The Social World of the
Apostle Paul:
Italy, Greece, and Turkey
under Roman Rule
JUNE 16-JULY 5, 2012
OPTION 1: ITALY (JUNE 16
to 22)
June 16 Sat DEPART HOME COUNTRY
Fly from home city to Rome,
Italy (travelers arrange their own flights)
June 17 Sun ARRIVE IN ROME (FCO)
Upon arrival, take a taxi
to the hotel in the Fiumicino beach area, near the airport, and check in. Rest from the flight and enjoy some time on
the beach while waiting for others to arrive.
Dinner at the hotel or a restaurant close to the hotel.
June 18 Mon OSTIA ANTICA – ISOLA SACRA – POMPEII
Today we begin our tour
with a visit to Ostia
Antica, ancient Rome’s bustling port city, whose extensive
remains give us a rare and detailed glimpse of life in a busy and densely
packed urban center. While there, we
will view ancient Roman apartment buildings, granaries, markets, shrines,
tombs, and baths, while gaining a sense of what urban life was like in Rome,
the nearby capital, in the time of St. Paul.
From here we will drive to the Isola
Sacra necropolis, the Roman burial ground whose numerous
tombs, erected over hundreds of years, feature outstanding examples of
paintings, mosaics, and sculpture. Later
in the afternoon we will drive to Pompeii, where we will have dinner and spend
the night.
June 19 Tue POMPEII
Our entire day will be
spent exploring the world-famous remains of ancient Pompeii, a
city that flourished in Paul’s day until it was buried by the ash and pumice
ejected by Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79.
Pompeii is the best surviving example of a fully functioning Roman city
in the time of St. Paul. While there, we
will look closely at its shops and residences, its amphitheater, temples,
brothels, and forum. We will conclude by
touring the famous ‘Villa of the Mysteries’ on the outskirts of Pompeii, which
boasts some of the best surviving Roman wall painting in the world. Overnight in Pompeii.
June 20 Wed HERCULANEUM – ROME
We begin the day at the Villa
Regina, an interesting example of a humble Roman farm that
produced wine in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius.
Then, on our way up the coast to Rome, we will stop at Herculaneum, a
city that, like Pompeii, was destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius, but whose remains
(unlike Pompeii’s) were encased in a hard lava shell, making them extraordinary
for their completeness and detail. Overnight in Rome.
June 21 Thur ROME
A day in the heart of
Rome! St. Paul was, of course, a Roman
citizen, and we will tour some of the most important monuments in the heart of
his capital: the Roman
Forum, the Colosseum
(a.k.a. the Flavian Amphitheater), the Palatine
Hill, and the Markets
of Trajan—all emblems of a pagan empire that would eventually
turn to Christianity. If time permits,
we will make a leisurely evening stroll to the Pantheon,
one of the most breathtaking buildings in the world, a former Roman temple and
a landmark in the history of architecture. Overnight in Rome.
June
22 Fri ROME
In the morning we will make our way by bus to the Via Appia Antica
(“Appian Way”), perhaps the most famous ancient street in the world. Paul
traveled this road when he was brought as a prisoner to Rome. While in the area, we will tour one of the catacombs
(ancient underground burial chambers) and stop for an up-close look at the
monumental tomb
of Caecilia Metella, daughter of a famous Roman consul. Along
this same stretch of road is the Circus
of Maxentius, the best-preserved horse-racing track in the
Western empire. Late in the afternoon we will travel to Rome airport
(FCO) to catch a flight to Athens.
(Note: Those who wish to end
their tour after the Italy segment will fly home on this day rather than to
Athens.)
OPTION 2: GREECE (JUNE 21 to 25)
Jun 21 Thur DEPART
HOME COUNTRY
Fly from home city to Athens, Greece (travelers
arrange their own flights)
Jun 22 Fri ARRIVE
IN ATHENS (ATH)
Those who are joining the tour at this point will be
given instructions about how to get to the hotel where the group will be staying. After resting from the flight, you will be
free to walk around the city until the group from Italy arrives in the early
evening. The tour will begin after
dinner with an introductory lecture on the Greek heritage of Paul and his
world. Dinner and overnight in
Athens.
Jun 23 Sat NATIONAL
MUSEUM – ACROPOLIS – MARS HILL – AGORA – ACROPOLIS MUSEUM
In the morning we will visit the National
Archaeological Museum to learn about the history of Greece from ancient times
to Paul’s day. From there we will
proceed to the Acropolis to
view its famous temple, the Parthenon, and Mars Hill, where the apostle Paul
preached to the Greek philosophers of his day (Acts 17:16-34). Afterward we will tour the ruins of the agora (civic center) of ancient
Athens and visit the Acropolis
Museum, where we will view some of the materials that have
been unearthed in excavations of the Acropolis.
Overnight in Athens.
