871
- PS
4.1 Citizenship
4.1.1 In his petition to Bagavahya, Jedaniah referred to his com-
patriots as “citizens of Elephantine,” using a term well-established in
Hebrew, Aramaic, and Phoenician in the expression “citizen of GN”
(EPEB19:22, with references). A follow-up petition by Jedaniah lists
in columnar form four additional leaders, all five of whom are des-
ignated “Syenians who in Elephantine the fortress are heredi[tary-
property-hold]ers” (EPEB22:5–6). With a different meaning, this
same term (b'l) was used to distinguish between a “member of a
town” and a “member of a detachment” (EPEB23:9, 29:10, 31:10).4.1.2 All the Jews and Arameans in the contracts were identified
by their detachment, with the exception of Ananiah son of Azariah,
called “servitor of the God YHW” or variations thereof (see on EPE
B35:2). In three instances, we also find a woman affiliated with a
detachment: Mibtahiah with the detachment of her father Mahseiah
(EPEB30:2–3, with note), "wbylwith that of her husband Bagazushta
(EPEB37:2), and the sisters Miptahiah and Eswere daughters of
Gemariah (EPE B49:1–2).4.1.3 Every member of a detachment was also identified by his or her
ethnicon—Jew, Aramean, Bactrian, Caspian, or Khwarezmian. Once or
twice an ethnicon was attached to the name of a witness—Babylonian
(EPEB24:19) and Mede (EPEB39:17). Egyptians were never identified
by ethnicon, only by occupation—builder of the king (EPE B28:2),
builder of Syene the fortress (EPEB30:2), or boatman of the rough
waters (TADD2.11:1; cf. EPEB23:13, 24:11, 25:8, 45:20).4.2 Class
A fragmentary register lists family units according to the following
formula: “PN son of PN, ywdr; PN daughter of PN, great lady; PN
his son, under mst"; PN his daughter.. .; all (told) 4 souls” (TAD
C9–10). While “great lady” suggests a woman of means (cf. 2 Kings
4:8), the designation ywdr is apparently attached to a slave (EPE
B33:4–5). A succession clause in a bequest spells out a three-gener-
ation family unit: “my mother or my father, brother or sister...my
children whom you bore me” (EPE B38:19–20).westbrook_f24_863-881 8/27/03 1:35 PM Page 871