Josephus on the Jews’ Permission to Collect the Temple Tax

16.166–171

“Caesar to Norbanus Flaccus, greetings. As for those Jews, however many there may be, who have been accustomed, according to their ancient habit, to offer their sacred money for the purpose of sending it back to Jerusalem: Let them do this unhindered.” These were the decrees of Caesar.

Agrippa himself also wrote on behalf of the Jews in the following manner: “Agrippa, to the magistrates, council, and people of Ephesus, greetings. I will that the care and custody of the sacred money that is carried to the Temple at Jerusalem be left to the Jews of Asia, in accordance with their ancestral custom. And as for those who steal the sacred money of the Jews and flee for refuge to a sanctuary, I will that they be dragged away from there and handed over to the Jews, by the same law that temple robbers are dragged away from [a sanctuary]. I have also written to Sylvanus the praetor that no one compel the Jews to appear before a judge on the Sabbath day.”

“Marcus Agrippa, to the magistrates, council, and the people of Cyrene, greetings. The Jews of Cyrene, on whose behalf Augustus already sent word to the praetor in Libya at that time, namely Flavius, and to the other procurators of that province that the sacred money may be sent to Jerusalem without hindrance, as has been their ancestral custom, have now appealed to me that they are being threatened abusively by certain informers and under the pretense of taxes that were not due are being hindered from sending [this sacred money]. I hereby command that this money be restored without any diminution or disturbance given to them. And if any of that sacred money in the cities is taken from their proper receivers, I further enjoin that exactly the same be returned to the Jews in that place.”

“Gaius Norbanus Flaccus, proconsul, to the magistrates of Sardis, greetings. Caesar has written to me and commanded me not to forbid the Jews, however many they may be, from assembling together according to their ancestral custom or from sending their money to Jerusalem. I have therefore written to you, that you may know that both Caesar and I would have you act accordingly.” [ . . . ]

18.312–313

There is also the city of Nisibis, situated along the same current of the river. For this reason, the Jews, who had put their trust in the natural power of these territories, used to pay there the half-shekel [didrachmon], which everyone by ancestral custom was to deposit for God, in addition to any other votive offerings, for they used to use these cities as a treasury. In due course, at the appointed time, they would be sent back to Jerusalem, and tens of thousands of men would transport these financial contributions due to fear of the robberies of the Parthians, to whom the Babylonians were then subject.