[Yves LASSARD, The Roman Law Library, 2013]

MARRIAGE CONTRACT
Between Heraclides and Demetria, daughter of Leptines
( July 17 - August 15, 310 BC )

( G. Milligan, Selections from the Greek papyri, Cambridge, 1910, pp. 1-4, n. 1 ).

In the seventh year of the reign of Alexander the son of Alexander, the fourteenth year of the satrapy of Ptolemaeus,
the month Dios. Contract of marriage between Heraclides and Demetria.
Heraclides takes Demetria of Cos as his lawful wife from her father Leptines of Cos and her mother Philotis, both
parties being freeborn, and the bride bringing clothing and adornment of the value of 1000 drachmas, and let Heraclides
provide for Demetria all things that are fitting for a freeborn woman, and that we should live together wherever shall
seem best to Leptines and Heraclides in consultation together. And if Demetria shall be detected doing anything wrong
to the shame of her husband Heraclides, let her be deprived of all that she has brought, and let Heraclides prove his
charge against Demetria in the presence of three men, whom both shall approve. And let it not be allowed to Heraclides
to bring in another woman to the insult of Demetria, nor to beget children by another woman, nor shall Heraclides do
any wrong to Demetria on any pretext. And if Heraclides shall be detected doing any of these things, and Demetria shall
prove it in the presence of three men, whom both shall approve, let Heraclides repay to Demetria the dowry which she
brought to the value of 1000 drachmas, and let him pay in addition 1000 drachmas of Alexander's coinage. And let the
right of execution be in accordance with legal justice to Demetria and to those acting with Demetria or Heraclides
himself and all Heraclides' friends both on land and sea. And let this contract be valid under all circumstances, as if the
agreement had been come to in that place wheresoever Heraclides brings the charge against Demetria, or Demetria and
those acting with Demetria bring the charge against Heraclides. And let Heraclides and Demetria enjoy equal legal
rights both in preserving their own contracts, and in bringing charges against one another. Witnessed by Cleon of Gela,
Anticrates of Temnos, Lysis of Temnos, Dionysius of Temnos, Aristomachus of Cyrene, and Aristodicus of Cos.

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Source : Papyrus discovered at Elephantine, Egypt, in 1906.