Caesarea – the site of Apostle Paul’s confinement

Adam Kondys

Opole

Abstract

After being arrested by the Romans St. Paul was brought from Jerusalem to Caesarea. As a result of his trial that was conducted by the procurator Antonius Felix, the verdict was postponed. Awaiting the conclusion of the trial Paul was imprisoned for two years. During the second trial he appealed unto Caesar. In order to be judged by the Emperor he was brought to Rome in a boat, dispatched from the harbour of Caesarea. The recent archaeological excavations carried out in this ancient city revealed the sites of St. Paul’s confinement in Herod’s praetorium, of his trail conducted in the procurator’s palace, and of his departure to Rome. This paper attempts to compare the newest archaeological evidences with the biblical texts regarding the years of Paul’s detention in Caesarea and thus to throw more light on this important period in Apostle’s life. Having at our disposal accurate scheme of ancient Caesarea, its extraordinary harbour and the splendid promontory palace of Herod the Great, it was possible to depict in a more detailed way the scene of the events reported in Acts 23:31–26:32.

Keywords:

Caesarea Maritima, St. Paul’s prison, archaeological excavations, Herod’s praetorium, harbour of Caesarea