[morphing libertarian]

Do we know the dates of the Roman Census ordered by Augustus? Married couples had to go to the home town of the man.

[chuckles]

The Jews were required to go to the Feasts in Jerusalem 3 times a year. Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. I don't know about the Romans, but it make sense to me for them to call for tax collections at these times when Jews from all over would be in town. Jerusalem was about 600k strong at the time of Jesus, but on these Feast Days, they swelled to over 2.5 million. Collecting taxes and counting heads at this time would make Roman work much easier.

Bethlehem was only a couple of miles from Jerusalem and was where the Temple raised all their lambs for slaughter. Bethlehem means "House of Bread" ergo Jesus is the Bread of Life. He was the Lamb of God, so it was fitting He was born where the lambs came from.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

He ordered several of them.

I think the one in 7BC is probably the one referenced but that is just my opinion and not to be confused with that of anyone who matters.