FARE | FiscAl Reform in Egypt: From the Achaemenids to the Ptolemies

Summary
The project challenges the notion of a dramatic break in institutional practice following the Greek conquest of the eastern Mediterranean in the Hellenistic period (332–30 BCE) by reconstructing the genealogy of the Ptolemaic fiscal system in Egypt, the best documented Hellenistic state. Building on my previous research on Ptolemaic taxation, I will establish the extent to which these kings developed earlier fiscal practices, especially those in evidence under the Achaemenid rulers preceding them, both inherited and new. The main objective encompasses 3 work packages: the documentation produced by the respective regimes, the rationale of their fiscal systems, and the collectors and beneficiaries of the taxes. To this end, I will combine for the first time documentation written in Greek, Demotic, and Aramaic, and approaches divided over ancient history, Egyptology, and Semitic studies, resulting in the long-lasting collaborations required for exploring interconnections across the Mediterranean. A major aspect of the project is the creation of a pioneering database of Persian Egyptian fiscal texts. Training will focus on acquiring a working knowledge of Aramaic and the open science skills required for the highly collaborative research. The project will be hosted at the CNRS joint research unit ArScAn in Nanterre and supervised by Dr. Agut-Labordère, specialist of Achaemenid Egypt and director of Achemenet, the major platform for dissemination in Achaemenid studies. The Achaemenid expertise centered in Paris is the perfect complement to my background in Greek and Demotic papyrology. Learning Aramaic will moreover provide me with a uniquely broad perspective on later Egyptian history, leading to more groundbreaking research in the future. Communication measures will focus on the long history of fiscal systems and their impact on society, inviting greater reflection on our own democratic societies, a key EU priority, and will include stakeholders in contemporary Egypt.
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More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101149987
Start date: 01-10-2024
End date: 30-09-2026
Total budget - Public funding: - 195 914,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

The project challenges the notion of a dramatic break in institutional practice following the Greek conquest of the eastern Mediterranean in the Hellenistic period (332–30 BCE) by reconstructing the genealogy of the Ptolemaic fiscal system in Egypt, the best documented Hellenistic state. Building on my previous research on Ptolemaic taxation, I will establish the extent to which these kings developed earlier fiscal practices, especially those in evidence under the Achaemenid rulers preceding them, both inherited and new. The main objective encompasses 3 work packages: the documentation produced by the respective regimes, the rationale of their fiscal systems, and the collectors and beneficiaries of the taxes. To this end, I will combine for the first time documentation written in Greek, Demotic, and Aramaic, and approaches divided over ancient history, Egyptology, and Semitic studies, resulting in the long-lasting collaborations required for exploring interconnections across the Mediterranean. A major aspect of the project is the creation of a pioneering database of Persian Egyptian fiscal texts. Training will focus on acquiring a working knowledge of Aramaic and the open science skills required for the highly collaborative research. The project will be hosted at the CNRS joint research unit ArScAn in Nanterre and supervised by Dr. Agut-Labordère, specialist of Achaemenid Egypt and director of Achemenet, the major platform for dissemination in Achaemenid studies. The Achaemenid expertise centered in Paris is the perfect complement to my background in Greek and Demotic papyrology. Learning Aramaic will moreover provide me with a uniquely broad perspective on later Egyptian history, leading to more groundbreaking research in the future. Communication measures will focus on the long history of fiscal systems and their impact on society, inviting greater reflection on our own democratic societies, a key EU priority, and will include stakeholders in contemporary Egypt.

Status

SIGNED

Call topic

HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01-01

Update Date

17-11-2024
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Horizon Europe
HORIZON.1 Excellent Science
HORIZON.1.2 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
HORIZON.1.2.0 Cross-cutting call topics
HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01
HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01-01 MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2023