by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.
Student Goals:
to get a sense of the geographical flow of the four canonical Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles;
to learn about the major NT events that happened in the following Roman provinces and cities;
to be able to identify these provinces and major cities (esp. the capitals) by location on a map:
see the long list of Online Maps from the"New Testament Gateway" website;
or see the collection of Bible Maps on this website (access restricted to current students)
or see the maps in the back of most good "Study Bibles."
Notes:
Since borders frequently shifted, there are some differences between the political geography at the time of the birth of Jesus (ca. 4 BCE), the death of Jesus (ca. 30 CE), the ministry of Paul (ca. 40-64 CE), and the writing of the other NT books (ca. 70-100 CE).
The names of the ROMAN PROVINCES (or other significant regions) are in bold capital letters below; their first-century capital cities are in bold italics; other important cities and towns are in small bold print.
PALESTINE (and Its Environs) during the Lifetimes of Jesus & Paul; mostly ruled by the Herodian Dynasty:
GALILEE - part of the Kingdom of Herod the Great, 40-4 BCE; part of the Tetrarchy of Herod Antipas, 4 BCE - 39 CE
Sepphoris & Tiberias - political capitals during the first century, but not mentioned in the NT! (so was Jesus ever there?)
Nazareth, Nain, Cana - towns in the interior of Southern Galilee
Capernaum, Bethsaida, Magdala - towns on the shore of the Sea of Galilee
SAMARIA - core of ancient (Northern) Kingdom of Israel; place of early Christian expansion (John 4; Acts 1:8; 8:1-25; 9:31; 15:3)
Samaria or Sebaste - capital in ancient & Herodian times (same place, name changed)
JUDEA - at times a separate province; at other times a sub-province of the Roman Province of SYRIA
Jerusalem - Jewish capital; site of the Temple, thus the center of religious and cultural Judaism, until its destruction in 70 CE
Locations in/near Jerusalem, especially in John's Gospel: Pool of Bethesda, Pool of Siloam, Praetorium of Pilate, House of Caiaphas, Gethsemane, Kidron Valley, Golgotha, etc.
Jericho - possibly the world's oldest city; in the Jordan river valley; Jesus gives sight to blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52 & par.)
Bethany, Bethlehem, Emmaus, Arimathea - smaller villages important in the four Gospels
Caesarea - seat of Roman Government; site of Paul's imprisonment (Acts 8:40; 9:30; 10:1-24; 11:11; 25:1-13; etc.)
PEREA (Trans-Jordan) - region "across" the Jordan river from Judea; also ruled by Herod Antipas, 4 BCE - 39 CE
IDUMEA - the region south of Judea, conquered by the Maccabean Jews in the 2nd cent. BC; original home of Herod the Great
DECAPOLIS = "Ten Cities" - a league of ten semi-independent Greek cities next to but not part of first-century Israel, including Scythopolis, Pella, Gerasa, Gadara, Hippos, Dion, Philadelphia, Abila, Raphana, and Damascus
Roman PROVINCES important during the Expansion of Christianity in the First Century:
SYRIA - province including most of the Holy Land up until 70 CE, except when parts are ruled by various Herods
Damascus - ancient center of Syria; site of conversion of Saul/Paul (Gal 1:17; 2 Cor 11:32; Acts 9:1-25; 22:5-11)
Antioch - 3rd largest city of Roman empire; early Christian center (Acts 11:19-30; 13:1-3; 14:24-15:35; 18:22-23)
CILICIA - region of very early Christian missionary activity (Gal 1:21; Acts 6:9; 15:23, 41; 23:34); today's SE Turkey
Tarsus - home city of Saul/Paul; major university (Acts 9:11, 30; 1:25; 21:39; 22:3)
CYPRUS - island in Eastern Mediterranean; homeland of Barnabas; first stop on first missionary journey of Barnabas & Paul (Acts 4:36; 11:19-20; 13:4-12; 15:39; etc.)
Salamis & Paphos - two cities on Cyprus visited by Barnabas & Paul (Acts 13:4-13)
PAMPHYLIA - small coastal region south of Galatia
Perga - port city visited only briefly by Barnabas and Paul; where John Mark left them (Acts 13:13-14; 14:25)
GALATIA - distinguish the pre-Roman Kingdom of Galatia (later called "Northern Galatia"), with capital Ancyra, and the probable area of Pauline ministry in "Southern Galatia," incl. the regions of PISIDIA & LYCAONIA
Antioch, Lystra, Derbe, Iconium - cities visited by Barnabas & Paul in Southern Galatia (Acts 13:13-14:24; 16:1);
note that this "Pisidian Antioch" is different from the "Syrian Antioch" mentioned above
MACEDONIA - area of "Europe" where Pauline mission first spreads (Rom 15:26; 1Cor 16:5; 2Cor 1:16; Acts 16:6-17:15)
Philippi - early Pauline community; Roman colony (Philippians; 1 Thess 2:2; Acts 16:11-40; 20:6)
Thessalonica - early Pauline community (1 & 2 Thessalonians; Acts 17:1-14, also nearby Beroea)
ACHAIA - core region of ancient "Greece" (1 Thess 1:7-8; Rom 15:26; Acts 18:12, 27; 19:21)
Athens - Pauline mission attempted, but unsuccessful (1 Thess 3:1; Acts 17:15-34)
Corinth - major Pauline center (Acts 18:1-18; 20:2-3); many letters to & fro; trial before proconsul Gallio (Acts 18:12);
its two ports were Lechaion and Cenchreae (Rom 16:1)
ASIA (MINOR) - heavily populated region, in modern-day South-Western Turkey; many famous cities, incl, most of the "Seven Cities of Revelation" (Rev 2-3); ancient center in Pergamum
Ephesus - major Pauline missionary base in mid-50's (Eph; 1Cor 15:32; 16:8; 1Tim 1:3; Acts 18:19-19:41; 20:16-38); later also a center of Johannine Christianity (Rev 1:11; 2:1)
Colossae & Laodicea - Paul (or one of his followers) wrote letters to the Christians in both these cities (Col 2:1; 4:13-16; also Rev 1:11; 3:14)
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea - the cities of the seven churches of Revelation (Rev 1:11; 2:1--3:22)
Patmos - small island in the Aegean Sea, near Ephesus; where John, the author of Revelation, was (Rev 1:9)
CRETE - large Mediterranean island south of Aegean Sea; visited by Paul on his journey to Rome (Acts 27:7-21; Titus 1:5)
MALTA & SICILY - Mediterranean islands south of Italy; also visited by Paul on his journey to Rome (Acts 27:39-28:10; 28:11-12)
ITALIA - central Roman province covering most of modern-day Italy (Acts 10:1; 18:2; 27:1-6; 28:11-15)
Rome - capital of the entire empire; Christian community there long before Paul (Romans; Acts 19:21; 23:11; 28:16-31)
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