CHAPTER I THE ROMAN GALLERY (Frontispiece.) THE Roman Gallery, which is so well shown in our frontispiece, is on our left as we stand in the Entrance Hall of the British Museum, and in our search for the objects which illustrate the Bible, it is convenient to commence here before visiting the Assyrian and Egyptian collections. The busts in this gallery are arranged in chronological order. Standing at the end of the line we see Julius Cæsar (Frontispiece),1 whose conquests led him to Great Britain, even before the birth of Christ. Next to him, in the corner of the corridor, there are four representations of Augustus Cæsar, B.C. 29 to A.D. 14, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed." 2 He did not know that by thus bringing Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, he was preparing the way for the fulfilment of prophecy. Next we notice Tiberius, A.D. 14 to A.D. 37, who ruled till a few years after the crucifixion. "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee. . . ."3 The image of Tiberius must have been on the penny which was handed to And He saith unto the Lord Jesus when He was asked, "Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites? Show Me the tribute money. And they brought unto Him a penny. them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto Him, Cæsar's. Then saith He unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's."1 When the Lord stood before Pilate it was to Tiberius Cæsar that the Jews referred when they "cried out saying, If thou let this Man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Cæsar We have no king but Cæsar."2 And so to prove that he was "Cæsar's friend" Pilate delivered the King of kings to be crucified. The cruel Caligula, A.D. 37 to A.D. 41, only reigned four years. Herod Agrippa was his friend and companion, and owed his sovereignty to him. This must have been the Cæsar to whom Cornelius gave allegiance. An equestrian statue of Caligula stands between the Entrance Hall and the Reading Room. Claudius Cæsar, A.D. 41 to A.D. 54 (Frontispiece), is twice mentioned by name in the Book of the Acts. It was prophesied "that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar." 3 And when Paul came to Corinth he "found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome)." 4 It was of Nero, A.D. 54 to A.D. 68 (Frontispiece), that the PAUL BEFORE NERO 3 Apostle Paul spoke when he said, "I appeal unto Cæsar.”1 His true character had not revealed itself in those days. The label on his statue well describes him as "the typical example in history of capricious and inordinate vanity combined with cruelty." The stories of his mad cruelty, which developed soon afterwards, have made him one of the most infamous and notorious of the Cæsars. It was truly a fiery trial through which the Christians had to pass in the days of Nero. Accused by him of having set Rome on fire, they were themselves burnt, the stakes being erected in the public gardens of Rome, and the martyrs saturated with inflammable materials, so that the blaze of their burning lit up the dark city. The Christians might have comforted one another then, as Latimer at the stake cheered Ridley many years afterwards, with the prophetic words: "We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, as I trust shall never be put out." Paul's first imprisonment lasted for two years, and he was able to receive all who came to him.2 To be a Christian was not then punishable with death; but his second imprisonment must have been much more rigorous after the wholesale massacres had nearly exterminated them. Onesiphorus, who was not ashamed of Paul's chain when he was in Rome, had to seek Paul out very diligently" before he succeeded in finding him, and it was at the risk of his life that he did so.3 In the same epistle, Paul tells Timothy something about his first appearance before Nero: At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened and I was delivered out of the mouth of the It was no private examination, for he says me; lion."4 1 Acts 25. 10-12. 2 Acts 28. 30. 42 Tim. 4. 16, 17. that the strength was given to him, in order that by him "the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear." We shall never know till the Day shall declare it what was the result of that brave testimony which he soon afterwards sealed with his blood. The gospel had reached even to "Cæsar's household." Writing to the Philippians he could say, "All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Cæsar's household."1 Among the courtiers and attendants of the cruel Nero were some followers of the Lord Jesus. It may be that it was through the influence of such well-known men as Aristobulus and Narcissus that the apostle owed his escape from his first captivity. As we look at the sculptured features of the Cæsars, it is well to read Romans 16, reminding us of some of these honoured Roman citizens and their households. "Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household (or friends, marg.) Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus which are in the Lord."2 And we also think of "Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia," mentioned in the Epistle to Timothy, the last of whom is supposed to have been a British Princess. The Apostle Paul is not the only Bible character who is said to have been martyred by Nero .If the well-known tradition is to be believed, Peter also suffered about the same time; and we are told that Trophimus, the Ephesian, after witnessing the martyrdom of Paul, was soon afterwards beheaded. In other parts of the empire others were put to death; Erastus the chamberlain of Corinth at Philippi, Ananias at Damascus, and Aristarchus the Macedonian at Rome. The bust of Titus, the son of Vespasian, which |