The First Century

A Roman engineering project at Lake Fucine goes awry. Prisoners condemned to death take a flippant comment by Claudius as a pardon. Gallio, brother of Seneca, is sent to be proconsul of Achaia where he attempts to restore the cult of Pythian Apollo. Agitators attempt to bring Paul before the new proconsul, but Gallio dismisses the accusations as religious in nature. 

SHOWNOTES:

On Lake Fucine (Suetonius, Claudius, 21.4; Tacitus, Annals, 12.56-57)

For an image of Lake Fucine: Lago di Fucino

The Pythia (Strabo, 9.3.5; cf. Euripides IA 760-761)

Paul before Gallio (Acts 18:13-15)

Gallio inscription (J. H. Oliver, “The Epistle of Claudius Which Mentions the Proconsul Junius Gallio,” Hesperia 40 [1970] 239-40).

For Gallio's departure due to being ill "not in body but because of the place" (Seneca, Letters, 104.1-5).

The scholar Murphy-O'Connor says that Gallio was a 'fussy hypochondriac' (Paul's Corinth, p. 147) but see Pliny, NH 31.33 who says Gallio was suffering from hemoptosis.

Claudian Aqueducts (Frontinus, De aquaeductu urbis Romae, 13).

A Roman soldier exposes himself to the crowds at Passover leading to outrage among the populace. Cumanus, the Roman procurator responds with force. Violence increases when the crowd lynches an imperial messenger and Cumanus expands his military operations. Temperatures cool down long enough only to be enflamed once again with a dispute between Galileans and Samaritans. The Roman governor of Syria steps in and sends the accused, including the high priest and Cumanus himself, to Claudius in Rome. There, Herod Agrippa II intervenes. Ultimately, Felix, brother of Pallas, is appointed the next procurator of Judea.

SHOWNOTES:

Josephus, Antiquities, 20.5.3-4; 20.6.1-2; War 2.12.1;2.13.3-7.

Agrippina's ally Lucius Vitellius succumbs to a stroke, ending the life of this skilled politician. Agrippina's thirteen-year-old son Nero is given special advantages, and she is sure to show him in a better light than his younger stepbrother Britannicus who is still a child. Agrippina installs her own ally as head of the praetorian guard and tutor to Nero. She also begins to write her autobiography.

SHOWNOTES:

Tacitus, Annals, 12.37,41-42.

After Paul left Athens he went to Corinth. There he found success and met a number of people who became friends and followers of the way. Timothy and Silas eventually meet him in Corinth bringing troubling news of the Thessalonians. As a result, the three of them co-author a letter to the community there. Timothy and Silas deliver it so as to flesh out any details needed. 

SHOWNOTES:

Acts 18:1-11

Paul goes to Corinth in fear and trembling (1 Cor 2:3)

Paul mentions Aquila and Prisca (Priscilla) by name in 1 Cor 16:19 and Rom 16:3. Their names also appear in 2 Tim 4:19 and Acts 18:2,18,26.

Disturbing developments in Thessalonica (1 Thess 1:1; 3:1-6)

Paul's message to the Thessalonians that whether one has died or is alive at the coming of Christ, all will be with him (1 Thess 4:13-18).

Crispus and his household baptized by Paul (1 Cor 1:14) 

After Paul, Silas, and Timothy departed Philippi they went to Thessalonica. Though they had some success there, they were driven out by some agitators and made their way to Beroea beyond the control of Thessalonian authorities. Paul later made his way to Athens, while Silas and Timothy returned to Thessalonica to check on the community there. 

SHOWNOTES:

Acts 17:1-34; 1 Thess 1:1-10

Financial aid from Philippi (Phil 4:15-16)

Exhortation to right conduct (1 Thess 2:12; 4:1-8)

That some of Jesus' followers would be present when he returned (Mark 13:30) 

After a minor disagreement with Barnabas, Paul decided to go with Silas to visit some of the communities he had evangelized earlier in southern Galatia. There they met a disciple named Timothy who joined them. They all went to Troas where they met a Gentile follower named Luke. Together they travelled to Europe, going to Philippi where they met Lydia. But in that city both Paul and Silas were beaten publicly and imprisoned by local authorities. Though this treatment violated their rights as Roman citizens, Paul and Silas used it to their advantage.    

