publikaní

Publikaní is a term used in several Slavic languages to refer to publicans, i.e., tax collectors in the Greco-Roman world. The word derives from the Latin publicanus, the title given to officials or contractors responsible for collecting taxes on behalf of the Roman state. In the provinces governed by Rome, including Judea and neighboring regions, publicans often operated as tax farmers, collecting tolls, duties, and other revenues. Their role was essential for imperial finance but frequently perceived as exploitative by local populations, contributing to social tension and resentment toward Roman administration.

In ancient texts and later Christian tradition, publicans are depicted in nuanced ways. They are commonly shown as collaborators with Roman authority and sometimes as symbols of moral failure due to corruption or extortion. At the same time, some biblical stories portray publicans in a more complex light; for example, Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, is described as seeking repentance after meeting Jesus, and the apostle Matthew (also known as Levi) is identified as a former tax collector who becomes one of Jesus’s followers.

Historically, publicans played a critical role in Roman taxation, enabling centralized revenue collection in diverse provinces. Today, the term remains primarily historical or biblical, used in religious studies, historical scholarship, and literature to discuss ancient taxation practices and early Christian social contexts. See also publican, tax farming, Roman taxation, early Christianity.