Heras During War of Quietus
(0380) Text: Ἡρᾶς Ἐπαφροδίτῳ | τῷ κυρίῳ πατρὶ | χαίρειν. | μόγις ποτὲ [εὑρ]ὼν τὸν | ἐρχόμενον πρὸς σε εἴσ- | χυσα (γὰρ) ἀσπάσασθαί σε· οἶδα | δʼ ὅτι εὐκτε̣͂[ο]ν ἐστίν [σ]ο[ι]. | παρακαλῶ οὖν ἀντιγρά- | ψαι μου περὶ τε τῆς σω- | τηρίας σου καὶ τῆς τοῦ | ἀδελφοῦ μου ὑγιείας· κα- | λῶς οὖν ποιήσεις, κύριε, | μεταπέμψασθαι τὴν | μητέρα μου καὶ τὴν [ἀ]δελ- | φήν μου, ἐπεὶ διπλοκάριος | ἦλθεν εἰς Χηνοβόσκ[ι]α | καὶ ἀπεφήνατο Ἀρχίαι [ὅτ]ι | ἐν ἐσχάτοις ἐντὶν ἡ Ἑρμοῦ | πόλις. ἀσπάσαι Χρήσιμον καὶ | Κάστορα καὶ Σαραπίωνα τὸν | ξηρὸν καὶ Ἱέρακίωνα καὶ | Φιβᾶν καὶ τοὺς κ[…] | ἡμῶν φιλτά[τους. ἔρρωσό μοι] | κύριε πά[τερ …]
Translation: Heras to Epaphroditus his lord father, greetings. Having found with difficulty somebody who travels to you, I could send you my blessings. I know that this would please you. So I beg you to write me
how is your health and that of my brother. You would do well, my lord, to send for my mother and my sister, since a duplicarius came to Xenoboskia and told the Archias that Hermoupolis is in extreme danger. Regards to Chresimos and Castor, to Sarapion the thin one, to Hierakion and Phibas and to […] our beloved ones. Be well my lord father.
Provenience: Hermopolis, Egypt 116-117 CE
Commentary: Heras mentions the presence of a duplicarius (a low ranking, but well paid Roman soldier) during bringing news to Hermopolis during the War of Quietus.
Bibliography: SB 10.10277; 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. 21*.