Three Taverns
Encyclopedia
Three Taverns was a place on the ancient Appian Way
, about 18 km from Rome
, designed for the reception of travellers, as the name indicates.
Here St. Paul
, on his way to Rome, was met by a band of Roman Christian
s (Acts
28:15). The "Tres Tabernae was the first mansio
or mutatio, that is, halting-place for relays, from Rome, or the last on the way to the city. At this point three roads run into the Via Appia, that from Tusculum
, that from Alba Longa
, and that from Antium; so necessarily here would be a halting-place, which took its name from the three shops there, the general store, the blacksmith's, and the refreshment-house...Tres Tabernae is translated as Three Taverns, but it more correctly means three shops" (Forbes's Footsteps of St. Paul, p. 20).
The Encyclopædia Britannica 1911 edition identifies it as "an ancient village of Latium
, Italy, a post station on the Via Appia, at the point where the main road was crossed by a branch from Antium. It is by some fixed some 5 km southeast of the modern village of Cisterna di Latina just before the Via Appia enters the Pontine Marshes
, at a point where the modern road to Ninfa and Norba
diverges to the northeast, where a few ruins still exist (Grotte di Nottola), 53 km from Rome. Others believe that it stood at Cisterna itself, where a branch road running from Antium by way of Satricum
actually joins the Via Appia. However, excavations, that took place at km 58.1 of the Via Appia Nuova between 1993 and 2001 revealed a bath plant
and some further buildings.
Ulubrae
, mentioned as a typical desert village by Roman writers, lay in the plain between Cisterna and Sermoneta
. Tres Tabernae is best known as the point to which St. Paul's friends came to meet him on his journey to Rome. It became an episcopal see
, but this was united with that of Velletri
in 592
owing to the desertion of the place. The name occurs twice in other parts of Italy
as the name of post stations."
Tres Tabernae was the place where the former Emperor Flavius Valerius Severus
was held prisoner by Maxentius
and Maximian
, before being killed (307
).
The position of the Tres Tabernae is also shown in the Tabula Peutingeriana in a location south of Rome http://www.hs-augsburg.de/~harsch/Chronologia/Lspost03/Tabula/tab_pe06.html .
Appian Way
The Appian Way was one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic. It connected Rome to Brindisi, Apulia, in southeast Italy...
, about 18 km from Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, designed for the reception of travellers, as the name indicates.
Here St. Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
, on his way to Rome, was met by a band of Roman Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s (Acts
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles , usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age...
28:15). The "Tres Tabernae was the first mansio
Mansio
In the Roman Empire, a mansio was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or via, maintained by the central government for the use of officials and those on official business whilst travelling.-Background:The roads which traversed the Ancient World, were later surveyed,...
or mutatio, that is, halting-place for relays, from Rome, or the last on the way to the city. At this point three roads run into the Via Appia, that from Tusculum
Tusculum
Tusculum is a ruined Roman city in the Alban Hills, in the Latium region of Italy.-Location:Tusculum is one of the largest Roman cities in Alban Hills. The ruins of Tusculum are located on Tuscolo hill—more specifically on the northern edge of the outer crater ring of the Alban volcano...
, that from Alba Longa
Alba Longa
Alba Longa – in Italian sources occasionally written Albalonga – was an ancient city of Latium in central Italy southeast of Rome in the Alban Hills. Founder and head of the Latin League, it was destroyed by Rome around the middle of the 7th century BC. In legend, Romulus and Remus, founders of...
, and that from Antium; so necessarily here would be a halting-place, which took its name from the three shops there, the general store, the blacksmith's, and the refreshment-house...Tres Tabernae is translated as Three Taverns, but it more correctly means three shops" (Forbes's Footsteps of St. Paul, p. 20).
