Re-drawing the Map? relevant in the provinces. We thus touch here briefly on a small piece of local
history, and on a real-life example of the working of the imperial juridical
system.
The mention at several earlier points of papyri as evidence for the same
thing may serve to remind us that although the vast bulk of known ancient
papyri come from Egypt, not all do. A substantial (and steadily growing) list
of papyri and parchments, over in all, in a variety of languages come from
the Roman Near East.^22 Of these, a very significant sub-group derive from
the provinces of Judaea and Arabia and illustrate the application of legal de-
cision making to Jews in the period from the middle of the first century..
to the middle of the second—the period, in other words, of both the first
Jewish Revolt (–/) and the second (–). Between them, therefore,
these documents illustrate the working of jurisdiction both under Roman
governors and under the two successive Jewish independent regimes (if, so
far, only a few from the first revolt). From this period there are about
documents. Since some of them incontrovertibly illustrate the workings of
jurisdiction in a Roman province, they belong precisely with the other types
of evidence mentioned.
There could, of course, be a conceptual study of the principles of Roman
law which was still historical in character: that is to say that it would focus
on the principles, doctrines, and definitions of Roman law as expressed in
writings or documents of successive periods. Equally ‘‘Roman law’’ could
be understood as the private law relating to those inhabitants of the Em-
pire who were Roman citizens. Or the subject might be seen as an aspect of
wider social history, embracing constitutional and administrative structures,
the nature and procedures of courts, the available means of enforcement, the
effects of social distinctions, and so forth; and it would also be a study of
how the law and Roman jurisdiction operated in relation not just to Roman
citizens but to anyone who lived under Roman rule.
The papyri and parchments from the Judaean desert would necessarily play
a large part in any study of the latter sort. But they also must and do play a
major part in another debate, which brings us to another area where we need
to reconcile what we may call retrospective systematising representation on
the one hand, with detailed contemporary evidence on the other.
. See H. M. Cotton, W. E. H. Cockle, and F. G. B. Millar, ‘‘The Papyrology of the
Roman Near East: A Survey,’’JRS (): . In the light of new discoveries this list
could now be significantly revised. For a more detailed look at relevant issues, see the au-
thor’s review article, ‘‘Transformations of Judaism under Graeco-Roman Rule: Responses
to Schwartz’sImperialism and Jewish Society,’’JJS (): .