 basin near the Peirene Fountain which was hewn out of the rock and subdivided into four. It had a total capacity of some 520 cubic yards. In front of the great basin were 3 containers which were always full so that people could draw water from them. The architecture of the Fountain of Peirene was changed several times. During the Greek period it looked like an Ionian stoa. Later, there were 6 narrow entrances to the fountain." (Meletzis and Papadakis, Corinth, Mycenae, p. 12).
"The Agora at Corinth was one of the largest in Greece. A large space, which was 246 yards long from east to west and 140 yards wide, was paved with marble slabs and divided into two level terraces. The Agora of the Greek period, completely redesigned under the Romans in the year 146 A.D., was considerably smaller and paved with large pebble stones." (Meletzis and Papadakis, Corinth, Mycenae, p. 13).
Excavations on the southern edge of the forum have uncovered the marble-faced bema (judgment seat) on which Paul stood to address the Roman proconsul Gallio (Acts 18:12). The bema was a speaker's platform on which the judge sat or stood for the trial of one against whom an accusation had been made.
According to an inscription at Delphi, Gallio was proconsul of Achaia between 51 and 53 A.D. Gallio was the "brother of the philosopher Seneca (Nero's tutor), and uncle of the poet Lucan, the author of the Pharsalia. Seneca speaks of him as amiable and greatly beloved" (Marvin Vincent, Vincent's Word Studies In The New Testament).
"The Jewish religion was a religio licita and they were allowed to make proselytes, but not among Roman citizens. To prove that Paul was acting contrary to Roman law (for Jewish law had no standing with Gallio though the phrase has a double meaning) these Jews had to show that Paul was making converts in ways that violated the Roman regulations on that subject. The accusation as made did not show it nor did they produce any evidence to do it." (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures In The New Testament).
The theater at Corinth was built in the 5th century B.C. and could seat over 14,000. An inscription at the theater tells the story of Andocles and the Lion. In the plaza near the amphitheater is an inscribed limestone pavement which reads: ERASTVS PRO AEDILITATE S P STRAVI. The translation, as given by Otto F. Meinardus, is: "Erastus, in return of the aedileship, laid the pavement at his own expense." It is possible this Erastus was the friend of Paul (Rom. 16:23; 2 Tim. 4:20).
-Copyright 2005 David Padfield. Article used with permission of author.