A Week in the Life of a Roman Centurion

by Gary M Burge

  Marcus had been at the gate during the conflict with Axius, and the two of them had risen through the ranks together. Marcus confided to Appius that he knew Axius well and knew how violent he was. Promotion to centurion was Axius’s life ambition, and now, Marcus believed, that dream was ruined. “The man will remember this, Appius. He does not forget.”

  All five wagons and the troops met on the main road leading north out of Caesarea. It followed the city’s aqueduct for many miles, but then the highway went its own way as it cut a path through a range of mountains. When it entered a wide valley, the road continued north through low hills until it found another valley. When they turned east, they could see in the distance a prominent hill and the city of Sepphoris, the capital of Galilee. There they stopped to refresh themselves and to have Appius meet the Jewish ruler who oversaw this region.

  The Via Maris

  The route Appius follows is called the Via Maris, or Way of the Sea. This was an ancient highway used for centuries to bring travelers from the high plains of the deserts (near Damascus) down the coast and on to Egypt. Capernaum stood right on this highway and so made an excellent base from which to collect taxes. In the first century the Romans knew the value of this road and rebuilt and reinforced it using the highest standards.

  His name was Herod Antipas.

  He belonged to one of the legacy families of the Jews—his father reigned at the founding of the province and was responsible for much of the truly impressive building that could be seen. According to Marcus, Antipas was not a congenial ruler. Thirty years earlier his brother had bested him when their father died, and Rome gave the lion’s share of the province to his older brother. Antipas had been given western Galilee—a consolation prize.

  Sepphoris had all the markings of a town being rebuilt with intentional design, with its fine public buildings and excellent water systems.

  Herod Antipas

  The Romans built the province of Judea with the help of a wealthy man named Antipater (also called Antipas), who hailed from the southern deserts of Idumea. Antipater was married to the Arab Cypros, and together they had four sons (Phasael, Herod, Joseph and Pheroras) and one daughter (Salome). Antipater’s oldest son, Herod (called “the great,” as in “eldest”), was proclaimed king of the province by the Roman senate in 40 B.C. but only gained rule over the province with the help of the Roman army in 37 B.C.

  Herod the Great had multiple wives and various children, and he suspected three of his sons of treachery. But he intended to make his primary heir Antipas (named after his grandfather), his youngest son, born to a Samaritan named Malthrace. In doing this he completely bypassed Antipas’s older brothers Philip and Archaelaus (both born to Cleopatra of Jerusalem). In the spring of 4 B.C. Herod died, but rather than give the kingship to Antipas he changed his will and divided the province among these three sons.

  Herod’s will was hotly contested in Rome, and many members of the dynasty were lobbying for influence. Herod’s sister, Salome, was successful not only in winning over the Emperor Augustus’s wife Livia but also in persuading the emperor of Archaelaus’s superior loyalty. Grateful for her influence, Augustus awarded her 500,000 pieces of coined silver and the tax revenue of a half-dozen Judean cities. She, of course, was cultivating her own wealth and interest in Judea.

  The young Antipas was left as a subordinate ruler of western Galilee, subject to his older half-brother, who was the official representative of the Jews to Rome. (Antipas’s other brother Philip ruled eastern Galilee.) Antipas was also given the land abutting the east side of the Jordan River called Perea. But in Rome he had successfully contested his brother’s title of “king,” and this led to a sharp division between them.

  In the Gospel story, this means that his southern region of Perea put Antipas in direct contact with John the Baptist, who criticized Antipas’s marriage to Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife (see Mk 6:18-29 for details). But rumors also flew about Jesus and John. Jesus had begun his ministry with John the Baptist, and it was John’s arrest that led Jesus to leave the Jordan River area and move to Galilee. Antipas knew of a disturbing rumor, which the Gospels record. Apparently, when Antipas heard about the popularity of Jesus, some told him, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him [Jesus]” (Mk 6:14).

  Antipas had his own palace there, and Appius marveled at its splendor and the size of its staff. It seemed clear that this man was wealthy and that he used his position to prosper himself. There was also a Roman barracks in Sepphoris, and the small entourage spent the night there. Appius met the commander, who filled him in on Antipas’s ambitions, controllability, and what Appius might expect when he took up residence in Capernaum. The commander confided that he didn’t like the Jewish ruler. Neither, apparently, did many of the people he ruled. His most recent controversy was his opposition to a so-called Jewish prophet named John. John had harassed Antipas over Antipas’s abandoning his young wife in order to marry his brother’s wife. In order to silence John, Antipas had him arrested and killed. But in truth, it seemed that this did not silence him. John had many followers throughout Judea who were agitating for judgment on Antipas. And rumors were widespread that after Antipas killed John, the prophet had returned from the dead to haunt the ruler. What’s more, another prophet had arisen, who sounded a lot like John and was now based in Galilee. Antipas was wary of him, too. Jewish prophets, Antipas told Appius, were always to be viewed with suspicion.

