Συράκουσαι

Syracuse

Definition

Συράκουσαι (Syracuse) is the name of a major ancient city on the eastern coast of the island of Sicily. In the New Testament, it refers specifically to the port city where the ship carrying the Apostle Paul docked for three days during his voyage to Rome as a prisoner (Acts 28:12). As a proper noun, it functions as an adjective describing the city's inhabitants or things pertaining to it. The term carries no distinct biblical meaning beyond its geographical identification as a significant Hellenistic port in the Roman Empire.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 28:12. It is used in a straightforward geographical sense to name a port of call on Paul's journey. The context is historical narrative, detailing the itinerary of the ship transporting Paul from Malta to Italy. There are no patterns of usage or different contextual meanings, as it appears solely as a location name.

Etymology

The word Συράκουσαι (Syrakoysai) is the direct Greek transliteration of the city's original name. It is a proper noun borrowed into Greek from the local Sicilian dialect. The city was founded by Greek colonists from Corinth and was one of the most powerful and renowned Greek cities in the Mediterranean, later becoming part of the Roman province of Sicily. Its name has no further etymological breakdown with theological significance in Koine Greek.

Semantic Range

In the 1st century, Syracuse was the capital and principal city of the Roman province of Sicily. It was a major commercial and naval port with a rich history as a former powerful Greek city-state. For Luke's original readers in the Roman Empire, mentioning Syracuse would have immediately conveyed a sense of a significant, well-known urban center on a key maritime route. Its inclusion in Acts 28:12 adds historical verisimilitude to the travel narrative, grounding Paul's journey in real-world geography familiar to a contemporary audience.

Word Details

Scripture References