Citizenship

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

Roman citizenship exempted from imprisonment or scourging without trial, and gave the right of appeal to the Emperor (Acts 16:37; 22:28-29; 25:11³⁷But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. (Acts 16:37)
²⁸And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born. ²⁹Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. (Acts 22:28‑29)
¹¹For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. (Acts 25:11)).

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Acts 16:37³⁷But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. (Acts 16:37). They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison.

The treatment of these prisoners, being Roman citizens, was illegal in three different ways: 1. In binding them in the stocks. 2. In beating them. 3. In failing to give them a trial. The Valerial law forbade the binding of a Roman citizen. The Porcian law forbade his being beaten. Cicero, in his celebrated Oration against Verres, asserts that “it is a transgression of the law to bind a Roman citizen; it is wickedness to scourge him. Unheard, no man can be condemned.”

This will account for the fear expressed by the magistrates when they heard that the prisoners were Romans. See verse 38. Paul had a similar experience afterward in Jerusalem: “As they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned” (Acts 22:25²⁵And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? (Acts 22:25)).

Citizenship

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

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