Roman Law and the Legal World of the Romans

Documents

[6] TPSulp 46

Written-commitment of Nardus, slave of Publius Annius Seleucus, for the lease of bin 26 … for Publius Annius Seleucus 13 March 40. I, Nardus, slave of Publius Annius Seleucus, have written in the presence and by the order of my master, Publius Annius Seleucus, because he says he does not know his letters, that I have leased to Gaius Sulpicius Faustus bin 26, which is in the upper Barbatian properties of Domitia Lepida in which lie 13,000 modii 3 of Alexandrian wheat, which my master along with his slaves have measured out. Month-to-month at a rate of HS 100. Done at Puteoli. [Witnesses.] The underlying transaction here is largely the same as • in the previous document, but the rental rate is higher. Unfortunately, we don’t really know if this is the market price, or still involves a discount for people in business together. Here the slave writes the document, despite the fact that the • owner is explicitly said to be present. Here the slave is more literate, probably not an uncommon situation, so that may be the actual reason for the slave’s writing [5] . We will also see a third possible reason in [16] . Another document (not shown here) suggests that the grain • is security for a cash loan.

3 A modius was a unit of measurement, somewhat larger than the gallon.

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