Rome

The most celebrated city in the world at the time of Christ. It is said to have been founded B.C. 753. When the New Testament was written, Rome was enriched and adorned with the spoils of the world, and contained a population estimated at 1,200,000, of which the half were slaves, and including representatives of nearly every nation then known. It was distinguished for its wealth and luxury and profligacy. The empire of which it was the capital had then reached its greatest prosperity. On the day of Pentecost there were in Jerusalem “strangers from Rome,” who doubtless carried with them back to Rome tidings of that great day, and were instrumental in founding the church there. Paul was brought to this city a prisoner, where he remained for two years (Acts 28:30, 31) “in his own hired house.” While here, Paul wrote his epistles to the Philippians, to the Ephesians, to the Colossians, to Philemon, and probably also to the Hebrews. He had during these years for companions Luke and Aristarchus (Acts 27:2), Timothy (Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1), Tychicus (Eph. 6: 21), Epaphroditus (Phil. 4:18), and John Mark (Col. 4:10). (See PAUL.) Beneath this city are extensive galleries, called “catacombs,” which were used from about the time of the apostles (one of the inscriptions found in them bears the date A.D. 71) for some three hundred years as places of refuge in the time of persecution, and also of worship and burial. About four thousand inscriptions have been found in the catacombs. These give an interesting insight into the history of the church at Rome down to the time of Constantine.

the famous capital of the ancient world, is situated on the Tiber at a distance of about 15 miles from its mouth. The “seven hills,” (Revelation 17:9) which formed the nucleus of the ancient city stand on the left bank. On the opposite side of the river rises the far higher side of the Janiculum. Here from very early times was a fortress with a suburb beneath it extending to the river. Modern Rome lies to the north of the ancient city, covering with its principal portion the plain to the north of the seven hills, once known as the Campus Martius, and on the opposite bank extending over the low ground beneath the Vatican to the north of the ancient Janiculum. Rome is not mentioned in the Bible except in the books of Maccabees and in three books of the New Testament, viz., the Acts, the Epistle to the Romans and the Second Epistle to Timothy.

strength; power

ROME, the celebrated city and capital of the Roman republic and empire, and once the proud mistress of the world. It is situated on the river Tiber, about 15 miles from its mouth. The ancient city was built upon seven hills. It was founded about 754 years before the Christian era; legendary history ascribes its founding to Romulus. The principal interest to the Bible-reader in the history of Rome relates to the N.T. period. Rome, in the N.T. times, was the capital of the empire in its greatest prosperity, and the residence of its emperors. Among its inhabitants were many Jews. Acts 28:17. They had received the liberty of worship and other privileges from Caesar, and lived in the district across the Tiber, near the Porta Portese. At the time of Paul's visit the city had outgrown the old Servian wall, and consisted of an extensive and irregular mass of buildings unprotected by any outer city wall. This was a period between two noted epochs in its history - the restoration by Augustus and that effected by Nero. It was the boast of Augustus that he found a city of brick and left one of marble. The streets are described as being at that time generally narrow and crooked, flanked by crowded lodging-houses of great height - so great that Augustus made a law limiting them to 70 feet. Gibbon estimates the population of the city at this time as nearly 1,200,000, of which probably one-half were slaves, and the larger part of the remainder were paupers supported in idleness by an unwise system of public gratuities. Paul was kept at Rome two whole years, dwelling in his own hired house with a soldier who had charge of him. Acts 28:16, 1 Kgs 20:30. In accordance with the usual Roman custom of treating prisoners, he appears to have been bound to the soldier with a chain. Acts 28:20…

ROME, the celebrated city and capital of the Roman republic and empire, and once the proud mistress of the world. It is situated on the river Tiber, about 15 miles from its mouth. The ancient city was built upon seven hills. It was founded about 754 years before the Christian era; legendary history ascribes its founding to Romulus. The principal interest to the Bible-reader in the history of Rome relates to the N.T. period. Rome, in the N.T. times, was the capital of the empire in its greatest prosperity, and the residence of its emperors. Among its inhabitants were many Jews. Acts 28:17. They had received the liberty of worship and other privileges from Caesar, and lived in the district across the Tiber, near the Porta Portese. At the time of Paul's visit the city had outgrown the old Servian wall, and consisted of an extensive and irregular mass of buildings unprotected by any outer city wall. This was a period between two noted epochs in its history - the restoration by Augustus and that effected by Nero. It was the boast of Augustus that he found a city of brick and left one of marble. The streets are described as being at that time generally narrow and crooked, flanked by crowded lodging-houses of great height - so great that Augustus made a law limiting them to 70 feet. Gibbon estimates the population of the city at this time as nearly 1,200,000, of which probably one-half were slaves, and the larger part of the remainder were paupers supported in idleness by an unwise system of public gratuities. Paul was kept at Rome two whole years, dwelling in his own hired house with a soldier who had charge of him. Acts 28:16, 1 Kgs 20:30. In accordance with the usual Roman custom of treating prisoners, he appears to have been bound to the soldier with a chain. Acts 28:20…