Acts 28:16

16. Came to Rome Starting from the Three Taverns, our ambassador, with his company of bondsmen and escort of freemen, would pass the celebrated Alban Hills, and on a summit a little beyond Aricia would cast his first glance upon the imperial ROME. It was itself a magnificent nation, the head of the nations of the earth. He entered the city by the Appian Way, where many a conqueror had entered in triumphal procession, but none with a name so notable to posterity as this “prisoner of Christ.”

The guard Every absolute monarch usually finds it necessary to secure a competent body of troops upon whose fidelity to his own person he can rely in case of rebellion. Such for the emperor of Rome were the pretorian troops. The Pretorian Camp, situated outside of the northwest wall of the city, was a large square lined with military barracks, the lodgings of the soldiery, and strongly fortified on all sides. Its commander, captain of the guard, at this time was the celebrated Burrhus, who, in connection with Seneca, endeavoured to support the fortunes of the empire under the reign of the mad and bloody Nero. But in fact the whole clause the centurion… but is omitted from so many manuscripts that Tischendorf and other high authorities reject it as spurious.

Dwell by himself The usual place for prisoners would be in the barracks of the Pretorium; but such would be the reports both of Festus and Julius that respect for Paul’s high character might secure him a better condition. Sustained by the Churches both at Rome and elsewhere, he would find it easy to secure apartments not only sufficient for his personal convenience, but to receive friends and inquirers hospitably, and to accommodate a congregation to listen to his preaching. Welcomed as he most certainly was by the Roman Church, he was secluded from its congregations except as they gathered to him.