Romans

The Roman people were a culturally unified group, also described as an ethnic group or a nationality. From the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD, the Romans ruled large parts of the Near East, North Africa, and Europe through the conquests of the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire.

Initially, “Roman” referred only to the Latin citizens of the city of Rome. Over the long history of Roman civilization, as the state’s borders expanded and contracted, the meaning of “Roman” changed significantly. At the height of the Roman Empire, Roman identity became a collective geopolitical status that extended to nearly all subjects of the Roman emperor, encompassing a vast area and many different ethnic groups. By around 200 BC, all people within the Roman state could be called Roman. Later, regardless of race or birthplace, anyone who obtained Roman citizenship was considered a Roman.

In the New Testament, the term “Roman” broadly refers to those who had Roman citizenship, which was a highly coveted status. There were three main ways to obtain Roman citizenship at the time:

1 By making a significant contribution to Rome.

2 By paying a considerable fee.

3 By being born into a Roman citizen family.

Paul’s father was a Roman citizen of Jewish descent, so Paul was a Roman citizen from birth. This status was of great help to his ministry of spreading the gospel.

Around the time of Jesus’ birth, the Roman Empire was vast. According to the Lex Porcia de provocatione, a law established in 248 BC, a Roman citizen could not be sentenced to death without the approval of the popular assembly (a right later transferred to the emperor). Roman law also guaranteed that any Roman citizen was exempt from all base punishments, including beatings, flogging, and crucifixion. This is why officials were often afraid when Paul declared he was a Roman citizen, both before and after being flogged. This status gave Paul the opportunity to testify before high-ranking officials and even to appeal his case to the Roman emperor.