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Acts 18:12-16 recounts the episode where the apostle Paul was presented before Gallio, the “proconsul of Achaia,” during his time in Corinth. Archaeologists have since uncovered the judgment seat where Paul was likely tried, as well as a letter from Emperor Claudius which states: “As Lucius Junius Gallio, my friend, and the proconsul of Achaia wrote.” According to this imperial correspondence, Gallio arrived in Corinth in 51 C.E., a timeline that aligns with the biblical account of Paul’s visit.

Gallio (Lucius Junius Gallio Annaeus), Proconsul of Achaia

Lucius Junius Gallio Annaeus, the Proconsul of Achaia, was a Roman official before whose seat of judgment the Jews brought forth accusations against Paul for allegedly inducing others to adopt a different form of worshiping God. Gallio dismissed the case, reasoning that it didn’t constitute a breach of Roman law. Subsequently, the crowd attacked Sosthenes, the chief officer of the synagogue, a situation Gallio also chose not to intervene in. — Ac 18:12-17.

Gallio’s birth, as per secular historical records, took place in Cordova, Spain, around the start of the first century C.E. He was the son of the orator Seneca and the older sibling of the philosopher Seneca. Originally named Lucius Annaeus Novatus, he adopted the name of his adoptive father, the orator Lucius Junius Gallio.

Portion of an inscription bearing the name Gallio (ΓΑΛΛΙΩΝ)

An inscription discovered in Delphi provides critical insights into the timing of Gallio’s tenure as the proconsul of Achaia. (Ac 18:12) The inscription is fragmented, and researchers have had to reconstruct the text, but it definitely includes “[Lucius Ju]nius Gallio, . . . proconsul.” The consensus among historians is that this text is a letter from Emperor Claudius Caesar and the number 26 mentioned refers to his 26th imperial acclamation. (It was under Claudius’s rule that Achaia was reestablished as a separate province, accountable to the senate, and thus overseen by a proconsul.) It’s plausible that this letter was penned in the first half of 52 C.E., as other inscriptions suggest Claudius received his 27th imperial acclamation before August 1, 52 C.E. A Carian inscription and another on the Aqua Claudia aqueduct in Rome place Claudius’ 26th and 27th imperial acclamations within his 12th tribunician power term, which dated from January 25, 52 C.E., to January 24, 53 C.E. Consequently, Gallio’s proconsulship of Achaia — typically a year-long role commencing at the start of summer — likely spanned from the summer of 51 C.E. to the summer of 52 C.E., although some scholars propose the term 52-53 C.E.

Historical and Archaeological Validation

Gallio was a member of a renowned Roman family during the first century CE. He was the offspring of L. Annaeus Seneca Sr., a prominent rhetorician, and the elder sibling of L. Annaeus Seneca Jr., a celebrated Roman author and statesman. His original name at birth was M. Annaeus Novatus, which was later changed after he was adopted by his father’s close associate, the esteemed orator Junius Gallio. Hence, he is known by the name Gallio.

Multiple ancient sources extensively document Gallio. His younger brother, Seneca, a productive writer, often lauds him in his works. In one instance, Seneca notes, “I frequently mention to you that my brother Gallio … is ignorant of other vices, detests flattery… No other individual is so delightful” (Natural Questions IVA, Pref, 10–11).

Gallio is also referred to in several accounts by the Roman historian Dio Cassius (Roman History 58.18.3–4; 61.35.2; 62.20.1), as well as by Pliny, a philosopher and naturalist of the first-century CE (Natural History 31.62), and even by the poet Statius (Silvae 2.7.30–34).

The Gallio Inscription, discovered in Delphi, Greece and dated to approximately the mid-first century C.E., makes reference to the proconsul Gallio. As emphasized, Acts 18:12 accurately reports that “Gallio was proconsul of Achaia” when the Jews in Corinth brought the apostle Paul before him for judgment.

As the proconsul of the Roman province of Achaia, with Corinth as its capital, Gallio governed a region that encompassed much of south-central Greece, including Athens, Corinth, and Delphi. A reference to Gallio can be found in an inscription by Caesar Claudius, unearthed in the Greek city of Delphi (often referred to as the Delphi Inscription):

I have always not only been favourably disposed towards the city of Delphi, but have also wished for its flourishing.… However, as it is currently reported to be depopulated, as L. Junius Gallio, my friend and proconsul, recently informed me, … I command you to encourage the invitation of nobly born individuals from other cities to Delphi, as new residents. (Fitzmyer, “Paul,” 1330)

This inscription verifies that Gallio served as the proconsul of Achaia, which included Delphi, during Claudius’s reign (41–54 CE). His proconsulship of Achaia, typically a year-long position commencing at the onset of summer, is believed to have taken place from the summer of 51 C.E. to the summer of 52 C.E., although a few scholars propose a 52-53 C.E. timeline.

Conclusion

The voluminous references to Gallio in the writings of numerous first-century CE authors provide compelling evidence of his historical existence, affirming the assertion in Acts 18 that he was indeed the proconsul of Achaia, an official who would have presided over court proceedings in Corinth.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).v