Category - Archaeology
Archaeologists Decipher Text on Ancient Roman Boundary Stone
Scientists have deciphered a Roman boundary stone inscribed with Greek text which was recently discovered in northern Israel, according to a study published in the journal Palestine Exploration Quarterly.
Archaeologists Naama Yahalom-Mack, Nava Panitz-Cohen, and Robert Mullins from Azusa Pacific University uncovered the rare item, known as a Tetrarch boundary stone, at the former site of Abel Beth Maacah, a biblical city which held particular significance for Israelites and Canaanites. The stone was originally used to delineate agricultural borders between the villages under Roman Emperor Diocletian’s tax reform laws instituted during the Roman Tetrarchy’s brief reign of power.
After the inscription was deciphered, researchers found the names of two previously unknown towns in the text — Tirthas and Golgol. They're exploring a theory that Tirthas and Golgol might be two of the unnamed villages identified in the 19th-century Survey of Western Palestine. The text also refers to a “censitor,” a Roman taxation official, marking the first time the phrase has been seen by modern eyes.

Ecker, A., & Leibner, U./ Palestine Exploration Quarterly
The remarkable discoveries have vast implications for expanding knowledge of the geography and socio-economic status of the ancient region. They’re particularly significant for what they signify about the sweeping tax reforms under Diocletian, which changed the structure of land ownership in the region.
“This discovery is a testament to the meticulous administrative re-organization of the Roman Empire during the Tetrarchy,” Leibner said. “Finding a boundary stone like this not only sheds light on ancient land ownership and taxation but also provides a tangible connection to the lives of individuals who navigated these complex systems nearly two millennia ago.”
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The stone was discovered by Yahalom-Mack and Panitz-Cohen from the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University, and Mullins from Azusa Pacific University. The text was deciphered by Ecker and Leibner of the Hebrew University. It's one of 20 boundary stones found in surrounding areas in recent years, which researchers say speaks to the number of independent farmers operating in rural areas during that period.
“The territory was probably filled with fields and farms owned by small landholders who paid their taxes independently of the city, providing insight into the complex relationship between taxation, land ownership, and settlement history,” they wrote in the study.