Lucius Junius Gallio Annaeanus facts for kids

Lucius Junius Gallio Annaeanus, often just called Gallio, was an important Roman senator who lived a long time ago, from about 5 BC to AD 65. He was the brother of the famous writer Seneca. Gallio is best known for a time when he dismissed a case against Paul the Apostle in a city called Corinth.

Who Was Gallio?

Gallio was born in a city called Corduba (which is now Córdoba, Spain) around 5 BC. His original name was Lucius Annaeus Novatus. His father was Seneca the Elder, a well-known speaker, and his younger brother was Seneca the Younger, a famous philosopher and writer.

Gallio's Family and Early Life

Gallio was adopted by a man named Lucius Junius Gallio, who was also a respected speaker. This is how he got the name Junius Gallio. His brother Seneca wrote about how charming and kind Gallio was. Another poet, Statius, also mentioned his pleasant personality.

It's thought that Gallio might have been sent away to an island called Corsica with his brother Seneca. They likely returned to Rome together when Agrippina the Younger chose Seneca to teach the future emperor Nero.

Gallio's Time as a Roman Official

Later in his life, Gallio became a high-ranking Roman official. Towards the end of Emperor Claudius's rule, Gallio served as a proconsul in a Roman province called Achaea. A proconsul was like a governor who managed a province for Rome. However, he had to leave this important job after only a few years because of poor health. Emperor Claudius even called him "my friend and proconsul" in an ancient writing found in Delphi.

Around AD 51 or 52, Gallio became a suffect consul. This meant he was a replacement consul, one of the two highest elected officials in ancient Rome. A historian named Cassius Dio wrote that Gallio was the one who introduced Emperor Nero's public performances.

After his brother Seneca died, Gallio faced some serious accusations in the Senate. However, the Senate decided not to let these accusations continue. Sadly, he didn't live much longer after this event.

Gallio and Paul the Apostle

One of the most famous stories about Gallio comes from the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible. When Gallio was the proconsul of Achaea, Paul the Apostle was brought before him in Corinth. The people who brought Paul, led by Sosthenes, accused him of breaking Jewish law.

However, Gallio didn't care much about religious arguments between the Jews and Jewish Christians. He decided that the accusations against Paul were not about breaking Roman law, but about religious differences. So, he dismissed the charges and had Paul and his accusers removed from the court. This event is described in Acts 18:12-17.

Because we know fairly accurately when Gallio was proconsul (around AD 51–52), this event helps historians and scholars figure out the timeline of Paul's life. It's one of the most precisely dated events in Paul's story.

See also

• Junia (gens)
• List of biblical figures identified in extra-biblical sources
• Delphi Inscription

Resources

• Ancient writings: Tacitus, Annals, xv.73; Dio Cassius, lx.35, lxii.25.
• Modern studies: Bruce Winter, "Rehabilitating Gallio and his Judgement in Acts 18:14-15", Tyndale Bulletin 57.2 (2006) 291–308.
• Books: Sir W. M. Ramsay, St Paul the Traveller, pp. 257–261.
• Literary works:
  • An interesting story about Gallio is in Sur la pierre blanche by Anatole France.
  • F. L. Lucas's story “The Hydra (A.D. 53)” focuses on Gallio during Paul's trial.
  • Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem called Gallio's Song.