Jun 24 Sun ELEUSIS – CORINTH – CENCHREAE – EPIDAUROS
Today we will travel to the site of ancient Corinth,
an important city where the apostle Paul lived and worked (Acts 18:1-18) and
where the Christians addressed in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians
lived. Along the way, we will tour the ruins of Eleusis,
where ancient mystery rites were held to honor the Greek goddess Demeter, and
stop for a view of the historic Corinth Canal, which was begun in Paul’s day
but not completed until the 19th century.
Later in the day we will visit Cenchreae,
the ancient seaport of Athens from which the apostle Paul set sail for Ephesus
(Acts 18:18), and Epidauros, the
site of a famous healing center dedicated to the god Asclepius. Overnight in Athens.
Jun 25 Mon DELPHI
Our journey today will take us northward to visit the
ruins of the famous oracle of Apollo at Delphi,
which Greeks and Romans alike consulted for divine guidance. In late afternoon we will return to Athens to
catch a flight to Istanbul, Turkey, where we will be met by our guide and taken
to our hotel. Overnight in
Istanbul. (NOTE: Those who wish to end their tour after the
Greece segment will fly home on this day rather than to Istanbul.)
OPTION 3: TURKEY (JUNE 24 to JULY 5)
Jun 24 Sun DEPART
HOME COUNTRY
Fly from home city to Istanbul, Turkey (travelers
arrange their own flights)
Jun 25 Mon ARRIVE
IN ISTANBUL (IST)
Representatives will meet those who are joining the
tour at this point and transfer them to the hotel individually. From here you can rest from the flight and
walk around the city while waiting for others to arrive. Those arriving from Athens will meet the new
arrivals at the hotel in the evening, when we will begin our tour with an
introductory lecture on Paul’s travels in ancient Asia Minor. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.
Jun 26 Tue ISTANBUL (CONSTANTINOPLE)
This day will be spent touring historic sites in the
city of Istanbul (ancient Constantinople), which was built after Paul’s day but
still has many interesting sights. We
will begin at the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, where we will learn about the
history, culture, and religions of Asia Minor leading up to Paul’s
lifetime. From there we will visit the
Roman Hippodrome
Square; the Blue
Mosque ,with its beautiful blue tiles; and St.
Sophia Church (in Greek, Hagia Sophia), which was built by the son
of Constantine the Great in the 4th century, rebuilt by the emperor
Justinian in the 6th century, and converted to a mosque in the 15th
century when the city was conquered by Muslim Turks. Overnight in Istanbul.
Jun 27 Wed TROY
– ALEXANDER TROAS – ASSOS
Today we will travel by bus to the ancient ruins of Troy, where we will tour the
legendary city and view a replica of the great Wooden Horse that led to the
fall of Troy. During the bus ride, we
will enjoy a lecture on the influence of Homer in the Greco-Roman world. Toward the end of the day we will drive to Alexandria
Troas, where we will view the ruins of this former seaport
that was founded by Alexander the Great.
Paul visited here at least twice (Acts 16:8-11; 20:5, 6, 2 Tim 4:13, 2
Cor. 2:12). Afterward we will travel to
Assos, http://www.bibleplaces.com/assos.htm a
port city that Paul visited during his travels (Acts 20:13-14) and learn about
sea travel and harbors in Paul’s day.
Overnight in Assos.
Jun 28 Thur PERGAMUM – KUSADASI
In the morning we will drive to the town of Bergama,
where we will tour the ruins of ancient Pergamum
(mentioned in Rev 2:12-17), including the famous temple complex (Asclepion)
where people flocked to be healed by the god Asclepius. On the way there, we will listen to a lecture
on the influence of Pergamum in Asia Minor and the religious environment of
Asia Minor in Paul’s day. We will also
visit the wonderful museum at Bergama that houses materials found during the
excavations of the ancient city. Toward
the end of the day we will drive to the seaport of Kusadasi, where we will
spend the night.
Jun 29 Fri PRIENE
– MILETUS – DIDYMA
Today we will tour the ruins of several Greek towns
and cities on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor and learn about city life
and religion in Paul’s day. Sites to be
visited include Priene,
where we will study the layout of a typical Greek city in Paul’s day; Miletus, a
port city visited by Paul during his travels (Acts 20:15-17, 2 Tim 4:20); and Didyma
and Klaros, sites
of two ancient temples where the god Apollo was believed to give oracles to
people who inquired of him. Overnight in
Kusadasi.
Jun 30 Sat EPHESUS
– PAMMUKKALE
The bulk of this day will be spent touring the
magnificent ruins of ancient Ephesus,
which Paul visited several times (Acts 18:19-24, 19:1-35, 20:16-17, 21:29; 1
Cor 15:32, 16:8; 1 Tim 1:3; 2 Tim 1:18, 4:12; cf. Rev 2:1-7) and where the
people addressed in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians lived. Later in the day we will visit the Ephesus
Archaeological Museum and the ruins of the Temple
of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Toward the end of the day we will drive to
the town of Pamukkale, an ancient (and modern) health spa, where we will spend
the night and enjoy the hot springs.
