Ancient Roman Tax Evasion Revealed in Papyrus Scroll

vienna - Discover how tax evasion occurred in ancient Rome almost two thousand years ago as uncovered by a historic papyrus scroll.

Ancient Roman Tax Evasion Uncovered

In the second century AD, during Emperor Hadrian's reign, two suspects faced charges of fraud, forgery, and slave trading to avoid taxes in Judea and Arabia.

Details of the Fraudulent Scheme

• Saulos organized a fake slave sale across provinces to dodge taxes.
• Gadalias forged legal documents to cover up the scheme.
• Authorities were bribed for protection once the fraud was uncovered.

The scroll, deciphered by historian Anna Dolganov, sheds light on the elaborate tax evasion strategy.

Unknown Verdict and Punishment

The papyrus scroll does not reveal the final judgment, leaving the fate of the suspects unknown.

Historian Dolganov suggests various severe penalties under Roman law, including execution by beheading for serious crimes.