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Acts 27:3 (ANIV)
The next day we [Paul and the ship’s company] landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.

DRAWING NOTES:

TIME OF DAY:
Unspecified in Bible narrative. I’ve set this scene in the late afternoon.

LIGHTING NOTES:
The sun is in the west, casting shadows below and in to the left of figures and objects.

CHARACTERS PRESENT:
From left to right, a Roman soldier, the apostle Paul, two friends of Paul living in Sidon.

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:
The Roman soldier accompanying and guarding Paul, is the same one who was on the ship in the previous scene. The man and woman on the right are two of Paul’s friends, the man is carrying a box of food, which is my way of showing his friends caring for Paul’s needs.

I decided to omit the Centurion Julias from accompanying Paul… I’m sure he had his own duties either onboard the Adramyttium ship, or else on land somewhere. He has entrusted Paul’s safety (and guarding!) to a Roman soldier. I believe that if Paul had escaped, the Roman soldier would have been tried and forfeited his own life, so I am sure the soldier would have kept a close eye on Paul (and his friends) whilst they were ashore!

Looking into the harbour, on the left, is the Adramyttium ship which carried Paul, the Roman Centurion Julius, the Roman soldiers, prisoners, passengers, etc from Caesarea Maritima in Israel to the sea port of Sidon, and onwards to Cyprus and Lycia. It’s the one facing out towards the sea, at the end of the stone harbour wall. There are other boats and ships in and around the harbour. Incidentally, I have included the Alexandrian ship, which carries Paul and the others on their fateful journey through the Hurricane to Malta. That ship is the one on the right hand side, with a green pennant on it’s main mast, nearest the viewer.

Here is the scene without the figures in the foreground.

Background of Acts 27 – Paul sails for Rome – Scene 03 – Centurion’s kindness

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Background of Acts 27 – Paul sails for Rome – Scene 03 – Centurion’s kindness

Where was Sidon?
Sidon was an ancient city on the Mediterranean coast of Lebanon and the administrative centre of al-Janub (South Lebanon) mu?afa?ah (governorate). A fishing, trade, and market centre for an agricultural hinterland.
[Source: https://www.britannica.com/place/Sidon]
Residents of the city were called Sidonians. Sidon is the Greek name (meaning ‘fishery’) for the ancient Phoenician port city of Sidonia (also known as Saida) in what is, today, Lebanon (located about 25 miles south of Beirut). Sidon was one of the most important Phoenician cities, and it may have been the oldest. From there and other ports, a great Mediterranean commercial empire was founded. The poet Homer praised the skill of its craftsmen in producing glass, purple dyes, and its women’s skill at the art of embroidery.