  Sepphoris of Galilee

  The Via Maris was the main highway that ran through the province of Judea. In Galilee it could be found in the beautiful Bet Netofah Valley, where on a prominent hill stood Sepphoris (Heb. Zippori), a city Josephus once called “the ornament of all Galilee.” Sepphoris had been ruined in war in 4 B.C. but was rebuilt by Herod Antipas beginning in 3 B.C. and was restored to be Galilee’s “ornament.” Later Antipas built Tiberius on the Sea of Galilee to be his new capital, but bureaucrats no doubt lived in both cities.

  Figure 6.1. An aerial view of Sepphoris

  Until the building of Tiberius, Sepphoris was the capital of the region and the likely residence of Herod Antipas. The Gospels do not refer to this city, but because it was under construction throughout Jesus’ life, it is common for scholars to suggest that Jesus and his father worked there as builders. Nazareth is only about a ninety-minute walk from Sepphoris.

  It is likely that some of the wives of Herod’s staff were followers of Jesus and even helped pay his expenses. Luke records the following: “After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means” (Lk 8:1-3). Joanna very likely lived in Sepphoris with her husband, Chuza. Along with Mary from Magdala, Joanna experienced profound healing from Jesus and was grateful.

  Today visitors can see the splendor of this ancient city, since excavations have been under way for decades. A tremendous theater seating four thousand, numerous public buildings, colonnaded streets and a large number of residences are signals of Sepphoris’s wealth and prestige. It was also fully Jewish, and remnants of Jewish life, seen especially in the number of Jewish ritual baths and ritually pure stoneware, tell us that here fidelity to Jewish religious custom and “modern” ways were forging an alliance.

  The next morning Appius and his party departed from Sepphoris and were soon again climbing through more hills and descending through valleys.

  Cana of Galilee

  For centuries visitors to Galilee have been shown the Arab village of Khirbet Qana and been told that this is the site of the New Testament water-and-wine miracle in John 2. But many have doubted the accuracy of this identification. Recent research has found another si
te, just north of Sepphoris, that may actually be the correct location. Today archaeologists are working to uncover the remains of this site and to determine its identification.

  They passed the village of Cana, which gave them resupply. Then, descending rapidly between dramatic cliffs, they arrived at the great inland sea, the Sea of Tiberius. Its coastline was dotted with fishing villages that would be the immediate concern of Appius as he oversaw the commerce and taxation of the area.

  Figure 6.2. The hills of Arbel

  From Tiberius they continued north along the coast, and passing the village of Magdala, they eventually arrived at Capernaum on the lake’s north shore. All these and other coastal villages would soon become familiar to them. The scene was beautiful—but also ominous. Everywhere the buildings were made of black stone, debris tossed from a now-extinct volcano.

  As they came to the north shore of the Sea of Tiberius, Appius commented a number of times that the black stone troubled him. Was this a portent from the gods, a sign that darkness ruled these lands? Was this why others at Caesarea did not want to come to this place? Had the gods cursed his new home? Soon his enthusiasm for the beauty of Galilee gave way to caution.

  Previously, Roman patrols had come to Capernaum from Sepphoris, but they had not stayed long. And now the little village would be absorbing a truly threatening occupation. Forty-five Roman troops along with a centurion were moving into town.

  Magdala

  Perhaps the most important Galilee discovery in the past decade has been in Magdala. In 2004 Jerusalem’s well-known Pontifical Institute Notre Dame decided it wanted to build a Catholic retreat center in Galilee similar to Notre Dame of Jerusalem. Catholic leaders located four plots of land (twenty acres) in an area north of Tiberius along the Galilee coast that the Jews called Migdal and the Arabs named Al-Majdal, both stemming from the ancient memory of Magdala.

  Figure 6.3. Mosaic found at Magdala with image of a boat

  They bought the land and began work but had no idea that just a few feet beneath their feet was the first-century town of Magdala, the home of Mary (from) Magdala (see Mt 27:56; Mk 15:40; Lk 8:2, etc.). The village was a commercial fish-trading city. Its name may have come from the Hebrew migdal, which means “tower.” Fish were preserved by salting and stacking them in towers, and from these stocks shipments could be made to destinations far from the sea.

  Magdala is today evolving into a model of how to preserve an ancient site that can serve the needs of scholars and pilgrims. Already archaeologists have discovered a well-preserved first-century synagogue complete with impressive mosaics and rare painted walls. They have also located a menorah relief that may be one of the best in Israel. The village itself has been found complete with markets, baths, villas and a harbor. Moreover, a retreat center for three hundred people and an ecumenical chapel dedicated to the women who followed Jesus are being built in what will be a $100 million project. Already over one thousand volunteers from around the world have dug at Magdala. The website for the excavation is magdalaisrael.wordpress.com/about. The pilgrim website for visitors is magdalacenter.com.

