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Paul’s Voyage to Rome
When Fair Havens proved to be unsafe for wintering, the Alexandrian
grain-ship Paul was on set out for Phoenix, which would have provided a
safe shelter. Initially they sailed under a gentle wind from the south, but
when this backed into a powerful north-east wind, the ship was blown
off-course and never reached Phoenix. “Since the harbor was unsuitable to
winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach
Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest
and northwest” (Acts 27:12, NIV). |
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Harbor Facing Two Directions
Luke describes the harbor at Phoenix as “facing both southwest and
northwest” (Acts 27:12), which would have protected the ship from the
violent Northeaster winds. At the time of Paul the western bay of Phoenix
would have been the main harbor. Ogilvie (1958) demonstrated that the water
line of this harbor was 12-20 feet (3.8–6.3 m) higher in antiquity,
providing sufficient water depth for mooring vessels. A now-submerged reef
extends westward from the tip of the cape. This would have created a second
inlet with the result that the harbor would have had an inlet facing
northwest and an inlet facing southwest. |
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Ancient Remains
The site of Phoenix has not been excavated. There is a Turkish fort,
medieval building remains, and two chapels on the cape. It appears to have
been a large site in classical times, for across the surface of the cape,
remains, pottery, and several column fragments are visible. A few
inscriptions have been found, including one by the owner of the Alexandrian
grain-ship Isopharia, dateable to the reign of Trajan (2nd century AD). |
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