Biblical Geography: Roman Provinces in the Central and Western Mediterranean
by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.
MALTA & SICILY – Mediterranean islands south of Italy; visited by Paul on his journey to Rome (see Acts 27:39–28:12)
Malta – an island on which Paul was shipwrecked
Acts 27:39 – In the morning they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if they could.
Acts 28:1 – After we had reached safety, we then learned that the island was called Malta.
Syracuse – major port city on the island of Sicily
Acts 28:11-12 – Three months later we set sail on a ship that had wintered at the island [of Malta], an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead. / We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days;
ITALIA – central Roman province covering most of modern-day Italy
Italy / Italian:
Acts 10:1 – In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called.
Acts 18:2 – There [in Corinth] he [Paul] found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome.
Acts 27:1 – When it was decided that we were to sail [from Caesarea in Palestine] for Italy, they transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort, named Julius.
Acts 27:6 –
There [from Myra in Lycia] the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on board.
Heb 13:24 – Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you greetings.
Rhegium and Puteoli – towns on the coast of Italy, south of Rome
Acts 28:13-14 – then [from Syracuse] we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day there a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. / There we found believers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.
Forum of Appius and Three Taverns - locations on the outskirts of Rome
Acts 28:15 – The believers from there [Rome], when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.
Rome – capital of the entire empire; Christian community there long before Paul (15x OT; 8x NT)
Acts 18:2 – There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,
Acts 19:21 – Now after these things had been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and Achaia, and then to go on to Jerusalem. He said, "After I have gone there, I must also see Rome."
Acts 23:11 – That night the Lord stood near him and said, "Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome."
Acts 28:14 – There we found believers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.
Acts 28:16 – When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.
Rom 1:7 – To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 1:15 – -- hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
2 Tim 1:17 – when he arrived in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me
Roman (12x OT; 12x NT):
John 11:48 – "If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation."
Acts 2:10 – Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Acts 16:21 – "and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe."
Acts 16:37-38 – But Paul replied, "They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves." / The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens;
Acts 22:25-27 – But when they had tied him up with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who is uncondemned?" / When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him, "What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen." / The tribune came and asked Paul, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes."
Acts 22:29 – Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back from him; and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
Acts 23:27 – "This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, but when I had learned that he was a Roman citizen, I came with the guard and rescued him."
Acts 25:16 – "I told them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had met the accusers face to face and had been given an opportunity to make a defense against the charge."
Acts 28:17 – Three days later he called together the local leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, "Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, yet I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.
SPAIN – far western edge of the Mediterranean sea (1x OT; 2x NT)
Modern Spain (the Iberian peninsula) includes ancient Roman Provinces of Tarraconensis, Gallaecia, Lusitania, Baetica (none of which are mentioned in the Bible)
Rom 15:24 – when I [Paul] go to Spain. For I do hope to see you on my journey and to be sent on by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a little while.
Rom 15:28 – So, when I have completed this, and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will set out by way of you to Spain;
The "land of Spain" is also mentioned once in the OT, in 1 Mac 8:3
NORTH AFRICA – from Egypt to Libya
Egypt / Egyptians -
(722x OT;
30x NT)
Matt 2:13 – Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."
Matt 2:14 – Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt,
Matt 2:15 – and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."
Matt 2:19 – When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said,
Acts 2:10 – Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Acts 7:9-40 – mentioned 15 times in Stephen's speech
Acts 13:17 – The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.
Acts 21:38 – Then you are not the Egyptian who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?"
Heb 3:16 – Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses?
Heb 8:9 – not like the covenant that I made with their ancestors, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not continue in my covenant, and so I had no concern for them, says the Lord.
Heb 11:26 – He considered abuse suffered for the Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward.
Heb 11:27 – By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king's anger; for he persevered as though he saw him who is invisible.
Heb 11:29 – By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned.
Jude 1:5 – Now I desire to remind you, though you are fully informed, that the Lord, who once for all saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
Rev 11:8 – and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is prophetically called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
Alexandria / Alexandrians -
major port city on tghe northern coast of Egypt
Acts 6:9 – Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen.
Acts 18:24 – Now there came to Ephesus a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria. He was an eloquent man, well-versed in the scriptures.
Acts 27:6 – There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on board.
Acts 28:11 – Three months later we set sail on a ship that had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead.
Libya and Cyrene / Cyrenians - on the north-central coast of Africa
Matt 27:32 – As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross.
Mark 15:21 – They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus.
Luke 23:26 – As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus.
Acts 2:10 – Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Acts 6:9 – Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen.
Acts 11:20 – But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus.
Acts 13:1 – Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul.
Libya/Libyans are also mentioned 5x in the OT.
North Africa also includes ancient Roman Provinces of Mauretania and Numidia (not mentioned in the Bible)
MALTA & SICILY – Mediterranean islands south of Italy; visited by Paul on his journey to Rome (see Acts 27:39–28:12)