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donian Hermon, as an expert constructor of dams and a citizen of Philadelphia,
owner of an agricultural property of eighty arurs, complains,
strangely, to the agricultural clerk of the locality, that the privilege of
being the leader of a torch procession was conferred on him. He, however,
had not the means to carry this out, having only the means for
the essential upkeep of himself, his wife, and his child. For this reason
he demands that his protest be submitted to the Gymnasiarch and the
new men of the Gymnasion of Philadelphia, or to the appropriate authority.
(Edit: An ancient Athenian system of taxing the notables was
to assign them a "liturgy" as their tax assessment. This might have
been staging a tragedy at the theatre, manning a war vessel etc. It
was a tax and also a privilege but the notable had to pay all expenses,
and his pride demanded that he carried out the liturgy generously).
The text here is self-explanatory, but its general significance should not
be exaggerated. It is not, in itself, an indication of the beginning of the
decline of the Greek reputation, even if at the time that it was drawn
up there were clear indications of the emancipation of the Egyptians.
The decisive questions ariging therefrom cannot be answered. Perchance,
by misadventure, a clearly unsuitable man had been appointed
to this honoured Greek position which none the less would have ruined
him financially? Perchance the complaint was that of just a pure egoist
who was not willing to sacrifice part of his fortune for a public requirement
Clearly the Egyptian clerk of the locality was the only authorised
person to receive and pass on the complaint without any personal jurisdiction
of decision, i.e. the first step of an official hierarchy at the end
of which there was a State controller. Can this, however, give us the
basic discussion on the academic freedom of the Gymnasion mode of
life?
This paryrus is therefore a document of both gymnasion and social
interest: The poor Greek in the midst of a wealthy community which
might seem to have not the slightest understanding of his position.
The nomination to a liturgy of consequence brings him into serious
conflict between his duty to care for his family and of the high honorific
obligation vis-a-vis the society of Philadelphia. A similar outlook on
the every day, but not always exemplary aspect of Greek life is given
by another paryrus, also from Philadelphia, and dated the 3rd century
B:C. In this document a certain Pyrrhon addresses himself to a wealthy
compatriot asking him to fulfil his promises given a long time ago, that
is to provide clothes for the son of Pyrrhon and enter him for a palaestridion,
i.e. a small school. Apart from that, he complains that he is
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