> Instead, local publicans stepped in and extended credit to their customers; the debtors were well-known to the publicans, who were in a good position to make

> Instead, local publicans stepped in and extended credit to their customers; the debtors were well-known to the publicans, who were in a good position to make an assessment on their credit worthiness. I didn't know what a publican was, so I googled it... pub·li·can noun. 1. (British) a person who owns or manages a pub. 2.(in ancient Roman and biblical times) a collector of taxes. I assume the author is referring the first definition.