Rome /ˈrom/
 羅馬


 Rome
      n 1: capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the
           Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman
           Republic and the Roman Empire [syn: Roma, {Eternal
           City, Italian capital, capital of Italy]
      2: the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church


 Rome
    the most celebrated city in the world at the time of Christ. It
    is said to have been founded B.C. 753. When the New Testament
    was written, Rome was enriched and adorned with the spoils of
    the world, and contained a population estimated at 1,200,000, of
    which the half were slaves, and including representatives of
    nearly every nation then known. It was distinguished for its
    wealth and luxury and profligacy. The empire of which it was the
    capital had then reached its greatest prosperity.

      On the day of Pentecost there were in Jerusalem "strangers
    from Rome," who doubtless carried with them back to Rome tidings
    of that great day, and were instrumental in founding the church
    there. Paul was brought to this city a prisoner, where he
    remained for two years (Acts 28:30, 31) "in his own hired
    house." While here, Paul wrote his epistles to the Philippians,
    to the Ephesians, to the Colossians, to Philemon, and probably
    also to the Hebrews. He had during these years for companions
    Luke and Aristarchus (Acts 27:2), Timothy (Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1),
    Tychicus (Eph. 6: 21), Epaphroditus (Phil. 4:18), and John Mark
    (Col. 4:10). (See PAUL.)

      Beneath this city are extensive galleries, called "catacombs,"
    which were used from about the time of the apostles (one of the
    inscriptions found in them bears the date A.D. 71) for some
    three hundred years as places of refuge in the time of
    persecution, and also of worship and burial. About four thousand
    inscriptions have been found in the catacombs. These give an
    interesting insight into the history of the church at Rome down
    to the time of Constantine.



 Rome, strength; power