Jul 1 Sun HIERAPOLIS
– APHRODISIAS – LAODICEA – COLOSSAE
Today we will tour the ruins of the ancient cities of
Hierapolis,
with its ancient health spa; Aphrodisias, a
center for the worship of the emperor Augustus; Laodicea, a
city mentioned by both Paul and the author of Revelation (Col 2:1, 4:13-16; Rev
1:11; 3:14); and Colossae,
the home of the Christians addressed in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Overnight in Pammukale.
Jul 2 Mon PISIDIAN
ANTIOCH – SAGALASSOS – ANTALYA
In the morning we will travel eastward through the
Meander River valley, following the ancient route across central Asia Minor to Pisidian
Antioch, a city where Paul preached and established a church
(Acts 13:13-52). After touring the
excavations and museum at Antioch, we will head south to Antalya, stopping at
the ruins of the ancient city of Sagalassos
along the way. Overnight in Antalya.
Jul 3 Tue ANTALYA
– TERMESSOS – PHASELIS
Today will begin with a brief walking tour of the
ancient port of Antalya (ancient Attalia),
which Paul visited on his travels (Acts 14:25-26), and the wonderful Antalya
Museum. From there we will drive to the
hilltop city of Termessos,
one of the few towns never conquered by the Romans, and the port town of Phaselis,
where the ruins provide a superb sense of the kinds of places where Paul
stopped when traveling by boat along the coast of Asia Minor. Overnight in Antalya.
Jul 4 Wed PERGE – ASPENDOS – SIDE
On the final day of our tour, we will travel eastward
to visit the excavated ruins of the ancient cities of Perge, Aspendos,
and Side,
all of which exhibit vital elements of Roman city life. Overnight in Antalya.
Jul 5 Thur Transfer to ANTALYA AIRPORT for
departure (travelers arrange their own flights)
Depending on when flights depart, we might have time
to relax on the beach in Antalya and/or tour the wonderful Antalya
Archaeological Museum in the daytime. (NOTE:
Very cheap flights are available from Antalya to Istanbul on Atlasjet,
so international flights should be priced based on returning from Istanbul.)
Prices
(excluding airfares to and from home country and between tour segments)
OPTION 1: ITALY $1,050
OPTION 2: GREECE $630
OPTION 3: TURKEY $1,890
·
Accommodations in
shared rooms in 3-star or 4-star hotels
(for a single room, add $200 for the Italy segment, $xxx for the Greece
segment, and $580 for the Turkey segment)
·
Daily breakfast and
dinner
·
All ground transportation
to tour sites (by private air-conditioned bus)
·
Entrance fees to
all sites
·
Expert tour guides
Not
included:
·
Airfare from home country to or from tour site
·
Airfares between
tour segments:
Rome-Athens—currently
$139
Athens-Istanbul—currently $179
·
Travel from airport
to hotel upon arrival
·
Travel health
insurance—estimated $3.50/day
·
Lunches
·
Beverages other
than water
·
Personal expenses
·
Tips to drivers
(not obligatory, but highly recommended)
·
Turkish visa ($20
upon arrival for U.S. citizens; others should check with their government to
find out requirements and costs)
Payment
Information
·
$100 deposit for each segment,
due by January 20, 2012
·
Balance payable by March 5, 2012
·
Pay by wire transfer (ask for details) or credit
card (VISA or MasterCard accepted; use the secure form at http://www.tutkutours.com/credit_card_payment_order.asp).
Tour Leaders
·
Dr.
Chris Stanley, professor of theology at St. Bonaventure University in New York,
is the author/editor of four scholarly books and numerous professional articles
on the apostle Paul. He travels
regularly around the world to present papers, give lectures, and teach courses
at conferences, seminaries, and universities.
For more information, see http://www.sbu.edu/About_SBU.aspx?id=11500.
·
Dr. Scott Craver, assistant professor of art
history at St. Bonaventure University in New York, is a Roman archaeologist and
art historian who worked and wrote his dissertation on the excavations at
Pompeii. He conducted archaeological
research in Italy for three years and is a Fellow of the American Academy in
Rome. For more information, see http://www.sbu.edu/uploadedFiles/About/Directory_Contact/New_Faculty_Profiles/S_Craver_Vita.pdf.
NOTE: Prices or itineraries could change if a mandatory minimum number
of people do not sign up for the tours, but participants will be given a chance
to cancel their reservation if that should happen. The tour is limited to twenty participants on
each segment. Preference will be given
to students doing the trip for academic credit.