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The other letter, also found at Elephantine, was sent to Arsham
by four groups of officials, each group consisting of a named indi-
vidual and his colleagues, altogether heralds and judges, both Persians,
and two groups of Egyptian-named provincial scribes. The matter
at hand in the fragmentary letter was “the share which was given
in the province” (EPE B10). Was this a piece of land allotted or
taxes collected? In addition to these scribes and the chancellery scribe
mentioned above there were the “scribes of the treasury,” who super-
vised the disbursement and collection of supplies. This was a seri-
ous activity which required the redaction of a contract between the
supplier and the agents of the garrison (TADB3–4).2.2.2 The twin forts of Elephantine and Syene were situated in the
province of Tshetres. At the head stood one bearing the title frataraka,
“Chief,” whose seat was on the island. Under him was the Troop
Commander, stationed at Syene.^2 Both officials exercised authority
in the judicial as well as the military sphere. They dealt with mat-
ters of personal status (adoption [EPEB42]), land cultivation, litiga-
tion, and cases that appear to be probate. Two fall into the latter
category: (1) the very earliest Elephantine contract (495 B.C.E.) noted
that Rauk the Troop Commander and the judges of the king gave
a share to two sisters (EPEB47); (2) in 416, a descendant of deceased
Mibtahiah’s first husband declared before Vidranga the Troop
Commander that he was withdrawing from the house of that husband
(EPEB32). Shortly after 434/33, the Troop Commander Nafaina,
probably father of Vidranga, appeared alongside another Persian
official and “the judges of the province” in a petition claiming injus-
tice in a matter of land tenure (TADA5.2). As for litigation, in 420,
Ramnadaina, Chief, and Vidranga, Troop Commander, heard a suit
concerning goods that were deposited and allegedly not returned
(EPEB31). Vidranga’s authority over the men of the Jewish garri-
son extended beyond the border of the province. On one occasion,
he came to Abydos and arrested Mauziah, one of the Jewish lead-
ers, “on account of a dyer’s stone which they found stolen in the
hands of the merchants” (EPEB15:3–4). Promoted to Chief, Vidranga(^2) A demotic receipt of 487 indicates that Parnu was “[he of Tshet]res, to whom
the fortress of Syene is entrusted” (EPEC35:3; cf. C11:1). Does this mean that
both top positions were at the time combined in one person?
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