Puteoli, known today as Pozzuoli, was an ancient Roman port city located on the Bay of Naples in Italy. It played a significant role in the New Testament narrative, particularly in the Acts of the Apostles. The city was a major hub for trade and commerce in the Roman Empire, serving as a key point of entry for goods and travelers coming from the eastern Mediterranean.

Biblical Reference:

Puteoli is mentioned in the New Testament in the context of the Apostle Paul's journey to Rome. In Acts 28:13-14 , it is recorded: "From there we circled around and arrived at Rhegium. After one day a south wind came up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome." This passage highlights Puteoli as a place where Paul found fellowship with fellow Christians, indicating the presence of a Christian community in the city.

Historical and Cultural Context:

During the first century, Puteoli was one of the most important ports in the Roman Empire. It was strategically located near the capital, Rome, and served as a primary entry point for grain shipments from Egypt, as well as other goods from the eastern provinces. The city's prosperity was largely due to its excellent harbor and its position along major trade routes.

Puteoli was also known for its diverse population, which included Romans, Greeks, Jews, and other ethnic groups. This diversity likely contributed to the early spread of Christianity in the region, as evidenced by the presence of "brothers" or fellow believers who welcomed Paul and his companions.

Archaeological Insights:

Archaeological excavations in Pozzuoli have uncovered significant remains from the Roman period, including the well-preserved amphitheater, the Temple of Serapis, and various public buildings and villas. These findings provide insight into the city's affluence and its role as a cultural and economic center.

The discovery of Jewish inscriptions and artifacts in the area also supports the historical presence of a Jewish community in Puteoli, which may have facilitated the early establishment of a Christian congregation.

Theological Significance:

The mention of Puteoli in the Acts of the Apostles underscores the interconnectedness of the early Christian communities across the Roman Empire. Paul's reception by the believers in Puteoli exemplifies the hospitality and unity among Christians, which was vital for the spread of the Gospel.

Furthermore, Puteoli's role as a major port city highlights the providential use of existing infrastructure and trade networks for the dissemination of Christian teachings. The city's strategic location and diverse population made it an ideal setting for the early church to grow and thrive.

In summary, Puteoli serves as a testament to the early Christian mission's reach and the supportive network of believers that facilitated the Apostle Paul's ministry as he journeyed toward Rome.Puteoli

sulphureous wells

Puteoli

(sulphurous springs), the great landing-place of travelers to Italy from the Levant, and the harbor to which the Alexandrian corn-ships brought their cargoes. (Acts 27:13) The celebrated bay which is now the Bay of Naples was then called "Sinus Puteolanus." The city was at the northeastern angle of the bay. The name Puteoli arose from the strong mineral springs which are characteristic of the place. It was a favorite watering-place of the Romans its hot springs being considered efficacious for cure of various diseases. Here also ships usually discharged their passengers and cargoes, partly to avoid doubling the promontory of Circeium and partly because there was no commodious harbor nearer to Rome. Hence the ship in which Paul was conveyed from Melita landed the prisoners at this place, where the apostle stayed a week. (Acts 28:13,14) --Whitney . The associations of Puteoli with historical personages are very numerous. Scipio sailed from this place to Spain; Cicero had a villa in the neighborhood; here Nero planned the murder of his mother; Vespasian gave to this city peculiar privileges; and here Adrian was buried. In the fifth century it was ravaged by both Alaric and Genseric, and it never afterward recovered its former eminence. It is now a fourth-rate Italian town, still retaining the name of Pozzuoli . The remains of Puteoli are worthy of mention. Among them are the aqueduct the reservoirs, portions (probably) of the baths the great amphitheatre and the building called the temple of Serapis. No Roman harbor has left as solid a memorial of itself as this one, at which St. Paul landed in Italy.

Puteoli

The wells, now Pozzuoli, a maritime town in the Campania of Naples, on the northern side of the bay, eight miles northwest from that city. It was a Roman colony. Here Paul abode seven days, on his famous voyage and journey from Caesarea to Rome, Acts 28:13.

