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were several other officials who had competence to hear complaints.
Interestingly, they too appear to dispense justice at the temple gate.^47
Under the Ptolemies, the strategos supervised local courts, and after
the second century B.C.E., an eisagogeusrepresented the crown in the
local courts. There were separate courts that had jurisdiction over
Demotic and Greek contract law, respectively.^482.2 Functions
2.2.1 Compulsory Service
Free Egyptians were required at certain times of the year to per-
form corvée labor on the local dyke and canal network. Certain
classes of Egyptians (especially the priestly classes) were exempt, as
were those with “Hellene” status later. Receipts were issued as proof
of service in the Ptolemaic period.^49- L
3.1 Parties
Under Demotic law, both men and women were competent to bring
litigation in their own right.3.2 Procedure
We are not well informed on Demotic legal procedure before the
Ptolemaic period. Priests, as always, were the primary judges at the
local level.^50 The process of litigation began, in most cases, with a
petition in the form of a letter to an official claiming wrong done
to the plaintiff.^51 The legal system was informal, and it was preferable
for disputes to be settled outside of the legal process, often through
mediation by the strategosor some other local official.^52 It may have
been the case that families and local officials tried to resolve legal(^47) Quaegebeur, “La justice.. .,” esp. 214–20.
(^48) Taubenschlag, Law.. ., 479–84; Mélèze-Modrzejewski, “Chrématistes et Lao-
crites...”
(^49) See Vleeming, Ostraka Varia3 (Elephantine?, 234 B.C.E.); Devauchelle, Ostraca
Louvre, 31–37.
(^50) See the general survey by Menu, “Les juges égyptiens...”
(^51) See, e.g., Ray, “Complaint of Herieu...”
(^52) P. Berlin 13544 (Ptolemaic period). See Martin, Elephantine Papyri.. ., 324–25;
Taubenschlag,Law.. ., 496.
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