Rome
Rome is an ancient city mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of Italy in modern-day Italy. It appears across 15 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Rome, the capital of the ancient world's greatest empire, occupies a pivotal place in New Testament history. The city first appears prominently in Acts 2:10, where Roman Jews and proselytes witness Pentecost in Jerusalem. Rome's significance deepens through Paul's epistle to the Romans, written around AD 57 to a church he had not yet visited, which became Christianity's most systematic theological treatise. Paul's long-desired journey to Rome finally came as a prisoner, following his appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:11). The dramatic voyage, including shipwreck on Malta, culminates in Acts 28 with Paul under house arrest in Rome, freely preaching the gospel for two years. The book of Acts ends with this striking image: the gospel has reached the empire's center. Rome also looms in the background of Philippians, written from Roman imprisonment, where Paul notes that the gospel has spread even to "Caesar's household" (Philippians 4:22). Tradition holds that both Paul and Peter were martyred in Rome, cementing the city's role as a crucible where faith triumphed over imperial power.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Rome's archaeological heritage is among the richest in the world. Sites relevant to the New Testament include the Roman Forum, the Mamertine Prison (traditionally associated with Paul and Peter's imprisonment), and the Catacombs where early Christians buried their dead and gathered for worship. The Appian Way, mentioned in Acts 28:15 where believers met Paul at the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns, remains partially intact. Excavations beneath St. Peter's Basilica have revealed a first-century necropolis and a venerated burial site traditionally identified as Peter's tomb. Inscriptions confirm the presence of a Jewish community in Rome from the first century BC, consistent with the New Testament references to Roman Jews.
Verse Appearances (15)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →