμάτων | […]ς πρὸς ἡμᾶς γρά- | [ψον …]βω αὐτῷ πρός σε | […τ] ἀν[αβ]αίνει | [… τῆ]ς σω[τη-] | [ρίας …] || Ἀπολλωνίῳ ἀδελ[φῷ].
Translation: Aline to Apollonios her brother greetings. I am terribly anxious about you because of what they say about what is happening, and because of your sudden departure. I take no pleasure in food or drink, but stay awake continually night and day with one worry, your safety. Only my father’s care revives me and, as I hope to see you safe, I would have lain without food on New Year’s Day, had my father not come and forced me to eat. I beg you to keep yourself safe, and not to go into danger without a guard. Do the same as the strategos here, who puts the burden on his officers […] my father […]. For the name […] of my brother was put forward […]. May God preserve him. If then, my brother, you have leisure from your business […] write to me […] to you […] he is coming up […] safety […]. || To Apollonios my brother.
Provenience: Hermopolis, Egypt 29 Aug-15 Sept 115 CE
Commentary: An extensive archive of Apollonios the strategos has survived, much of it relating to the War of Quietus (cf. §376 and §378). That said, despite the military connotations of his office, strategos was a purely administrative position in Roman Egypt. This one cites Apollonios’ need for a military guard when going about his duties.
Bibliography: CPJ 436*; P.Giss. 19; Miriam Pucci Ben Zeev, Diaspora Judaism in Turmoil, 116/117 CE: Ancient Sources and Modern Insights (Interdisciplinary Studies in Ancient Culture and Religion 6; Leuven: Peeters, 2005) no. 16.