Taverns, Three

The Three Taverns, the name of a small place on the Appian Way, mentioned in Act 28:15. It probably derived its name from three large inns, or eating-houses, for the refreshment of travelers passing to and from Rome. The place still remains, and is called Tre Taverne: it is about thirty-three miles from Rome.

A village thirty-three miles south of Rome, mentioned by Cicero, and still called Tre Tavern. See APPI FORUM.\par

TAVERNS, THREE (Latin Tres Tabernœ).—A name of uncertain origin, which might be translated ‘three shops’ or ‘three huts.’ It was a station on the Appian Road (built b.c. 321) which went from Rome to the S. along the west coast. This was the principal road for all travellers to or from the S. and E., except those who embarked at Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber. The village was about 33 Roman miles from Rome, and to this point many Christians walked, or drove, to meet St. Paul on his arrival in Italy from the E. (Act 28:15).

A. Souter.

tav´ẽrnz: Three Taverns (Latin Tres Tabernae, Greek transliterates treı́s tabérnai; Cicero Ad Att. i. 13; ii. 12, 13) was a station on the Appian Road at the 33rd milestone (301/3 English miles from Rome), according to the Itineraries of the Roman Empire (Itin. Ant. vii; Tab. Peut.; Geogr. Rav. iv. 34), a converging point of traffic at the crossing of a road from Antium to Norba. Tripontium, 6 miles down the Appian Road in the direction of Appii Forum, was reckoned as the point where the highway entered the region of the Pontiac marshes, the most notable natural feature of this part of Italy.

Parties of the Christian brethren in Rome went out to greet the apostle Paul when news was brought that he had arrived at Puteoli, one group proceeding as far as Appii Forum, while another awaited his coming at Three Taverns (Act 28:15).