SHOWNOTES:

Acts 15:40-16:40; 1 Thess 1:1; Gal 4:18; 2 Cor 1:19  

On Lois and Eunice (2 Tim 1:15)

Luke as physician (Col 4:14); Luke as a Syrian of Antioch (Extratextual Prologue to the Gospel of Luke from late second century manuscript. See K. Aland, Synopsis of the Four Gospels, p. 533). 

Missionary work in Philippi (Acts 16:17-40; 1 Thess 2:2; Phil 1:3-6)

Jews in Rome were disturbing the peace, arguing about a slave, or so the Roman officials thought. Based on this, Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome. In Britannia, the rebel leader Caratacus is captured. He, his family, and many of the defeated insurrectionists are brought to Rome in a display of power and might. After a moving speech, Caratacus is granted mercy by Claudius and perhaps even Agrippina, who is sitting on a throne near the princeps. 

SHOWNOTES:

Agrippina's speaking birds (Pliny the Elder, NH 10.59 (10.121–122)).

Jews making constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus (Suet. Claud. 25.4). 

Oath to Caligula by legions is preserved. CIL II, 172, discovered in Lusitania (modern Portugal). It dates to 11 May 37 CE. https://www.judaism-and-rome.org/printpdf/oath-allegiance-caligula-gaius-lusitania-cil-ii-172

Caratacus (Tacitus Annals 12.36-38)

After the Jerusalem Council, Peter, Paul and some others go to Antioch in Syria. There they have a different understanding of what the council decisions meant. A disagreement occurs and the Antioch Church sends Symeon Niger to Jerusalem for clarity. Paul and Barnabas part ways.  

SHOWNOTES:

Gal 2:11-14; Acts 15:13-33

The reconstruction of Acts 15 in this episode and the last one are based in part on the scholarship of J. A. Fitmzyer in Acts of the Apostles (Yale Anchor Bible Commentary; 1998).

Paul decides to visit Jerusalem again, 14 years after his first visit, when he stayed for only 15 days. Gentiles were coming into the church. Some thought those Gentiles needed to become Jewish first, but Paul and others had a different idea. The matter needed to be addressed in Jerusalem by the apostles and elders, led by James, the brother of Jesus. 

SHOWNOTES

The family (siblings) of Jesus (Matt 13:55-56)

Cerinthus's beliefs (Irenaeus AH 1.26.1)

Saying of Jesus ‘It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master’ (Matt 10:25).

The rest of the episode is based on Gal 2:1-10 and Acts 15:1-12

With Messalina out the picture, Claudius says he never wants to marry again. But that sentiment does not last long before he weds his niece, Agrippina the Younger. She brings her son Lucius to the marriage and begins to secure his future and eliminate potential competition. 

SHOWNOTES:

Legends about Messalina and her proclivities (Pliny, NH. 10.83)

How Claudius chose his bride (Tacitus. Annals. 12.1-2)

Lucius Vitellius (Dio 59.27.2-4).

Junia Calvina as festivissima omnium puellarum, "the liveliest and most delightful of all young women." (Seneca, Apocol. 8.2). 

Physiognomist pronouncing the futures of Britannicus and Titus  (Suet, Titus, 2)  

Agrippina and Claudius (Tacitus, Annals, 12.3-8)

Agrippina and Lollia Pollina (Tac Ann. 12.22; Dio 60.32.4) 

Agrippina named 'Augusta' (Tacitus, Annals. 12.25-26)

Agrippina renaming her birthplace Colonia Agrippina (Pliny, NH, 31 (17); Tacitus, Annals. 12.27), modern day Cologne, Germany