Ποτίολοι
Potíoloi
G4223 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun designating a city on the Bay of Naples in Italy, known in antiquity for its harbor and mineral springs. In the New Testament, refers specifically to the port city where Paul landed en route to Rome (Acts 28:13). While the primary meaning is geographic, the term can evoke economic and commercial associations due to the city's status as a significant trading center in the Roman Mediterranean.
Semantic Range
Puteoli (city in Italy); proper noun for a port city on the Bay of Naples; by implication, a place associated with travel, commerce, and mineral springs
Root / Etymology
From the Latin place name 'Puteoli', itself derived from 'puteus' ('well' or 'pit') and the diminutive suffix '-olus', indicating 'little wells' or 'small springs', in reference to the mineral springs found in the area. Entered Greek directly from Latin as a transliterated proper noun.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ποτίολοι appears only once in the New Testament (Acts 28:13) as the Greek rendering of the Roman city 'Puteoli.' The city's name likely refers to its mineral springs, which were famed in the Roman world. During the time of the New Testament, Puteoli was the principal port of Rome before Ostia was developed, serving as a major entry point for grain and other imports from the eastern Mediterranean. The term is Greek only as a transliteration; it has no native Greek etymology or range apart from its usage as a place name. Standard English translations often preserve the name as 'Puteoli.' The usage reflects the multilingual encounter of Roman and Hellenistic worlds, with Latin proper names entering the Greek lexicon of the period, especially in historical or geographical narratives.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Latin origin; little wells, i.e. mineral springs; Potioli (i.e. Puteoli), a place in Italy:--Puteoli.
Root Family
Ποτιολ- (Potíoloi) — to designate a place by name, to reference a specific location
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4223-01 |
Ποτιόλους | potiolous | N ACC M PL |
Puteoli | Puteoli | Puteoli | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4223-01 |
Acts 28:13 | Ποτιόλους | potiolous | N ACC M PL |
Puteoli | Puteoli | Puteoli |