Appii Forum, also known as the Market of Appius, is a location mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible, specifically in the Acts of the Apostles. It is a significant site in the context of the Apostle Paul's journey to Rome. The reference to Appii Forum is found in Acts 28:15, where it is described as a meeting place for Paul and some of the brethren from Rome.

Biblical Reference:
In Acts 28:15 , it is recorded: "The brothers there had heard about us and traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and gave thanks to God."

Historical and Geographical Context:
Appii Forum was a well-known stop along the ancient Roman road, the Via Appia, which connected Rome to the southern regions of Italy. This road was one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads, facilitating trade and travel across the Roman Empire. Appii Forum was located approximately 43 miles southeast of Rome, serving as a rest stop for travelers and merchants.

The site was named after Appius Claudius Caecus, the Roman censor who initiated the construction of the Via Appia in 312 BC. The Forum of Appius was a bustling marketplace, frequented by travelers and traders, and it provided various amenities, including inns and taverns, for those journeying along the road.

Significance in Paul's Journey:
The mention of Appii Forum in Acts highlights the support and fellowship Paul received from the early Christian community. As Paul was being taken to Rome as a prisoner, the brethren from Rome traveled a considerable distance to meet him, demonstrating their love and solidarity. This meeting was a source of encouragement for Paul, as noted in the scripture, where he "gave thanks to God" upon seeing them.

The journey to Rome was a pivotal moment in Paul's ministry, as it fulfilled his long-held desire to preach the Gospel in the heart of the Roman Empire. The support he received from fellow believers at Appii Forum and the Three Taverns was a testament to the growing Christian community and their commitment to the apostolic mission.

Cultural and Religious Context:
In the broader cultural and religious context of the time, Appii Forum was a place where diverse groups of people, including pagans, Jews, and early Christians, would have interacted. The presence of a Christian community willing to travel to meet Paul indicates the spread of Christianity along major trade routes and the establishment of networks of believers who supported one another in faith.

The account of Appii Forum in Acts serves as a reminder of the early Church's dedication to fellowship and mutual support, values that were crucial for the survival and growth of the Christian faith in a predominantly pagan world.Appii Forum

APPII FORUM

ap'-i-i fo'-rum, transliteration of Lat; APPIUS ap'-i-us, MARKET OF (Revised Version) (Appiou phoron): Appi Forum Cicero ad Att. 20.1; Suetonius Tib. 2: Appii Forum; Vulgate Revised Verson: Forum Appi; Horace Satires i0.5; Pliny, Nat. Hist., iii0.64; xiv0.61; CIL, X, 6824, or Market of Appius, was a town situated at the forty-third milestone on the Appian Road (39 1/2 English miles from Rome, a single day's journey for energetic travelers) according to the imperial itineraries (Ant., 108; Hierosol. 611; Geog. Rav. 4.34). Its existence probably dates from the time of Appius Claudius Caecus (Suet. Tib. 2; compare Mommsen, Rom. Forsch., I, 308), who laid out the famous highway from Rome to Capua in 312 B.C. In the 1st century it had the rank of a municipality (Pliny, iii.64). Its importance as a highway station is due chiefly to the canal which ran by the side of the road from there to within a short distance of Tarracina (at the sixty-second milestone), affording an alternative means of conveyance (Strabo v0.3.6). It was customary to cover this section of the journey, passing through the Pontine Marshes, by night in canal boats drawn by mules. Horace (Sat. i.5) offers a lively picture of the discomforts of the trip, mentioning the importunate inn-keepers and intolerable drinking water at Appii Forum, the gnats and frogs which were enemies to repose, and the exasperating procrastination of the muleteer.

The Christian brethren in Rome went out along the Appian Road to welcome the apostle Paul upon hearing of his arrival at Puteoli. One party awaited him at Three Taverns while another proceeded as far as Appii Forum Acts 28:15).

George H. Allen

Appii Forum

(market-place of Appius), a well-known station on the Appian Way, the great road which led from Rome to the neighborhood of the Bay of Naples. (Acts 28:15) There is no difficulty in identifying the site with some ruins near Treponti . [THREE TAVERNS TAVERNS, THE THREE]

675. Appiou Phoron -- Market of Appius, the name of a city south ...
... Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Appiou Phoron Phonetic Spelling: (ap'-pee-os) Short
Definition: Appius Definition: the township Appi Forum on the ... Appii. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/675.htm - 6k

Acts XXVIII
... (15) "And the brethren, having heard from that place concerning us, came
out to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Taverns. ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xxviii.htm

Acts xxviii. 1
... And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii
forum, and the Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily liv acts xxviii 1.htm

After the Wreck
... And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii
Forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/after the wreck.htm

Eleventh Day. Sympathy.
... He reaches Appii Forum and the Three Taverns, dejected and depressed. Brethren come
from Rome, a distance of sixty miles, to offer their sympathy. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macduff/the mind of jesus/eleventh day sympathy.htm

In Rome
... His hopes of winning many souls to the truth in Rome, seemed destined to disappointment.
At last the travelers reach Appii Forum, forty miles from Rome. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 43 in rome.htm

Acts of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
... And departing thence, he came to Appii Forum, which is called Vicusarape; and having
slept there that night, he saw one sitting on a golden chair, and a ...
/.../unknown/acts of the holy apostles peter and paul/acts of the holy apostles.htm

Christianity in Rome.
... [500] Some thirty or forty miles from the city, at Appii Forum and Tres Tabernae
(The Three Taverns), he was met by Roman brethren anxious to see the writer of ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 36 christianity in rome.htm

The Joy of Unbroken Communion
... to climb when he was being led as a captive to Rome, not knowing the things that
awaited him there; but when the brethren met him at the Appii Forum he thanked ...
//christianbookshelf.org/taylor/union and communion/section iii the joy of.htm

Paul in Malta and Rome.
... In the way he was met by some Christians from that city, who, having heard of his
approach, went to meet him as far as Appii Forum, and the Three Taverns, two ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxix paul in malta.htm

Rom. xv. 25-27
... He found joy in the saints at Rome who came out from the city as far as Appii Forum
and the Three Taverns to welcome him (Acts 28:15); he was permitted for two ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxx rom xv 25-27.htm

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