This article analyzes the Tiber River Inscription which names L. Sergius Paullus as one of thecommissioners of the Tiber River, quite possibly the same Sergius Paulus who became the proconsul of Cyprus and was evangelized by the Apostle Paul in Acts 13. This inscription is advantageous in that it can be dated with confidence, unlike other inscriptions potentially related to this biblical proconsul. The author of this article discusses the role of a commissioner and where it fits in the cursus honorum, the sequence of offices typically held by men of senatorial rank. Furthermore, an analysis of other men named in the inscription demonstrates that Roman officials from important families could see their careers advance from being a commissioner of the Tiber River to becoming a proconsul. Finally, an overview of other Sergius Paulus inscriptions is given – establishing the prominence of the Sergii Paulii family. The author concludes that a plausible link can be made between the Tiber River inscription and the Cypriot Proconsul of Acts 13.
This article was published in the Near East Archaeological Bulletin 67 (2022).
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