Acts 28:14

14. Found brethren Jews were plenty at Puteoli, as a commercial town, and Christians were not wanting. It is a proof of Julius’ high regard for Paul that he delayed an entire week in deference to the wishes of his Christian friends. The week suggests that it was the wish of the Christian Church at Puteoli that Paul should pass a Sabbath with them that his preaching might be heard by a general gathering of a widespread brotherhood. By the delay, as intimated in the verse following, intelligence of the apostle’s arrival surprised the Church at Rome, and drew a joyous delegation thence to meet and escort the “ambassador in bonds” to the capital.

Toward Rome From Puteoli they would go twelve miles eastward to intersect the great Appian Way at Capua, (see map,) the luxurious city which melted away the hardihood of Hannibal’s veteran army. The Appian Way was titled in ancient times the “Queen of Great Thoroughfares.” It was built by Appius Claudius four hundred and eleven years after the founding of the city. It stretched from Rome, the length of southern Italy, until, as seen on the map, it reached Brundusium at the extremity of the heel of the boot-like shape of Italy. From Brundusium a water route across the Adriatic connected it at Dyrrachium on the west coast of Greece with the great Egnatian Way, (see notes on Acts 16:14-40,) and thence formed an unbroken line to the northeastern extremity of Macedonia. From the intersection at Capua to Rome was one hundred and twenty-five miles.