SEG 51.153 Lease of an estate by the deme Prasiai

Lease of an estate by the deme Prasiai

SEG 51.153 Date: ca. 350-300 BC

. . . ^[1] . . . from . . . Steir- . . . the estate of -ophanes . . . erasure 100+ drachmas every (5)year [free of all assessments?; and] they shall pay [half the rent] in Metageitnion at the elections, and half in the month of -ion; and if [hostile forces] (10)cause any damage erasure shall pay to the Prasieis one of [the halves scil. of the rent or?] half of the [produce?] on the estate . . . the written specifications . . . erasure; and erasure and his (15)descendants shall plant [the whole estate] in whatever way he wishes while they pay the rent to the Prasieis; and if they do not pay the rent to the Prasieis, they scil. the Prasieis shall rent it to whomever they wish . . . (20) 1 line erased shall . . . . . .

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References:

SEG 51.153 (Translated text) (AIO)

SEG 61.155

SEG 62.80

Papazarkadas, Sacred and Public Land, 119, 123 n. 109, 149-50

Pernin, Baux ruraux 17

Bultrighini, Demi della Paralia, 321-9

Russo, Ripartizioni, D78

Translation by: Stephen Lambert

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Lease

Findspot: Built into a farm wall at Prasa or Natso (Porto Rafti) (Brauron Museum 1279)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This is one of three extant inscribed leases of the deme Prasiai. For the other two see AIO 2880 (with fuller notes on the deme) and SEG 21.644. This one is datable by its letter forms and orthography to ca. 350-300 BC, i.e. roughly the same period as the other two (the letter forms, e.g. the forward-leaning nu, and wide spacing, as depicted in the drawing, Matthaiou plate 17, perhaps argue for a date nearer 350 than 300), and the reference to the lessee's "descendants" in ll. 15-16 indicate that, also like the other two, this one was perpetual. The erasures in ll. 4, 10, 14, 15, and 20 most likely indicate that the lessee was ejected, e.g. because he had defaulted on the terms of the lease. SEG 21.644 displays a similar phenomenon. If the erasure in l. 10 of our lease contained only the name of the lessee, as it would seem to have done from the flow of the sense, it was 10 letters long, which raises the possibility that the lessee was the same man as the lessee of SEG 21.644, Polysthenes (Πολυσθένης, 10 letters; spelled, however, in that lease with 11 letters as Πολυσσθένης). That inscription also contains provisions in case the property was damaged by enemy action, though they differ in detail from ours. For provisions of this kind see also IG II² 2492 (Aixone), SEG 24.151 (Teithras), with Papazarkadas, p. 123, who notes that all the relevant demes were on or, in the case of Teithras, not far from the coast.

From its reported findspot it would seem that the lease may have been set up in the sanctuary of Apollo Delios (on which see the notes to AIO 2880; see the first edition, by A. P. Matthaiou, Horos 14-16, 2000-03, 71-76, noting other finds connected with the sanctuary in the vicinity). The deme Steiria was mentioned in l. 2 in a context in which the property leased in our inscription was most likely being defined by neighbouring properties and their owners (cf. l. 3). This is consistent with Strabo 9.1.22, who implies that Prasiai and Steiria were neighbours.

For the provision that the first of the two annual instalments of the rent should be paid "in Metageitnion at the time of the elections" (archairesiai) cf. I Eleus. 85. For the provision that the lessee should be free of all assessments (scil. for taxes, probably the city's property tax, the eisphora, is mainly intended) in this deme, cf. IG II² 2497, and cf. below, Textual Note.

Textual Note AIO follows the text of the first editor, A. P. Matthaiou, Horos 14-16 (2000-2003), 71-76. 5: alternatively, ἀνε[πιτίμητον κἀτελές ("not liable to assessment or contributions") Matth., cf. IG II² 2498, 6-7, with note. 8 ΡΕΣΙΛΙΣ stone. 8-9 If there is no stoichedon irrregularity the possible months at a significant interval after Metageitnion (2nd month) are Ἀνθεστ|ηρ]ιῶνος (8th month), Ἐλαφηβ|ολ]ιῶνος (9th month) or Σκιροφ|ορ]ιῶνος (12th month) Matth. 11 We tentatively reproduce Matthaiou's restoration.

Added: 1 Nov 2024
Updated: 1 Nov 2024
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ID: AIO_3070