Caracalla - Egypt outside Alexandria

Egypt outside Alexandria

A papyrus documents a ruling of Caracalla about taxes for farmers:

[---] response of our lord Severus Antoninus Happy Pious Augustus:

Lollianus said: In the nome there is a variety of taxes of which he is the contractor, but he oppresses the poor farmers, and he demands the tax bundle even from (those who work) the unirrigated land. Now (the people) ought, yes, to let out the single? taxes through the council, but in my opinion it is too vague to impose these taxes on the land, because (in the hands) of one man authority such (as the contractor claims) is too much.

Antoninus Augustus said: Well now, (the taxes of the tax bundle) will be imposed on the more wealthy (with good land). If so, the agreement of the councilors to collect from the totality (of farmers) will not weigh heavily on those with poor land and on those who have no irrigated land of their own.

P.Mich. 9.529. Translation James H. Oliver. Photo: Berliner Papyrusdatenbank.

A few other papyri provide information about images and worshippers of Caracalla. Particularly intriguing is the mention of a "machine constructed to facilitate the erection of the divine colossal statue of our lord the Emperor Severus Antoninus".

Statues of Caracalla as pharoah have been found in Egypt, but one also in Italy:

Caracalla as pharaoh, found near Terenouthis, Egypt.
Alexandria National Museum. Photo: Wikimedia, Following Hadrian. Caracalla as pharaoh, from Mendes, Egypt.
Cairo, Egyptian Museum. Photo: DAI Cairo.

Caracalla as pharaoh.
From the Temple of Isis in Beneventum.
Benevento, Museo del Sannio.
Photo: Wikimedia, Antonio de Capua. Portrait of Caracalla wearing a diadem with a uraeus.
From Koptos, Egypt.
Penn Museum.
Photo: Penn Museum.


[---] response of our lord Severus Antoninus Happy Pious Augustus: Lollianus said: In the nome there is a variety of taxes of which he is the contractor, but he oppresses the poor farmers, and he demands the tax bundle even from (those who work) the unirrigated land. Now (the people) ought, yes, to let out the single? taxes through the council, but in my opinion it is too vague to impose these taxes on the land, because (in the hands) of one man authority such (as the contractor claims) is too much. Antoninus Augustus said: Well now, (the taxes of the tax bundle) will be imposed on the more wealthy (with good land). If so, the agreement of the councilors to collect from the totality (of farmers) will not weigh heavily on those with poor land and on those who have no irrigated land of their own.
P.Mich. 9.529. Translation James H. Oliver. Photo: Berliner Papyrusdatenbank.


Caracalla as pharaoh, found near Terenouthis, Egypt. Alexandria National Museum. Photo: Wikimedia, Following Hadrian.	Caracalla as pharaoh, from Mendes, Egypt. Cairo, Egyptian Museum. Photo: DAI Cairo.


Caracalla as pharaoh. From the Temple of Isis in Beneventum. Benevento, Museo del Sannio. Photo: Wikimedia, Antonio de Capua.	Portrait of Caracalla wearing a diadem with a uraeus. From Koptos, Egypt. Penn Museum. Photo: Penn Museum.