Letter 27: To the Thracians.

To the Thracians. To an emperor whose only aim was to collect money, your request would seem hard to grant — he would not think he should damage the public treasury by showing favor to anyone in particular. But since my goal has never been to extract the maximum possible revenue from my subjects, but rather to be the source of the maximum possible benefit to them, I will cancel part of your debts. Not the whole sum — there must be a division. Part will be remitted to you; part will go to the needs of the army, since you yourselves surely gain no small advantage from it: namely, peace and security. Accordingly, I remit everything you owe through the third assessment. [The letter continues with specific fiscal details of the debt relief.]

To the Thracians 3 [362, Before May. Const.] To an Emperor who had an eye solely to gain, your request would have appeared hard to grant, and he would not have thought that he ought to injure the public prosperity by granting a particular indulgence to any. But since I have not made it my aim to collect the greatest possible sums from my subjects, but rather to be the source of the greatest possible blessings to them, this fact shall for you too cancel your debts. Nevertheless it will not cancel the whole sum absolutely, but there shall be a division of the amount, and part shall be remitted to you, part shall be used for the needs of the army; since from it you yourselves assuredly gain no slight advantages, namely, peace and security. Accordingly I remit for you, down to the third assessment,1 the whole sum that is in arrears for the period preceding. But thereafter you will contribute as usual. For the amount remitted is sufficient indulgence for you, while for my part I must not neglect the public interest. Concerning this I have sent orders to the prefects also, in order that your indulgence may be carried into effect. May the gods keep you prosperous for all time! 3 An answer to a petition. For Julian's remission of arrears of taxes at Antioch, cf. Misopogon, 365b. For his popularity with the provincials due to this liberality, cf. Ammianus 25. 4. 15. 1 Apparently he means that the arrears are remitted down to the year 359, but they must pay what is due from that date.

[Πρός: Θρᾳξίν] Βασιλεῖ μὲν πρὸς κέρδος ὁρῶντι χαλεπὸν ἂν ὑμῶν ἐφάνη τὸ αἴτημα, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ᾠήθη δεῖν τὴν δημοσίαν εὐπορίαν βλάπτειν τῇ πρός τινας ἰδίᾳ χάριτι· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡμεῖς οὐχ ὅ, τι πλεῖστα παρὰ τῶν ὑπηκόων ἀθροίζειν πεποιήμεθα σκοπόν, ἀλλ’ ὅτι πλείστων ἀγαθῶν αὐτοῖς αἴτιοι γίγνεσθαι, τοῦτο καὶ ὑμῖν ἀπολύσει τὰ ὀφλήματα. ἀπολύσει δὲ οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἅπαντα, ἀλλὰ μερισθήσεται τὸ πρᾶγμα, τὸ μὲν εἰς ὑμᾶς, τὸ δὲ εἰς τὴν τῶν στρατιωτῶν χρείαν, ἐξ ἧς οὐκ ἐλάχιστα καὶ αὐτοὶ δήπου φέρεσθε, τὴν εἰρήνην καὶ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν. τοιγαροῦ νμέχρι μὲν τῆς τρίτης ἐπινεμήσεως ἀφίεμεν ὑμῖν πάντα, ὅσα ἐκ τοῦ φθάνοντος ἐλλείπει χρόνου· μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ εἰσοίσετε κατὰ τὸ ἔθος. ὑμῖν τε γὰρ τὰ ἀφιέμενα χάρις ἱκανή, καὶ ἡμῖν τῶν κοινῶν οὐκ ἀμελητέον. περὶ τούτου καὶ τοῖς ἐπάρχοις ἐπέσταλκα, ἵν’ ἡ χάρις ὑμῖν εἰς ἔργον προχωρήσῃ. ἐρρωμένους ὑμᾶς οἱ θεοὶ σώζοιεν τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον.