I ask because of Acts 22:

22 They listened to [Paul] up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!” 23 And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way. 25 But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.” 27 The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.” 29 Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.

This was in Jerusalem, in/near the Temple.

Surely the commanders and centurions wouldn't simply accept the word of someone about to be tortured? I'd say anything to get out of being scourged...and I'm sure plenty of people tried.

• Would the Romans have simply accepted his word?

• If not, what was the process of proving one's citizenship? Some sort of token or papers?

• Would the context have mattered? Paul was a Pharisaic Jew from Tarsus, and this event occurred in Jerusalem. What if he had been from another region of the Empire and/or this incident occurred in another region? (I realize this exact event could only take place under specific circumstances, but bear with me).