Ancient Papyrus Details Roman Trial for Tax Fraud and Forgery in Judaean Desert

Rediscovered after decades, the 1,900-year-old Greek papyrus reveals prosecutors' notes and trial minutes involving financial crimes and rebellion accusations in the Roman Empire.

The papyrus, named P. Cotton, is the longest Greek document discovered in the Judaean Desert, with over 133 lines of text, initially misclassified as Nabataean until 2014.
It records a Roman trial from 130-132 CE involving two Jewish defendants, Gadalias and Saulos, accused of forging documents and evading taxes on slave transactions.
Gadalias, described as a repeat offender with a history of violence and counterfeiting, and Saulos, the alleged orchestrator, were also implicated in rebellious activities before the Bar Kokhba revolt.
The document provides rare insight into Roman legal proceedings, showcasing prosecutors' strategies, evidence preparation, and the Roman state's regulation of private transactions in remote provinces.
The trial's outcome remains unknown, and the papyrus is believed to have been hidden in a desert cave, possibly during the Bar Kokhba revolt.