The island of Rhodes: a linking to Rome and Greece. Any shipping from the east halted for supplies or to change cargo at Rhodes. The harbor at the city, similar to every other harbor, had a tax on everything – 2%. Rhodes was prosperous and was fabulously wealthy in the banking and commerce industries specifically. The wealthy men erected a hundred-foot-tall bronze colossus of Apollo near the entrance to the harbor. It named as one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world (whether it truly straddled the harbor entrance is unknown).

Things were fine until 225 BC. An earthquake caused the colossus to fall and not much more is known of Rhodes following the earthquake. Did the earthquake wipe out the city? Ruin the harbor? Well, this is the rest of the story. The Roman Senate was furious with Rhodes due to the fact that during the recent Rome-Macedonia War, Rhodes had maintained a neutral state. After taking so much from Rome for so many years, Rome wanted more. They wished Rhodes to take their side and contribute to the war effort. Because of this, after the war, the Romans made their move. They created a tax-free port on the nearby Isle of Delos. There wasn’t a 2% harbor tax! In the first year since the port was established, trade declined 85% in Rhodes. Rhodes was ruined.

So, was it the earthquake that ruined Rhodes’ prosperity? The answer is no, Rhodes had since rebuilt after the earthquake (although they did not rebuild the colossus). What brought Rhodes down was not an earthquake or natural disaster or war or disease. It was Roman taxes. Everything to dodge a 2% tax. The Switzerland of the ancient world, the commercial giant of the east was brought down because people desired to avoid a two percent tax.

If you’re feeling the pressure with today’s taxes, call a Cary NC Accountant for all your tax-related needs!

The boring stuff – This article is user submitted and does not reflect the views of this website. This article is educational only and should not be taken as financial advice. To learn more about this topic, please follow the links provided by author the in the article. Links that introduce interesting products to you should be considered advertisements. Some of these links may be of a commercial nature and clicking on them may generate a financial benefit to this website.

Some interesting stuff -
1. A credit repair Book.
2. Start an eBay business.
3. Trading the FX market.
4. A penny stock list.

Technorati Tags: bookkeeping, payroll, tax, tax preparation, tax tips

Related posts:

1. A Lesson in Taxation, Part One: Taxes and Ancient Egypt
2. A Lesson in Tax Law, Section Seven: Taxes and The Revolution
3. The History of Taxation, Section 9: Taxes, the Slaves, and the American Civil War

W. Marc Gilfillan, CPA, NC, individual and business CPA and Tax expert, shares about the history of taxes…

Ancient Egypt was not a land of terrible oppressors and oppressed slaves – that’s simply the impression we get from the story of Exodus, which came at a time of chaos in Egypt. Modern translations of hieroglyphics tell a tale of life in ancient Egypt was usually bountiful and relatively at peace. The land was rich, men and women were equal and life was good for most. But, there were tax collectors, as numerous as “the sands of the seas”. The order of Egyptian life was kept by these “scribes” whose job was enforcing the pharaoh’s tax mandates. Almost everything was taxed – sales, slaves, foreigners, imports, exports, and businesses. Agriculture was taxed at a hefty 20%. There was also a tax on cooking oil and scribes would make regular visits to kitchens to make sure that free drippings were not being used as opposed to the taxed oil.

The word “freedom” ironically in ancient Egypt didn’t refer to a person’s political or social liberty but to one’s taxation status. If you were “free,” it meant that you did not have to pay taxes. Ironically, the word can’t be found anywhere in the Egyptian language. Good thing we live in this time eh? Go here if you want help with modern-day Tax Preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll in Cary NC.

However, the scribes were not inconsiderate (at least in theory). They were taught to act kindly to the poor and defenseless. One ancient translation instructs: “if a poor farmer is in trouble with his taxations, remit 2/3 of their taxes.”

Another translation instructs officials to “lighten up everyone and to place them into a good mood.”

And, if someone is suffering under pressures of their taxes, or is at the end of his means to pay them, you must let the case go unchecked.” If you’re feeling the pressure with today’s taxes, call a Raleigh NC Accountant for all your tax-related needs!

This lenient policy was called “philanthropa”. From that we get the word philandthropy.

Over the 3000 years of the Egyptian empire, there were many times of humane and decent tax administration.

Keep an eye out for W. Marc Gilfillan’s next chapter in his History of Taxes series: Taxes and the Greeks.

The boring stuff – This article is user submitted and does not reflect the views of this website. This article is educational only and should not be taken as financial advice. To learn more about this topic, please follow the links provided by author the in the article. Links that introduce interesting products to you should be considered advertisements. Some of these links may be of a commercial nature and clicking on them may generate a financial benefit to this website.

Some interesting stuff -
1. A credit repair Book.
2. Start an eBay business.
3. Trading the FX market.
4. A penny stock list.

Technorati Tags: accountant, bookkeeping, payroll, tax preparation, tax tips

Related posts:

1. A Lesson in Taxation, Section Four: Taxes and The Island of Rhodes
2. A Lesson in Tax Law, Section Seven: Taxes and The Revolution
3. The History of Tax Law, Part Three: Tax Law and The Rosetta Stone