-=> Quoting Michael Hardy to Dick Holm <=-

MH> In fact, the Romans *did* require people to travel to their
MH> birthplace in order to register for a census.  A census edict from
MH> Egypt, from 104 a.d., shows that they did just that. It begins: "Gaius
MH> Vibius Maximus, prefect of Egypt, says: The house-to-house census
MH> having started, it is essential that all persons who for any reason
MH> whatsoever are absent from their homes be summoned to return to their
MH> own hearths, in order that they perform the customary business of
MH> registration." ("A History of Rome Through the Fifth Century, ed.
MH> A.H.M. Jones, c. 1970, Harper and Row.)

How do you get traveling to their birthplaces from returning to their own
hearth? It sounds more like they wanted to be sure they didn't miss anybody
by the person being at work when the census taker came around. And it says
'absent from their homes'. I would assume that the Romans charged with this
task would be intelligent enough to realize that people do move and
establish homes in other places.

That quote doesn't say anything about returning to a birthplace...and the
fact that it CLEARLY states that the house-to-house census was already in
progress. I don't think the census takers would be staying with any one

family for long enough to get family in from out of town.

That interpretation just doesn't wash, Mike.

... Backup not found: (A)bort (R)etry (S)lap nearest innocent bystander.

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