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Home , Castra, Castra Praetoria, Praetorian Guard, Sextus Afranius Burrus, Watchtower

The Receives a Witness

The year is 59 C.E. In the custody of travel-weary soldiers, a num- ber of prisoners enter through the Porta Capena gate. On Pal- atine Hill is the palace of Emperor , guarded by Praetorian sol- diers with swords concealed under their formal . The 

Julius marches his prisoners past the Roman and up Viminal NY Resource, Palais/Art RMN-Grand Hill. They pass a garden with many altars to Roman gods and also go by a parade ground where military maneuvers take place. Among the prisoners is the apostle Paul. Months earlier when he was on a storm-tossed ship, an angel of God told Paul: “You must stand before .” (Acts 27:24) Is Paul about to have that experi- ence? As he turns to look out at the capital of the , no doubt the words that the Lord Jesus spoke to him at the of An- tonia in Jerusalem come to his mind. “Be of good courage!” Jesus said. A relief of Praetorian soldiers “For as you have been giving a thorough witness on the things about thought to be from the Arch of me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”—Acts 23: , built in 51 C.E. 10, 11. Perhaps Paul pauses to look at the Praetoria—a large for- tress with high red-brick walls topped with and . The fortress houses members of the Praetorian Guard, who serve as the emperor’s bodyguards, and also the city’s force. With

 See the box entitled “The Praetorian Guard in Nero’s Day.”

FEBRUARY 15, 2013 13 12 cohorts of Praetorians and several urban cohorts sta- tioned there, the fortress could house several thousand soldiers, including . The is a re- minder of the source of imperial power. Since the Praeto- rian Guard is responsible for prisoners from the prov- inces, Julius leads his group through one of the four main gates. After a perilous journey of several months, he has Courtesy Classical Numismatic Group, finally brought his prisoners to their intended destina- Inc./cngcoins.com tion.—Acts 27:1-3, 43, 44. THE APOSTLE PREACHES “WITHOUT HINDRANCE” This coin issued in the first century During the voyage, Paul received divine visions an- depicts the Praetorian camp nouncing that the entire crew would survive a shipwreck. Thebiteofavenomoussnakecausedhimnoharm.He healed sick people on the island of , where the lo- cal people began saying that he was a god. News of these The Praetorian Guard events may have circulated among the superstitious Prae- in Nero’s Day torian Guard. The Praetorians were under oath to Paul has already seen brothers from Rome who ‘came protect the emperor and his family. to meet him at the Marketplace of Appius and Three When on campaign, they carried their Taverns.’ (Acts 28:15) As a prisoner, though, how could own standards bearing icons of the he fulfill his desire to declare the good news in Rome? emperor as well as shields, often em- (Rom. 1:14, 15) Some think that the prisoners would be blazoned with scorpions, the star sign delivered to the captain of the guard. If that is so, Paul of Caesar. Commanded by tri- was likely taken to the Praetorian Afranius Bur- bunes and , they also rus, perhaps second in power only to the emperor. In maintained order at the games and in any case, rather than being guarded by centurions, Paul’s the theaters and reinforced the fire- guard is now a single Praetorian soldier of the rank and fighting service. Soldiers served for file. Paul is permitted to arrange for his own accommoda- 16 years, instead of the 25 served in tions and is allowed to receive visitors and preach to them the legions, and received triple pay, “without hindrance.”—Acts 28:16, 30, 31. abundant bonuses, and a generous PAUL WITNESSES TO THE SMALL AND THE GREAT retirement pay. Praetorians were also used to torture and execute prisoners. In the course of his judicial duties, Burrus perhaps in- Following his second imprisonment, terviews the apostle Paul, either at the palace or at the Paul may have been martyred at the Praetorian camp, before presenting the case to Nero. hands of soldiers like those he en- Paul does not miss this unique opportunity to “witness deavored to save.—2 Tim. 4:16, 17. to both small and great.” (Acts 26:19-23) Whatever may have been Burrus’ evaluation, Paul is spared the prison in the Praetorian camp.

 A Roman was a group of up to 1,000 soldiers.  See the box entitled “.”  was imprisoned here by Tiberius Caesar in 36/37 C.E. for expressing his wish that might soon become emperor. Upon his accession, Caligula rewarded Herod with a kingship.—Acts 12:1.

14 THE During Paul’s captivity, soldiers heard him dictate letters

Paul’s rented accommodations are large enough for him to receive “the principal men of the Jews” and to wit- ness to them as well as to ‘greater numbers of others who came to him in his lodging place.’ He also has a captive audience in the Praetorian soldiers who hear him “bearing thorough witness” to Jews concerning both the Kingdom and Jesus, “from morning till evening.”—Acts 28:17, 23. The Praetorian cohort on duty at the palace is changed daily at the eighth hour. Paul’s guard also changes regu- larly. During the two years of the apostle’s captivity, sol- diers hear him dictate letters to the Ephesian, Philippian, Colossian, and Hebrew Christians and see him write his Walls of the Castra Praetoria as they appear today own letter to a Christian named Philemon. While impris- oned, Paul gives personal attention to a runaway slave, Onesimus, ‘to whom he became a father while in prison bonds,’ and sends him back to his master. (Philem. 10) Paul no doubt also takes a personal interest in his guard- ians. (1 Cor. 9:22) We can just imagine him questioning a soldier on the purpose of various pieces of armor and then using the information in a fine illustration.—Eph. 6: 13-17.

FEBRUARY 15, 2013 15 Mus “SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD FEARLESSLY” eCle Avignon Calvet ee ´ Paul’s imprisonment contributes to “the advancement of the good news” among all the Praetorian Guard and others. (Phil. 1:12, 13) The occupants of the Castra Prae- toria have connections throughout the Roman Empire, as well as to the emperor and his vast household. That household consists of family members, servants, and slaves, some of whom become Christians. (Phil. 4:22) Through Paul’s bold witnessing, the brothers in Rome find the courage “to speak the word of God fearlessly.” —Phil. 1:14. Paul’s witnessing in Rome is also a source of encour- An inscription bearing the name agement to us as we ‘preach the word in favorable sea- of Sextus Afranius Burrus son and troublesome season.’ (2 Tim. 4:2) Some of us are housebound, in nursing homes or hospitals, or even im- Sextus Afranius Burrus prisoned for our faith. Whatever our circumstances, we may find an audience in those who come to us, perhaps Burrus was probably born in Vaison- to make house calls or to provide us with various ser- la-Romaine, now in southern , vices. When we courageously witness on every occasion, where an inscription bearing his we see firsthand that ‘the word of God cannot be bound.’ name was found in 1884 C.E. In —2 Tim. 2:8, 9. 51 C.E., he was elevated to the posi- tion of sole Prefect of the Praetorian Guard by Agrippina the Younger, wife and niece of Claudius Caesar. Agrippi- Whatever our circumstances, we may find an audience na groomed her young son, Nero, for in those who provide us with various services theroleofemperorunderthedirec- tion of two tutors. One was Burrus, a distinguished soldier who provided military training. The other was the philosopher Seneca, who developed Nero’s intellect. At the opportune time, Agrippina had her husband poi- soned. Before news of Claudius’ death broke, Burrus escorted Nero to the Castra Praetoria and had him pro- claimed emperor by the Praetorian Guard, leaving the Senate no option but to accept the choice. When Nero had his mother murdered in 59 C.E., Burrus provided a cover-up. Roman historians and claim that Burrus was poisoned by Nero in 62 C.E.

16 THE WATCHTOWER