University of Pennsylvania experts available to comment for tax-season stories

For more information on ancient taxation: http://www.museum.upenn.edu/news/taxes.html

Taxes in ancient Mesopotamia

Tonia Sharlach, research assistant in the Penn Museum's Babylonian Section

"Since they didn't have coined money, ancient households had to pay taxes in kind, and they paid different taxes throughout the year. Merchants transporting goods from one region to another were subject to tolls, duty fees and other taxes."

Taxes in ancient Egypt

David Silverman, professor and curator of Egyptology at Penn

"As early as the first dynasty of the Old Kingdom (3000-2800 B.C.) there is documented evidence of a biennial event, the Following of Horus, a royal tour when the pharaoh appeared before his people and collected taxes. These revenues were due to him in his dual role as the head of state and the incarnation of the god Horus."

Taxes in ancient Rome

Donald White, curator-in-charge of the Mediterranean Section at the Penn Museum

"By 167 B.C., the Roman government had so successfully enriched itself at the expense of its recently captured provinces and through revenues from its Spanish silver mines that it no longer needed to levy a tax against land owned by its citizens in Italy."

Tax policy and income taxation

Reed Shuldiner, associate dean and professor of law at Penn

Professor Shuldiner can speak on various aspects of American tax policy and income taxation from a legal perspective.