Puteoli (Hastings' Dictionary)

The great commercial port of Italy, in what is called now the Bay of Naples, but was at one time called the Sinus Puteolanus. It was at this port that Ht. Paul landed on his journey to Konie (Ac 28"). There were alreadj- brethren there, and he and St. Luke were entreated to tarry with them seven days. Its name is of doubtf\il origin, hut is attributed either to the putrid smell of the sul- I)hurous s|)rin^s close by, or to the wells (piitei) of the place. Cicero, like St. Paul, landed there TN-hen he came from Sicily (pro Plane. 2(3). It was the resort of trade from all parts, notably from the East, and the corn supplies for the capital were landed here. Josephus speaks of himself as havin" landed there after being sliipwrecked ( Vit. 3), and gives its other name of Dicajarchia. There must have been a Jewish population in the place (cf. Jos. Ant, xvill. vi. 4), and this may perhaps ac- count for the presence of Christians there. Some of the ruins of the ancient mole, at which the apostle must have landed, are still in e.xistence. H. A. Redpath.