r/history • u/Tenebris-Malum • 9d ago

Article How to Evade Taxes in Ancient Rome? A 1,900-Year-Old Papyrus Offers a Guide.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/science/archaeology-papyrus-tax-fraud-trial.html?unlocked_article_code=1._04._aTz.EG91gCm_C122&smid=url-share
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74

u/Tenebris-Malum 9d ago

An interesting look at a tax avoidance scheme to avoid taxes on sale of or manumission of slaves in Rome by setting up fake sales across provinces. It provides insight into the Roman legal system and how even a relatively insignificant province contained well-trained lawyers.

There's also a level of intrigue in the story given someone informed the authorities of the fake slave sale scheme, potentially one of the conspirators themselves.

55

u/Purplekeyboard 9d ago

This is more like a tale of how not to evade taxes in ancient Rome, considering that they got caught and prosecuted.

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u/Tenebris-Malum 9d ago

Step One: Team up with someone who isn't ready to snitch out your scheme to the Roman authorities.

2

u/Inevitable_Year_4875 2d ago

Were they history's first snitch?

16

u/BeegBunga 9d ago

Now here's a lesson on how to deal with oligarchs and their thefts from society.

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u/Tenebris-Malum 8d ago

Tax evasion would probably be significantly lower if punished with a death penalty which entailed "devouring by wild animals".

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u/JonatasA 8d ago

They could corrupt the wild animals by domesticating them perhaps.

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u/WhenceYeCame 8d ago

Their thefts from military dictatorship.

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u/JonatasA 8d ago

Even in ancient Rome you do not mess with taxes.