egypt 4: the villages. village less greek less greek 1 or 2 temples 1 or 2 temples granaries, other...
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VillageVillage
Less GreekLess Greek 1 or 2 temples1 or 2 temples Granaries, other grain installationsGranaries, other grain installations HousesHouses
Predominant activity: agriculturePredominant activity: agriculture
No ‘colonate’: independent farmers suppressed No ‘colonate’: independent farmers suppressed by large estate owners/feudalismby large estate owners/feudalism
Small-middle sized farm (10-99 arouras): Small-middle sized farm (10-99 arouras): accounts for 2/3 of land in Karanisaccounts for 2/3 of land in Karanis
LaborLabor
not by hired men, but casual labor not by hired men, but casual labor (harvest time, threshing floors etc.).(harvest time, threshing floors etc.).
Often these transactions have not Often these transactions have not been preserved, because they are been preserved, because they are casual labor, cf. Appianus archive casual labor, cf. Appianus archive where core is part-time workerswhere core is part-time workers
SlaverySlavery
Labor divided between continuous Labor divided between continuous labor and casual workers: thus, labor and casual workers: thus, slavery small part in agricultural laborslavery small part in agricultural labor
Poorer farmers could not afford slave Poorer farmers could not afford slave (2 slaves = annual income in wheat)(2 slaves = annual income in wheat)
Larger landowners leased their land Larger landowners leased their land to smaller farmers: no slaves neededto smaller farmers: no slaves needed
Middle class: important role for slavesMiddle class: important role for slaves
WomenWomen
1/6 to ¼ of land owned by women 1/6 to ¼ of land owned by women (cf. ca. 8.5 % in cities!), esp. by (cf. ca. 8.5 % in cities!), esp. by inheritanceinheritance
Leased landLeased land Worked landWorked land
Government villageGovernment village Komarch (chief of village/village headman): Komarch (chief of village/village headman): - Naming successorNaming successor- Village liturgists; tasks:Village liturgists; tasks:
a.a. Tax collection and transportation (e.g. Tax collection and transportation (e.g. sitologossitologos))
b.b. Security (e.g. eirenarch)Security (e.g. eirenarch)- Reports these to Reports these to strategos strategos (later (later praepositus praepositus
pagipagi))
Every man had to take part in physical labor Every man had to take part in physical labor (e.g. irrigation)(e.g. irrigation)
Tax collectionTax collection
Provincial administrationProvincial administration
Metropolitan liturgistsMetropolitan liturgists
Village liturgists
Tasks distributed, so hardly any Tasks distributed, so hardly any involvement of state bureaucracyinvolvement of state bureaucracy
Result: administrative changes not felt Result: administrative changes not felt on local levelon local level
Again, only presence of central Again, only presence of central government was army (e.g. Dionysias)government was army (e.g. Dionysias)
From IV onwards, Church provided a From IV onwards, Church provided a binding factorbinding factor
TasksTasks
Tax collectionTax collection Physical labor (e.g. irrigation)Physical labor (e.g. irrigation) SecuritySecurity Local administrationLocal administration
Intervillage contactsIntervillage contacts
E.g. seasonal labor, but also E.g. seasonal labor, but also topographical factorstopographical factors
On the marginsOn the margins
Animal husbandry: in villages, grazed Animal husbandry: in villages, grazed between Black and Red Landbetween Black and Red Land
Herdsman was not as marginal as in, Herdsman was not as marginal as in, say, Greece: often owned landsay, Greece: often owned land
Outer Desert: criminals, taxes, Outer Desert: criminals, taxes, anachoresis anachoresis (monks)(monks)
Oases: natron, alumOases: natron, alum Eastern Desert: raw materialsEastern Desert: raw materials Red Sea harbours: trade with IndiaRed Sea harbours: trade with India
LandLand
2/3 of land owned by villagers: 2/3 of land owned by villagers: directly farmed by themdirectly farmed by them
Rest leased, or owned by large Rest leased, or owned by large landownerslandowners
Large estates: manager with Large estates: manager with permanent staff; casual workers permanent staff; casual workers (Appianus archive)(Appianus archive)
TaxationTaxation
Other major binding factor between Other major binding factor between city – villagecity – village
Mostly taxes on landMostly taxes on land City revenues not from taxes, but from City revenues not from taxes, but from
liturgists and land/other property liturgists and land/other property >liturgists derived wealth from >liturgists derived wealth from agricultureagriculture
Former picture: high tax burdens, but Former picture: high tax burdens, but incorrectincorrect
Taxation systemTaxation systemFixed tax burdenFixed tax burden
Distributed to governorsDistributed to governors
logistai logistai in nomesin nomes
Praepositus pagiPraepositus pagi: villages: villages
Balancing factor was gold standard, Balancing factor was gold standard, introduced under Diocletianintroduced under Diocletian
Landowners paid gold in return for Landowners paid gold in return for billion money (silver and bronze)billion money (silver and bronze)
Constantine turned this into gold tax Constantine turned this into gold tax on land: local ‘helpers’ (on land: local ‘helpers’ (boethaiboethai) ) would collect billion money, which is would collect billion money, which is then turned into gold in the city (gold-then turned into gold in the city (gold-weighing stations)weighing stations)
