SYRACUSE

(Syrʹa·cuse).

A city with a fine harbor, on the SE coast of the island of Sicily, today called Siracusa (Italian). According to Thucydides, a Greek colony was established at Syracuse in the eighth century B.C.E.

The apostle Paul stayed at Syracuse for three days toward the close of his trip to Rome, in about 59 C.E. The layover there may have been necessary because the ship had to wait for suitable sailing wind. (Ac 28:12) From Syracuse, Paul’s ship went “around” and came to Rhegium, on the southern tip of Italy. The exact meaning of this expression is not known. Possibly the vessel took a somewhat curved route, away from the coast, in order to get sufficient wind to fill its sails. Or, maybe it “made a circuit​—following the coast—” to reach Rhegium.​—Ac 28:13, AB.