The Encyclopædia Britannica 1911 edition identifies it as "an ancient village of Latium
Latium
Lazio is one of the 20 administrative regions of Italy, situated in the central peninsular section of the country. With about 5.7 million residents and a GDP of more than 170 billion euros, Lazio is the third most populated and the second richest region of Italy...
, Italy, a post station on the Via Appia, at the point where the main road was crossed by a branch from Antium. It is by some fixed some 5 km southeast of the modern village of Cisterna di Latina just before the Via Appia enters the Pontine Marshes
Pontine Marshes
thumb|250px|Lake Fogliano, a coastal lagoon in the Pontine Plain.The Pontine Marshes, termed in Latin Pomptinus Ager by Titus Livius, Pomptina Palus and Pomptinae Paludes by Pliny the Elder, today the Agro Pontino in Italian, is an approximately quadrangular area of former marshland in the Lazio...
, at a point where the modern road to Ninfa and Norba
Norba
Norba, an ancient town of Latium , Italy. It is situated 1 mile northwest of the modern town of Norma, some 1575 ft. above sea-level, on the west edge of the Volscian Mountains or Monti Lepini...
diverges to the northeast, where a few ruins still exist (Grotte di Nottola), 53 km from Rome. Others believe that it stood at Cisterna itself, where a branch road running from Antium by way of Satricum
Satricum
Satricum , an ancient town of Latium, situated some 60 km to the SE of Rome, in a low-lying region to the south of the Alban Hills, to the NW of and at the border of the former Pontine Marshes. It was accessible direct from Rome by a road running more or less parallel to the Via Appia, to the...
actually joins the Via Appia. However, excavations, that took place at km 58.1 of the Via Appia Nuova between 1993 and 2001 revealed a bath plant
Thermae
In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...
and some further buildings.
Ulubrae
Ulubrae
Ulubrae was an ancient village about 50 kilometers from Rome, past the Three Taverns on the Appian Way, and at the start of the Pontine Marshes...
, mentioned as a typical desert village by Roman writers, lay in the plain between Cisterna and Sermoneta
Sermoneta
Sermoneta is a hill town and comune in the province of Latina , central Italy.It is a walled hill town, with a 13th-century Romanesque cathedral called Cathedral of S. Maria Assunta and a massive castle, built by the Caetani family. The Cistercian Valvisciolo Abbey is located nearby...
. Tres Tabernae is best known as the point to which St. Paul's friends came to meet him on his journey to Rome. It became an episcopal see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
, but this was united with that of Velletri
Velletri
Velletri is an Italian town of 53,298 inhabitants. It is a comune in the province of Rome, on the Alban Hills, in Lazio - Italy. It is bounded by other communes of Rocca di Papa, Lariano, Cisterna di Latina, Artena, Aprilia, Nemi, Genzano di Roma, Lanuvio...
in 592
592
Year 592 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 592 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* The Byzantine Empire regains...
owing to the desertion of the place. The name occurs twice in other parts of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
as the name of post stations."
Tres Tabernae was the place where the former Emperor Flavius Valerius Severus
Flavius Valerius Severus
Severus , sometimes known as Severus II, was a Western Roman Emperor from 306 to 307.- Officer in the Roman army :Severus was of humble birth, born in the Illyrian provinces around the middle of the third century AD...
was held prisoner by Maxentius
Maxentius
Maxentius was a Roman Emperor from 306 to 312. He was the son of former Emperor Maximian, and the son-in-law of Emperor Galerius.-Birth and early life:Maxentius' exact date of birth is unknown; it was probably around 278...
and Maximian
Maximian
Maximian was Roman Emperor from 286 to 305. He was Caesar from 285 to 286, then Augustus from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn. Maximian established his residence at Trier but spent...
, before being killed (307
307
Year 307 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valerius and Constantius...
).
The position of the Tres Tabernae is also shown in the Tabula Peutingeriana in a location south of Rome http://www.hs-augsburg.de/~harsch/Chronologia/Lspost03/Tabula/tab_pe06.html .