B A divorce from Dura Europos
Two deeds of divorce, both written in Greek, survive from Dura Europos on the Euphrates (in addition to a marriage contract, for which see Chapter 2, Part III.C).
One dates to 204, eight years before the emperor Caracalla’s grant of universal Roman citizenship, and records a divorce between two non-citizens, Nabusamaus and his wife Acozzis [P.Dura 31]. Acozzis had been married before and had an (evidently adult) son from her previous marriage, who signed the document on her behalf. The couple, who had been married in an unwritten marriage,86 give each other the right to remarry and declare they will not bring any claims against each other in the future, promising to pay a monetary penalty if they do.87The second divorce agreement, translated below, was written in 254 and is the last dated document found at Dura before the city’s destruction by the Persians only a few years later [Millar 1993, 162]. As a Roman army outpost, Dura of course had a large military population; the husband in this divorce was a soldier (as was the husband in P.Dura 30, the marriage contract). Like P.Dura 31, and like the marriage contract P.Dura 30, this was a “double document” with an inner text that had been folded over and fastened shut, and an outer text (cf. on P.Dura 30 in Chapter 2, Part III.C). The papyrus was then folded over and over again, and consequently there are many small holes which have destroyed much of the writing. Thus the text is incomplete, but the gist of the document, which calls itself an apostasion (‘’divorce”) is clear.88
P.Dura 32 (outer text only), 254 C.E.
[first hand] In the consulship of our lords the Emperors Augusti Valerian for the second time and Gallienus, on the day before the Kalends of May...
of the 565th year, in the sacred and inviolate and autonomous colonia of the Europans of Seleukos Nikator.89Julius Antiochus, a soldier of the vexillation here [of the Fourth Legion] Scythica [Valeriana] Galliena, of the century of Alexander, and Aurelia Amimma... a citizen of Dura, his [wife]... [the following line cannot be read]... and that they have been released from their common life with each other, and they [now] acknowledge to each other, on the one side Antiochus to Amimma (acknowledges) that he has handed over all the things [which] he held in possession from her, from small to large... of her common life with Antiochus and that he concedes to her (the right) to join herself to [another] man and that he does not [bring charges] nor [will] he bring charges against Amimma, neither about (anything) written or unwritten, nor [about] anything else, [simply] (and) completely in any way.
... [And] likewise also Amimma... [to Antiochus] that she does not bring charges nor will she bring charges but that she has received in full from him all the things which [Antiochus] held in possession [and] that she does not bring charges (?)... will bring charges now, neither about (anything) written or unwritten nor [about anything else], simply (and) completely in any way. But if not... of them has laid claim and [has prevailed], (we acknowledge) that the claim or accusation is invalid and (the person who made it) will pay in addition, without argument [or legal judgment] to the other a fine of 1000 denarii of silver and [an equal amount] to the most sacred treasury [and] this divorce is also thus valid. as if there had been a guaranteed and acknowledged pledge. And it also has a copy.
Roman">[another hand] I, Julius Antiochus, soldier, as written above, acknowledge that he has made the divorce according to the things written above.
[another hand] I, Aurelius Valentinus son of Antoninus, a citizen of Dura, having been requested, wrote on behalf of Amimma. who is illiterate (and) who acknowledges that she has made the divorce.
[On the other side are the signatures of four witnesses.]