Is Age Just a Number? Verification of Age during Census in Roman Egypt

Abstract The article analyses double and triple age records of individuals in papyrus documents from Egypt related to the Roman census, including census registers and extracts from them. Some of these records contain discrepancies in the reported age of the same individuals which can only be explained by verification and subsequent correction by officials. This practice of verifying the demographic data in census declarations was implemented by the Roman state to ensure that no male individual evaded paying the poll tax to the fiscus during the entire taxation period - from the age of 14 until 62. The evidence suggests that this verification was conducted in person.