Before looking at detailed references, we should remember that the writer presents his readers with a clear and accurate picture of the way in which it was possible to travel relatively easily around the areas of the Roman empire which he refers to, when he reaches the second part of his book which is concerned with Paul and his missionary activities. Although by modern standards, travel in those days was slow and difficult, by comparison with travel in earlier times travel in Roman times was a tremendous improvement. The huge network of roads which had been built; by the Romans all over their empire to facilitate communication between Rome and the officials who governed the empire and to enable Roman armies to move quickly if there was trouble anywhere, also made it possible for other people to travel extensively if they needed to. The 'Pax Romana', the state of peace which Roman rule had enforced between the countries which had been conquered, enabled people to move from one country to another without hindrance. There was no equivalent of modem passports, for such things were not needed. We find that Paul had a powerful advantage because he was a Roman citizen by birth. We know nothing about the circumstances in which Paul's family had been granted Roman citizenship but it is known that all those who living in Tarsus in 64 B.C., when the Romans made the city the administrative centre of the province of Cilicia, were granted citizenship by their conquerors. Presumably the immigrant Jews from w Paul was descended had been in Tarsus at that time, and had received this benefit which they were able to pass on to their descendants. Pa Roman citizenship certainly facilitated easy travel for him, around . Roman empire, and protected him in a number of difficult situation The continuing widespread use of Greek as a common language in -Mediterranean countries also made communication easy between people of different nationalities. Luke and Paul, of course, wrote in Greek, educated men like them would probably have had a working knowledge of Latin as well.

As we read Acts, we also realize that the writer regards it as v important that Paul finally goes to Rome, the most important city the world, to bear witness to Jesus Christ there. We know that Paul not found the Christian Church in Rome; from what he himself says his letter to the Roman Christians whom he had not met when he wrote to them. We do not know who first took the new faith to Rome but when Paul wrote his letter to the Church there, in A.D. 57 or 58, it was w established. Paul's arrival in Rome was seen as the climax of his missionary activity by Luke in his record of Paul's work. The supreme result of Paul's Roman citizenship was that it enabled him to appeal to the Emperor, the ruler of the great empire, about the justice or otherwise of his arrest and imprisonment. Luke saw this not only as a vindication of Roman justice but Paul's supreme opportunity to witness for Jesus Christ in the highest court of the world, and without his inherited citizenship, this would not have been possible.

Acts 2:10 mentions Jews who had come from Rome to Jerusalem f the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost).

10:1-2 refers to Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian Cohort (regiment), stationed at Caesarea, the Roman administrative centre from which Judaea was ruled. Cornelius was a 'God-fearer', one of those dissatisfied with the religion of the Roman and Greek traditions. References to the Italian Cohort have been found on inscriptions which still survive.

11 :28 12 refers to the Emperor Claudius who ruled from A.D. 41'--54. is concerned with opposition to the Jerusalem Church by Herod Agrippa I, king of all Palestine from A.D. 41-44, who killed James the brother of John. Josephus wrote very critically of this ruler, as arrogant and rich.

13:7 refers to Sergius Paulus, proconsul (governor) of Cyprus. A Greek inscription has been found which refers to this man and which is dated in the thirteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Claudius, A.D. 53.

13: 14 mentions Antioch in Pisidia, which had been one of the Greek-style cities founded by the Syrian successors of Alexander the Great, and had then been made into a Roman military centre and Roman colony. Extensive excavated ruins can be seen there and at Perga, also mentioned.

16: 12 brings us to another important city which had been made a Roman colony; as with Antioch in Pisidia and Perga, extensive excavated ruins can be seen at Philippi today.

16:37 is the first reference of quite a number in Acts, to Paul's Roman citizenship.

17:7 records the accusation against Paul in Thessalonica that he was breaking the laws of the Emperor.

17: 16 brings us to Athens, the great city of Greece, which was the source of the great Hellenization movement that swept across the Mediterranean lands

18:2 refers to the decree of the Emperor Claudius that all Jews must leave Rome; the Roman historian Suetonius also refers to this but connects it with followers of Christ.

18: 12 mentions Gallio, proconsul of Achaia, whose name is found on an inscription at Delphi in Greece, written in A.D. 52. According to the inscription, Gallio began his proconsulship in A.D. 51.

21:38 mentions trouble with terrorists which is also referred to by Josephus

23 leads to the charge against Paul before the governor Felix (Acts 24) about whom very critical reference is made by the Roman historian Tacitus. Claudius Antonius Felix was a freedman who had found favour with the Emperor Nero. Tacitus described Felix as having the power of a king but the mind of a slave. The headquarters of the governor of Judaea were at Caesarea, as this was the Roman administrative centre. Extensive excavations can be seen there, sufficient to show that the Romans had built themselves a city.

24 :27 refers to the successor of Felix, Porcius Festus, whom Josephus also mentions.

25: 12 refers to the supreme right of the Roman citizen at that to appeal directly to the Emperor for justice.

25: 13 refers to Herod Agrippa II, the last of the Herods, v. sister was Drusilla, wife of Felix (24:24).

27: I shows us Roman judicial procedures going into a Paul had appealed for Roman justice at the highest level therefore it was the responsibility of the provincial rule send him to Rome, at their expense, although the sea voyage lasted many weeks. The rights of a Roman cit had to be upheld.