A city on the coast of Campania, on the north shore of a bay running north from the Bay of Naples, at which Paul landed on his way to Rome, from which it was distant 170 miles. Here he tarried for seven days (Acts 28:13, 14). This was the great emporium for the Alexandrian corn ships. Here Paul and his companions began their journey, by the "Appian Way," to Rome. It is now called Pozzuoli. The remains of a huge amphitheatre, and of the quay at which Paul landed, may still be seen here. PUTEOLI

pu-te'-o-li (Potioloi, "sulphur springs" (Acts 28:13, Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek), the modern Pozzuoli): A maritime city of Campania, which occupied a central position on the northern shore of a recess in the Gulf of Naples, protected on the West by the peninsula of Baiae and Cape Misenum. It was originally a colony of the neighboring Greek city Cumae.

The earliest event in the history of Puteoli which can be dated definitely was the repulse of Hannibal before its walls by a Roman garrison in 214 B.C. The design of the Carthaginian to secure a seaport as base of supplies and communication was thus thwarted (Livy xxiv. 7, 12, 13). A Roman colony was established here in 194 B.C., and Puteoli thus became the first Roman port on the Gulf of Naples (Livy xxxiv. 45; Strabo v0.245; Velleius, i.15). Its subsequent remarkable prosperity and commercial activity are to be attributed to the safety of the harbor and the inhospitable character of the coast nearer Rome. For Puteoli became the chief seaport of the capital before the creation of an artificial harbor at Portus Augusti by Claudius, and before Trajan made the mouth of the Tiber the principal converging point for the over-sea carrying trade. The imports at Puteoli consisted mainly of Egyptian grain and oriental wares, dispatched from Alexandria and other cities of the Levant (Cicero Pro Rabirio 40; Suetonius, Augustus 98; Strabo xvii. 793; Cicero Pro Caelio 10). The eastern element in the population was very numerous (Petronius 81; CIL, X, 1797). The harbor was rendered doubly safe by a mole, which is known to have been at least 418 yards in length, consisting of massive piers connected by means of arches constructed in solid masonry (Strabo v.245). Extensive remains of this mole still exist. The shore line devoted to purposes of commerce (emporium) extended for a distance of about 1 1/4 miles westward from the mole. At the height of its prosperity under Claudius and Nero, the town is thought to have contained a population of nearly 100,000.

The region in which the town was situated is of volcanic formation, the name Puteoli being due to the odor of the sulphureous springs or to the wells of a volcanic nature which abound in the vicinity. The volcanic dust, called pozzolana today, was mixed with lime to form a cement of the greatest durability, which was weatherproofing against the influence of seawater.

Extensive remains of an amphitheater, whose axes measure 160 and 126 yards across the space enclosed by the outer facade and 75 and 45 yards within the arena, bear testimony to the former affluence of Puteoli.

The region about Puteoli together with Baiae became the favorite resort of the Roman nobility, and the foundations of many ancient villas are still visible, although partly covered by the sea. Cicero's villa in the territory of Puteoli (Cicero Ad Fam. v.15, 2; Ad Att. xiv. 16, 1; 20, 1) was afterward selected as the place of burial of Hadrian (Spartianus Had. 25). The portion of the bay between Puteoli and Baiae was the scene of the attempt made at the instigation of Nero upon the life of his mother by means of a vessel so contrived that it was to break to pieces while conveying Agrippina toward her villa near the Lucrine Lake (Tacitus, Annals xiv.8).

See NERO.

The apostle Paul found a Christian community at Puteoli, when he arrived there on his way to Rome, and stopped 7 days with them (Acts 28:13, 14). At that time the ordinary route to Rome, following the Via Appia from Capua, was 155 Roman, or about 142 1/3 English miles (Nissen, Italische Landeskunde, II, 739). Later, Domitian reduced the distance to 139 Roman miles (about 129 English miles) by laying out the Via Domitia along the coast, joining the Via Appia at Sinuessa (Geog. Raven., IV, 32; Itin. Ant., 122; Tab. Peut.).

