Letter 43: To the Augusta Pulcheria [Pulcheria was the elder sister of Emperor Theodosius II and a powerful political figure in...

To the Augusta Pulcheria [Pulcheria was the elder sister of Emperor Theodosius II and a powerful political figure in her own right, known for her staunch orthodoxy], Since you adorn the empire with your piety and make the imperial purple shine brighter by your faith, I am emboldened to write to you -- setting aside my own insignificance, because you have always shown proper honor to the clergy. With these sentiments, I beg your majesty to show mercy to our unhappy district: order the ratification of the tax assessment that has been conducted several times, and do not accept the false charges certain men have brought against it. I beg you especially to give no credit to a man who bears the title of bishop but whose conduct is unworthy even of respectable household servants. He has been under serious charges and subject to excommunication by the most holy archbishop of Antioch, the Lord Domnus, pending an episcopal investigation. Rather than face judgment, he fled to Constantinople, where he now plies the informer's trade -- attacking his own homeland, a district of thousands of poor people, and wagging his tongue against an entire population to satisfy his hatred of one man. Out of regard for what is fitting, I will say nothing more about his character -- he shows it plainly enough by his actions. But this I will say about the district: when the whole province had its burdens lightened, this portion alone -- though it bore a disproportionately heavy share -- never received any relief. The result is that many estates lack farmers, many have been abandoned altogether by their owners, while the wretched decurions face demands for taxes on these very properties and, unable to bear the burden, flee as well.

Letter 43