A Voice from the Past: A Former Slave Enters the Jewish Community

“During the reign of Tiberius Julius Rhescuporius friend of Caesar and of the Romans, dutiful in the 377th year the 12th of Peretou, I Chreste, formerly wife of Drusus, release to the proseuche my slave Heraclas, a free person once and for all according to my vow, he shall remain untouched and undisturbed by all my heirs as I have vowed. He may go where he wants unrestricted except that he adheres devoutly to the proseuche. This agreement is made by my heirs Heraclides and Helikoniados, and the joint guardianship of the community of the Jews.”^d