Ca, XVI. J THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 5383
their patroness, and Seneca said, “the Jewish faith is now re- ceived on every hand. The conquered have given laws to the conquerors.” On the other hand, there were laws which for- bade the introduction of strange deities among the Romans themselves. In 186 B.c., when stringent measures were taken by the government for the repression of Bacchanalian orgies in Rome, one of the consuls, addressing an assembly of the people, said: “ How often in the ages of our fathers was it given in charge to the magistrates to prohibit the performance of any foreign religious rites; to banish strolling sacrificers and sooth- sayers from the forum, the circus, and the city ; to search for and burn books of divination ; and to abolish every mode of sac- rificing that was not conformable to the Roman practice ” (Livy, xxxix., 16). It was contrary to strict Roman law for the Jews to propagate their opinions among the Romans, though they might make proselytes of other nations.
22. Rent off their clothes (aepippyfavres). Only here in New Testament. By the usual formula of command to the lic- tors: Go, lictors ; strip off their garments ; let them be scourged |
To beat (paPdifewv). From pa8eos, a rod. lev. properly adds, with rods.
23. Prison. See on ch. v. 21.
24. The inner prison. Some have supposed this to be the lower prison, being misled by the remains of the Mamertine prison at Rome, on the declivity of the Capitoline, and near the Arch of Septimius Severus. This consists of two chambers, one above the other, excavated in the solid rock. In the centre of the vault of the lower chamber is a circular opening, through which it is supposed that prisoners were let down into the dun- geon. Modern excavations, however, have shown that these two chambers were connected with a series of large chambers, now separated by an alley from the prison of St. Peter. The opening into the passage leading to these was discovered in the lower dungeon. Under this passage ran a drain, which formed
534 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. XVI
a branch of the Cloaca Maxima, or main sewer. Six of these chambers have been brought to light, evidently apartments of a large prison in the time of the Roman kings. Mr. John Henry Parker, from whose elaborate work on the primitive fortifica- tions of Rome these details are drawn, believes that the prison of St. Peter now shown to tourists formed the vestibule and guard-room of the great prison. It was customary to have a vestibule, or house for the warder, at a short distance from the main prison. Thus he distinguishes the znner prison from this vestibule. With this agrees the description in the Rev. John Henry Newman’s “ Callista:” “The state prison was arranged on pretty much one and the same plan through the Roman empire, nay, we may say throughout the ancient world. It was commonly attached to the government buildings, and consisted of two parts. The first was the vestibule, or outward prison, approached from the praetorinm, and surrounded by cells opening into it. The prisoners who were confined in these cells had the benefit of the air and light which the hall ad- mitted. From the vestibule there was a passage into the ¢nte- rior prison, called Robur or Lignum, from the beams of wood which were the instruments of confinement, or from the char- acter of its floor. It had no window or outlet except this door, which, when closed, absolutely shut out light and air. This apartment was the place into which Paul and Silas were east at Philippi. The utter darkness, the heat, and the stench of this miserable place, in which the inmates were confined day and night, is often dwelt upon by the martyrs and their biogra- phers.”