An old papyrus from Israel has revealed details of a criminal case in the Roman Empire. Photo

Scientists have studied a unique papyrus from the collection of the Israel Antiquities Authority that offers a rare insight into Roman trials. The research team reveals how the Roman Empire dealt with financial crimes - in particular, tax fraud involving slaves - in the Roman provinces of Judea and Arabia.

The papyrus provides a detailed insight into Roman jurisdiction and legal practice, experts from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the University of Vienna, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem emphasize. The ancient document also reveals important new information about the tumultuous era that was shaken by two massive Jewish revolts against Roman rule, Mirage writes.

According to the researchers, the Greek-language papyrus, which runs to more than 133 lines, is the longest of its kind found in the Judean Desert. Initially, it was mislabeled as Nabataean, so the text was rejected for several decades.

In 2014, however, Professor Hannah Cotton Paltiel of the Hebrew University discovered that the text was Greek. Recognizing the extraordinary legal and historical significance of the document, the papyrus gathered an international team to decipher its contents.

The research revealed that the papyrus contains notes from prosecutors preparing for a Roman trial. The case unfolded in the years preceding the Bar Kokhba revolt (132-136 AD) and contains details of a criminal investigation into document forgery, tax evasion and fraudulent transactions involving slaves, LBV writes.

Gadalias, the son of a notary and probably a Roman citizen, had a history of criminal activity, including extortion, forgery, and incitement to insurrection. Saulos, his accomplice, organized fraudulent ransoms, which further complicated the case, the text says.

Anna Dolganova of the Austrian Academy of Sciences noted the liveliness and directness of the language used in the papyrus.

The crimes described in the ancient document carried severe penalties under Roman law, ranging from forced labor to the death penalty. The document emphasizes the strict observance of laws by the empire even in remote provinces, the researchers emphasize.

Professor Fritz Mitthof of the University of Vienna noted that this discovery emphasizes the ability of Roman institutions to adapt to different territories.

According to the scientists, the tumultuous historical context, combined with the rich legal content of the document, opens an extremely important window into the complexity of Roman law and life in an era of conflict and change.

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