  Marcus already had made arrangements through a courier to provide a place for Appius and his household while he scouted out an area for the troops to build camp. Meanwhile the fifteen cavalry broke into pairs and rode the perimeter of the town as well as through its main streets in an effort to assess the security of the place. They returned assured that the village had been pacified. Marcus recommended they camp in a dry field just east of the village along the lake. This would give them an excellent water supply and quick access to the main road. There was agreement to this suggestion, and within hours the men were busy constructing a camp plan, a defensive perimeter and latrine ditches.

  “And what have you found for us, Marcus?” Appius had surveyed the camp plan, approved it and then found Marcus for directions. The camp was good but would be temporary. There were not enough men to build and defend a fort. They would have to move as soon as they could. His question now to Marcus indicated that his own household was now on his mind.

  Figure 6.4. An aerial view of Capernaum today

  “There is a small villa on the edge of the village, owned by a Jewish merchant. It’s surrounded by a sturdy wall, has a sound courtyard, a neglected garden and about seven rooms on its perimeter. He is willing to rent it to you on favorable terms. He only asks one thing: that there be no idols brought into the house.” At Appius’s questioning look, Marcus explained that this was the pejorative term the Jews used for the Roman and Greek gods.

  “No idols? Is this the Jewish sensitivity in this province that knows no compromise?”

  “It is. And when I remember the number of times Pilatus has offended these people, I wonder whether we shouldn’t correct the mistake.”

  “But that is asking me to abandon who I am. I will not. Tell this man if he wants my money he must let me do what I will with the place. Otherwise I will look elsewhere.” Appius had hauled his collection of Apollo statues all the way from Raphana. Many of them even came from his home in Attalia before that.

  “This will make your house ‘unclean’ to the Jews, and they will hesitate to see you there.”

  “Unclean? I am clean enough. And Gaius makes my house cleaner than I like, to tell the truth.”

  “This is ritual uncleanness. It has nothing to do with dirt. Some of the Jews believe that when they have contact with certain things, such as dead bodies, certain foods, Gentile gods or even Gentiles themselves, they become defiled. And they must enter into ritual washings just to be made right again.” Clearly Marcus had done some study and was well prepared to advise Appius. “They also have numerous rules for food. But at least no rules for wine, unless you let insects swim in it.” Here he laughed. “And you will have all the wine you want. And good wine at that. If we’re in need of more supplies, Raphana is only a short distance away.”

  Appius’s decision was firm. “Gaius will furnish our household as he always has. I will not accept a visit from Gallica and have them see that I’ve gone over to the Jewish religion. And we will tell the Jewish leaders they must adapt if they want to curry my favor. They will just take many baths! This may become the cleanest village in Galilee!” Appius clearly found it all amusing.

  It took no time for the merchant with the villa to concede. These Romans were bringing fresh money to the village, and he was not going to miss out. Capernaum was small and poor. And while it was miserable to have the Romans on hand, still, they did bring money along with their pollutions. It was a compromise worth making.

  Sea of Tiberius

  The Sea of Tiberius was the alternative name for the Sea of Galilee (see Jn 6:1). Antipas built the city of Tiberius to be his new capital. It was a beautiful lakeside town that he named after the reigning emperor, Tiberius. Soon the lake took the name as well. Today a thriving Israeli city of the same name is located here, but numerous ancient remains can be found at the city’s southern entrance.

  The sea is about fourteen miles long, north to south, and seven miles wide, east to west. Because it is in the Jordan River depression, it is seven hundred feet below sea level. The Jordan River flows into it at the north and exits at a southern outlet. As a freshwater lake, it was tremendously valuable as a source of fishing for the region.

  Gaius drove the wagons directly to the villa and ordered the slaves in his charge to begin unloading everything they would need. He walked through the house, surveying what had to be done. It was austere, to be sure. The fountain in the center of the courtyard was broken and dry. There was a garden next to it, but it had been sorely neglected. It needed its own fountain, but that could wait. The inside of the walls had been plastered white, giving the interior of the villa a cheerfulness not found elsewhere. Gaius not only wanted to make this place comfortable, but he knew that the happiness of Appius was critical to the security of all who lived there. He wanted Appius to live here—not in a fort—and in that living resolve again his commitment to his fam
ilia. Gaius did not want to see any erosion in that commitment. And the unspoken awkwardness with Tullus and Livia ran the risk of making it so.

  Gaius set about taking notes on what needed to be purchased and how the rooms would be assigned. The front gate needed immediate repair because it held the security of the residence. Two soldiers with tools were called and arrived immediately to refit the hinges and the bolt on the inside. In very little time the villagers were gathering near the villa, offering their services for hire and any supplies they could sell. This was a poor village. Very poor. And they had not seen this much silver passing through their streets in a long time.

  Tullus decided that his most useful service would be to help set up the household and organize a room for himself, where Appius’s correspondence would take place and where he would meet with anyone that needed him. He was also very aware of Livia and where she was settling in. There was a spacious room on the far end of the courtyard that opened to the fountain through a small forecourt. She had chosen this for herself and Appius.