Syracuse
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(Acts 28:12)—a wealthy and important city on Sicily’s eastern coast, traditionally founded in 735 BC. The Apostle Paul stopped there for three days on his voyage to Rome. It once had two great harbors and a population of one hundred thousand and was the birthplace of Archimedes. The source reports that its ancient ruins, though limited, still testified to its former greatness; its modern city had about thirteen thousand inhabitants and a harbor partly obstructed by sand. Local tradition called Marcian its first bishop, while Saint Lucy was especially venerated there.