66thth century: Large Houses/large century: Large Houses/large estatesestates
Institutionalization of liturgical systemInstitutionalization of liturgical system
Judicial systemJudicial system
First attempts at arbitrationFirst attempts at arbitration Then: before IV: you go to strategosThen: before IV: you go to strategos
After: petition to governor (who would After: petition to governor (who would instruct local responsible to deal with instruct local responsible to deal with the matter)the matter)
* Important matters directly before * Important matters directly before governor (e.g. when there was an governor (e.g. when there was an imperial rescript)imperial rescript)
P. Leid. P. Leid. Z (the Appion petition, 425-450 CE)Z (the Appion petition, 425-450 CE)
1a 1a (Latin:) We wish you good health. (Latin:) We wish you good health. 1b1b Copy of the petition. Copy of the petition.22 (Greek:) To the masters of the land and sea and every nation and race of men, Flavius (Greek:) To the masters of the land and sea and every nation and race of men, Flavius
Theodosius and Flavius Valentinianus, eternal Theodosius and Flavius Valentinianus, eternal augustiaugusti..33 Petition and supplication from Appion, bishop of the Petition and supplication from Appion, bishop of the regio regio of Syene, Contra Syene and of Syene, Contra Syene and
Elephantine, in your province of the Upper Thebaid.Elephantine, in your province of the Upper Thebaid.44 Your benevolence is wont to extend your right hand to all who bring their requests, wherefore I too, being fully Your benevolence is wont to extend your right hand to all who bring their requests, wherefore I too, being fully
aware of this, have had recourse to these entreaties, aware of this, have had recourse to these entreaties, 55 the situation being as follows. the situation being as follows.
Since I find myself with my churches in the midst of those merciless barbarians, between the Blemmyes Since I find myself with my churches in the midst of those merciless barbarians, between the Blemmyes 66 and the and the Annoubades (Noubades), we suffer many attacks from them, coming upon us as if from nowhere, with no soldier Annoubades (Noubades), we suffer many attacks from them, coming upon us as if from nowhere, with no soldier to protect to protect 7 7 our places. As the churches in my care for this reason are humiliated and unable to defend even those our places. As the churches in my care for this reason are humiliated and unable to defend even those who are fleeing for refuge to them, who are fleeing for refuge to them, 88 I prostrate myself and grovel at your divine and unsullied footprints so that I prostrate myself and grovel at your divine and unsullied footprints so that you may deem it right to ordain that the holy churches [under my care (?)] be defended you may deem it right to ordain that the holy churches [under my care (?)] be defended 99 by the troops by the troops (stationed) near us, and that they obey me and be placed under my orders in all matters, just as the troops (stationed) near us, and that they obey me and be placed under my orders in all matters, just as the troops stationed in the garrison of Philae, as stationed in the garrison of Philae, as 1010 it is called, in your Upper Thebaid serve God’s holy churches at Philae. it is called, in your Upper Thebaid serve God’s holy churches at Philae. 1111
For in that way we shall be able to live without fear and pursue […] once the strictest For in that way we shall be able to live without fear and pursue […] once the strictest 1212 legislation is laid down legislation is laid down against those who have transgressed […] what you have divinely ordained, all against those who have transgressed […] what you have divinely ordained, all 1313 plundering by our adversaries, plundering by our adversaries, present or future, is checked, and a special and divine […] present or future, is checked, and a special and divine […] 1414 grace on your part in this matter goes to the grace on your part in this matter goes to the magnificent and notable magnificent and notable comes comes and and dux dux 1515 of the of the ThebaiciThebaici limeslimes. If I obtain this, I shall (be able to) send my . If I obtain this, I shall (be able to) send my customary prayers to God for your eternal power customary prayers to God for your eternal power 1616 uninterruptedly. +++ uninterruptedly. +++
Order in citiesOrder in cities
Permant ‘Night-watch’Permant ‘Night-watch’ Riparius Riparius (from 346): could be (from 346): could be
petitioned in cases of public order petitioned in cases of public order and actions against persons or and actions against persons or property (e.g. theft); supervised property (e.g. theft); supervised ‘nightwath’‘nightwath’
ArmyArmy
Abinnaeus archive: intertwined with Abinnaeus archive: intertwined with society, civic duties: order and society, civic duties: order and justicejustice
From 346: order was taken over by From 346: order was taken over by ripariusriparius
Justice: only when a soldier was Justice: only when a soldier was involved (but erosion?)involved (but erosion?)
Legions in main centres: Babylon, Legions in main centres: Babylon, Memphis, Luxor, Philae (from ca. 301)Memphis, Luxor, Philae (from ca. 301)
Many local detachments, e.g. the Many local detachments, e.g. the cavalry unit at Dionysias (attested ca. cavalry unit at Dionysias (attested ca. 260 to end of IV)260 to end of IV)
20.000-30.000 soldiers; i.e. ca. 0.5-20.000-30.000 soldiers; i.e. ca. 0.5-0.8% of population > no militarization 0.8% of population > no militarization
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