An Overview of New Testament Geography
by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.
Student Goals:
: to get a sense of the geographical flow of the four canonical
Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles;
: to learn about the major NT events that happened in the following
Roman provinces and cities;
: to be able to identify these provinces and major cities (esp. the
capitals) by location on a map:
: see the long list of Online Maps from the "New Testament
Gateway" website;
: or see the collection of Bible Maps on this website (access
restricted to current students)
: or see the maps in the back of most good "Study Bibles."
Notes:
Since borders frequently shifted, there are some differences
between the political geography at the time of the birth of Jesus
(ca. 4 BCE), the death of Jesus (ca. 30 CE), the ministry of Paul (ca.
40-64 CE), and the writing of the other NT books (ca. 70-100 CE).
The names of the ROMAN PROVINCES (or other significant
regions) are in bold capital letters below; their first-century capital
cities are in bold italics; other important cities and towns are in
small bold print.
PALESTINE (and Its Environs) during the Lifetimes of Jesus &
Paul; mostly ruled by the Herodian Dynasty:
GALILEE - part of the Kingdom of Herod the Great, 40-4 BCE;
part of the Tetrarchy of Herod Antipas, 4 BCE - 39 CE
Sepphoris & Tiberias - political capitals during the first century,
but not mentioned in the NT! (so was Jesus ever there?)
Nazareth, Nain, Cana - towns in the interior of Southern Galilee
Capernaum, Bethsaida, Magdala - towns on the shore of the
Sea of Galilee
SAMARIA - core of ancient (Northern) Kingdom of Israel; place of
early Christian expansion (John 4; Acts 1:8; 8:1-25; 9:31; 15:3)
Samaria or Sebaste - capital in ancient & Herodian times (same
place, name changed)
JUDEA - at times a separate province; at other times a sub-
province of the Roman Province of SYRIA
Jerusalem - Jewish capital; site of the Temple, thus the center of
religious and cultural Judaism, until its destruction in 70 CE
Locations in/near Jerusalem, especially in John's Gospel: Pool of
Bethesda, Pool of Siloam, Praetorium of Pilate, House of Caiaphas,
Gethsemane, Kidron Valley, Golgotha, etc.
Jericho - possibly the world's oldest city; in the Jordan river
valley; Jesus gives sight to blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52 & par.)
Bethany, Bethlehem, Emmaus, Arimathea - smaller
villages important in the four Gospels
Caesarea - seat of Roman Government; site of Paul's imprisonment
(Acts 8:40; 9:30; 10:1-24; 11:11; 25:1-13; etc.)
PEREA (Trans-Jordan) - region "across" the Jordan river from
Judea; also ruled by Herod Antipas, 4 BCE - 39 CE
IDUMEA - the region south of Judea, conquered by the Maccabean
Jews in the 2nd cent. BC; original home of Herod the Great
DECAPOLIS = "Ten Cities" - a league of ten semi-independent
Greek cities next to but not part of first-century Israel, including
Scythopolis, Pella, Gerasa, Gadara, Hippos, Dion,
Philadelphia, Abila, Raphana, and Damascus
Roman PROVINCES important during the Expansion of
Christianity in the
First Century:
SYRIA - province including most of the Holy Land up until 70 CE,
except when parts are ruled by various Herods
Damascus - ancient center of Syria; site of conversion
of Saul/Paul (Gal 1:17; 2 Cor 11:32; Acts 9:1-25; 22:5-11)
Antioch - 3rd largest city of Roman empire; early Christian center
(Acts 11:19-30; 13:1-3; 14:24-15:35; 18:22-23)
CILICIA - region of very early Christian missionary activity (Gal
1:21; Acts 6:9; 15:23, 41; 23:34); today's SE Turkey
Tarsus - home city of Saul/Paul; major university (Acts 9:11, 30;
1:25; 21:39; 22:3)
CYPRUS - island in Eastern Mediterranean; homeland of Barnabas;
first stop on first missionary journey of Barnabas & Paul (Acts
4:36; 11:19-20; 13:4-12; 15:39; etc.)
Salamis & Paphos - two cities on Cyprus visited by Barnabas &
Paul (Acts 13:4-13)
PAMPHYLIA - small coastal region south of Galatia
Perga - port city visited only briefly by Barnabas and Paul; where
John Mark left them (Acts 13:13-14; 14:25)
GALATIA - distinguish the pre-Roman Kingdom of Galatia (later
called "Northern Galatia"), with capital Ancyra, and the probable
area of Pauline ministry in "Southern Galatia," incl. the regions of
PISIDIA & LYCAONIA
Antioch, Lystra, Derbe, Iconium - cities visited by Barnabas &
Paul in Southern Galatia (Acts 13:13-14:24; 16:1);
note that this "Pisidian Antioch" is different from the "Syrian
Antioch" mentioned above
MACEDONIA - area of "Europe" where Pauline mission first spreads
(Rom 15:26; 1Cor 16:5; 2Cor 1:16; Acts 16:6-17:15)
Philippi - early Pauline community; Roman colony (Philippians; 1
Thess 2:2; Acts 16:11-40; 20:6)
Thessalonica - early Pauline community (1 & 2 Thessalonians; Acts
17:1-14, also nearby Beroea)
ACHAIA - core region of ancient "Greece" (1Thess 1:7-8; Rom
15:26; Acts 18:12, 27; 19:21)
Athens - Pauline mission attempted, but unsuccessful (1Thess 3:1;
Acts 17:15-34)
Corinth - major Pauline center (Acts 18:1-18; 20:2-3); many
letters to & fro; trial before proconsul Gallio (Acts 18:12);
its two ports were Lechaion and Cenchreae (Rom 16:1)
ASIA (MINOR) - heavily populated region, in modern-day South-
Western Turkey; many famous cities, incl, most of the "Seven Cities
of Revelation" (Rev 2-3); ancient center in Pergamum
Ephesus - major Pauline missionary base in mid-50's (Eph; 1Cor
15:32; 16:8; 1Tim 1:3; Acts 18:19-19:41; 20:16-38); later also a
center of Johannine Christianity (Rev 1:11; 2:1)
Colossae & Laodicea - Paul (or one of his followers) wrote letters
to the Christians in both these cities (Col 2:1; 4:13-16; also Rev
1:11; 3:14)
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia,
Laodicea - the cities of the seven churches of Revelation (Rev
1:11; 2:1--3:22)
Patmos - small island in the Aegean Sea, near Ephesus;
where John, the author of Revelation, was (Rev 1:9)
CRETE - large Mediterranean island south of Aegean Sea; visited
by Paul on his journey to Rome (Acts 27:7-21; Titus 1:5)
MALTA & SICILY - Mediterranean islands south of Italy; also
visited by Paul on his journey to Rome (Acts 27:39-28:10; 28:11-
12)
ITALIA - central Roman province covering most of modern-day
Italy (Acts 10:1; 18:2; 27:1-6; 28:11-15)
Rome - capital of the entire empire; Christian community there
long before Paul (Romans; Acts 19:21; 23:11; 28:16-31)