George H. Allen

4223. Potioloi -- Puteoli, a city on the Bay of Naples
... Puteoli, a city on the Bay of Naples. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
Potioloi Phonetic Spelling: (pot-ee'-ol-oy) Short Definition: Puteoli ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4223.htm - 6k

Acts XXVIII
... (13) Thence, taking an indirect course, we arrived at Rhegium. And after one day,
a south wind sprang up, and we went the next day to Puteoli. ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xxviii.htm

After the Wreck
... And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day
the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli; 14. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/after the wreck.htm

Luke's Attitude Towards the Roman World
... The fact that Syracuse and Puteoli and Rhegium are named without any geographical
explanation might perhaps be explained from their fame and importance. ...
/.../ramsay/was christ born in bethlehem/chapter 3 lukes attitude towards.htm

Acts xxviii. 1
... And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the
south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli: where we found brethren ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily liv acts xxviii 1.htm

In Rome
... Though somewhat delayed by contrary winds, the voyage was safely accomplished, and
the ship cast anchor in the beautiful harbor of Puteoli, on the coast of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 43 in rome.htm

Of the Navigation of King Agrippa to Rome, to Tiberius Caesar; and ...
... Accordingly, Alexander paid them five talents at Alexandria, and promised to pay
them the rest of that sum at Dicearchia [Puteoli]; and this he did out of the ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 of the navigation.htm

Paul's Epistles; his Collection for the Poor Saints at Jerusalem ...
... set sail once more in a corn ship of Alexandria, the Castor and Pollux; [142:4]
and at length in the early part of AD61, reached the harbour of Puteoli, [143:1 ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter ix pauls epistles his.htm

Alexandria and Rome - the Jewish Communities in the Capitals of ...
... fleet it was, from the light quick sailer to those immense corn-ships which hoisted
a special flag, and whose early arrival was awaited at Puteoli [262] with ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter v alexandria and rome.htm

Ignatius is Brought to Rome.
... the seaports, he sailed over the Adriatic Sea, and entering from it on the Tyrrhene,
he passed by the various islands and cities, until, when Puteoli came in ...
/.../pearson/the martyrdom of ignatius/chapter v ignatius is brought to.htm

But when I was in the Twenty-Sixth Year of My Age...
... And when I had thus escaped, and was come to Dieearchia, which the Italians call
Puteoli, I became acquainted with Aliturius, an actor of plays, and much ...
/.../josephus/the life of flavius josephus/section 3 but when i.htm

Puteoli (1 Occurrence)
...PUTEOLI. ... 7, 12, 13). A Roman colony was established here in 194 BC, and Puteoli thus
became the first Roman port on the Gulf of Naples (Livy xxxiv. ...
/p/puteoli.htm - 11k

Rhegium (1 Occurrence)
... v0.6; Pro Archia, 3). The ship in which Paul sailed from Melita to Puteoli encountered
unfavorable winds after leaving Syracuse, and reached Rhegium by means ...
/r/rhegium.htm - 8k

Pute'oli (1 Occurrence)
Pute'oli. Puteoli, Pute'oli. Puthites . Multi-Version Concordance Pute'oli
(1 Occurrence). ... Puteoli, Pute'oli. Puthites . Reference Bible.
/p/pute'oli.htm - 6k

Put (13688 Occurrences)

/p/put.htm - 12k

Josephus
... About the year 64, he went to Rome to plead for them, met shipwreck on the voyage,
was rescued with a few survivors and was brought to port at Puteoli. ...
/j/josephus.htm - 13k

Flavius
... About the year 64, he went to Rome to plead for them, met shipwreck on the voyage,
was rescued with a few survivors and was brought to port at Puteoli. ...
/f/flavius.htm - 13k

Fetched (26 Occurrences)
... Acts 28:13 And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after
one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli: (KJV). ...
/f/fetched.htm - 14k

Forum (1 Occurrence)
... The Christian brethren in Rome went out along the Appian Road to welcome
the apostle Paul upon hearing of his arrival at Puteoli. ...
/f/forum.htm - 9k

Taverns (1 Occurrence)
... Parties of the Christian brethren in Rome went out to greet the apostle Paul when
news was brought that he had arrived at Puteoli, one group proceeding as far ...
/t/taverns.htm - 8k

Rhe'gium (1 Occurrence)
... Acts 28:13 thence having gone round, we came to Rhegium, and after one day, a south
wind having sprung up, the second 'day' we came to Puteoli; (See RSV). ...
/r/rhe'gium.htm - 6k

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