E03663: Record of the settlement of a dispute by arbitration, written in Greek on papyrus, mentioning the practice of swearing oaths (horkoi) of innocence at the oratory (euages eukterion) of *Kyrikos (child martyr of Tarsus, S00007) in Kastron Zadakathon, near Petra. Found in Petra, drafted in Kastron Zadakathon/Sadaqa (Roman province of Palaestina III). Dated 574.

lines 475-485:

π̣ερὶ δὲ τῆς [ὕ]̣λ̣η̣ς
καὶ τῆς λ[ι]̣θίας καὶ τῶν θυρωμάτω̣ν καὶ τοῦ παρορισμοῦ ὅπερ ἐνήγαγεν
̣ὁ ̣θ̣ε̣οσεβέστ(ατος) Θεόδωρος Ὀ̣β̣ο̣δ̣ι̣ανοῦ ὁ μνημονευθεὶς ἔδ̣οξεν τὸν εὐλαβέστ(ατον
Στέφανον Λεοντίου ὅ̣ρκον ὑποτελέσαι Θεοδώρῳ τῷ προειρ̣η̣μ̣έ̣ν̣ῳ
ἐν τῷ ε̣ὐ̣αγεῖ εὐκτηρίῳ τ̣ο[ῦ ἁ]γίου καὶ ἐνδόξου μάρτυρος Κηρύκου τ̣οῦ
̣ἐνταῦ̣θα ἐ̣ν ̣Ζ̣α̣δακάθο[ν] καὶ εἰπεῖν ὅτι μὰ τ̣ὰς ἁγίας γραφὰς ταύτ̣ας
ὅτι οὐκ οἶδα ̣οὐ σύνοιδα ὅτι ἐπέρθη ἐ̣κ τῆς ̣ὕλης καὶ λιθίας καὶ θυρωμ̣ά̣τ̣ω̣ν
τῆς σῆς οἰ̣κήσεως τίπο̣τ̣ε οὔτε οἶδα εἰς παρορισμὸν τῆς αὐτῆς
οἰκήσε̣ως, καὶ ̣ἐ[ὰ]̣ν [ὁμο]̣λ̣ογήσαι εἰς τίποτε αὐτὸν ἀπο̣λογήσασθαι
Θε̣οδώρῳ Ὀβοδιανοῦ τῷ εὐλαβεστ(άτῳ) αὐτοῦ λαμβάννοντος παρ' αὐ̣τ[ο]̣ῦ
Θεοδ̣ώρου πρõτον ̣τὸν περὶ τῆς ἐπερίας ὅρκον

'Concerning the timber and stone and doors and the encroachment, of which the aforementioned most God-fearing Theodoros, son of Obodianos, had brought an accusation, it was decided that the most reverend Stephanos, son of Leontios, shall swear an oath (horkos) to the above-mentioned Theodoros in the sacred oratory (euages eukterion) of the holy and glorious martyr Kyrikos here in Zadakatha, and say that "by these Holy Scriptures, I do not know nor am I aware that anything has been taken of the timber and stone and doors of your house, neither do I know of any encroachment into the same house", and if he assents, he has made his defense against everything before the most reverend Theodoros, son of Obodianos, first taking from Theodoros himself the oath of calumny (horkos eperias).'

lines 485-495:

περὶ δὲ τῶν
δύο νομισμάτων ὅπερ ἐνήγαγεν Στέφανος Λεοντίου τῷ εὐλαβεστ(άτῳ)
Θεοδώρῳ λέγ̣ο[ν ὅτ]ι ἔδοξεν δο̣ῦναι Λεοντίῳ τῷ μακαρ(ιωτάτῳ) αὐτοῦ πατρὶ
̣ὕ̣πὲρ τῆς ἀμπ̣έ̣λ[ο]̣υ ̣ὡ̣ς κ̣ατηλήμφθη ὑπὸ Ἀβοῦ Χερέβου τοῦ
φυλάρχου, ἔδοξ̣ε[ν] ̣Θ̣ε̣ό̣δ̣ω̣ρ̣ο̣ν [τὸν εὐλαβ]̣έ̣σ̣τ(ατον) ὅρκον ὑποτε̣λ̣έ̣σ̣α̣ι Στεφάνῳ
τῷ εὐλαβεστ(άτῳ) ἐν ̣τ̣ῷ [εὐαγε]ῖ ̣ε[ὐ]κτηρ̣ίῳ τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ἐνδόξου μάρτυρος
Κηρύκου ̣κ̣αὶ εἰπ̣εῖν ̣ὅ̣τ̣ι ̣μ̣ὰ ̣τ̣ὰ̣ς γραφὰς τ̣α̣ύ̣τ̣α̣ς ὅτι οὐδήποτε ἔδοξέν μοι
οὐδὲ ἐτύπωσα δοῦναι τῷ μακαρ(ιωτάτῳ) σου πατρὶ ἕνηκεν το[ῦ] πράγματος
τῆς ἀμπέλου τί̣πο̣τ̣ε, καὶ ἐ̣ὰν ὁμολογήσαι ἐν τῷ ὅρκῳ αὐτὸν
εἰς τίποτε αὐτὸν πλ̣η̣ρ[ο]̣ῦ̣ν ̣Σ̣τ̣εφ̣άνῳ δῆλον αὐτοῦ Στεφάνου
π̣αρέχοντος Θεοδώ̣ρ̣ῳ ̣τ̣ὸ̣ν ̣περὶ τῆς προεπερίας ὅρκον

'Concerning the two solidi, of which Stephanos, son of Leontios, had brought an accusation against the most reverend Theodoros, when he said that (the latter) had promised to pay (them) to Leontios, his most blessed father, for the vineyard, as was decreed by the phylarch Abu Cherebos, it was decided that the most reverend Theodoros shall swear an oath (horkos) to the most reverend Stephanos in the [sacred] oratory (euages eukterion) of the holy and glorious martyr Kyrikos, and say that "by these Holy Scriptures, I never promised or decided to pay anything to your most blessed father because of the affair of the vineyard", and if he assents to the oath, it is clear that he has satisfied Stephanos in everything, when Stephanos himself has given to Theodoros the oath concerning calumny (horkos proeperias).'

Text: P.Petra IV 39. Translation: M. Kaimio, lightly adapted.