Concept

Erastus Inscription

Intro

In Romans 16:23, Paul sends greetings from "Erastus, the city treasurer." The verse is one of many in Paul's letter-closings naming specific individuals whose memory was significant enough to preserve but who otherwise leave little trace in history. Most of these named figures are known only from the letter itself.

Then in 1929, an American archaeological team excavating the Roman forum at Corinth uncovered a limestone pavement near the theater bearing a Latin inscription cut deep into the stone:

ERASTVS PRO AED S P STRAVIT

In translation: "Erastus, in return for his aedileship, laid this pavement at his own expense."

The dating is mid-1st-century AD, exactly Paul's period, in the city of Corinth where Paul wrote Romans. The named figure holds civic office. The probability that this is the same Erastus that Paul names is substantial, though not certain. The Erastus Inscription is one of the better-attested possible direct corroborations of a named figure from Paul's letters.

In full

The Erastus Inscription is a Latin pavement inscription cut deep into a slab of bluish-gray limestone in the theater precinct of Roman Corinth, dated paleographically to the mid-1st century AD. The inscription names "Erastus" (cognomen alone preserved; the praenomen and nomen are not on this stone) who paid for the pavement "in return for his aedileship" (Latin pro aedilitate, abbreviated pro aed). The aedileship was a junior Roman municipal magistracy responsible for buildings, festivals, and markets. The named Erastus is widely identified by NT scholarship as the "city treasurer" (Greek oikonomos, Latin quaestor or possibly arcarius) of Romans 16.23, with the office-promotion implied by the aedile dedication fitting a known career path.

Discovery

Excavated in 1929 by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens excavations at Corinth, under the direction of T. L. Shear. The pavement was found in situ near the northeastern corner of the Roman theater. Subsequent investigation by the American excavations team continued through the 1930s and 1960s. The dating, paleography, and identification as a self-dedicated aedile-pavement are uncontested.

What it shows

Three significant attestations, with calibrated confidence:

An Erastus named on a Corinthian municipal inscription in the mid-1st century AD. The basic datum: the inscription exists, dates to Paul's general period, and names a civic-office-holder Erastus at Corinth. This much is uncontested.
Possible identification with the Pauline Erastus. Romans 16.23 sends greetings from "Erastus the city treasurer" (oikonomos tēs poleōs). The Pauline Erastus is also named at Acts 19.22 and 2 Timothy 4.20. The probability that this is the same individual as the inscription's Erastus depends on (a) the rarity of the name Erastus in Corinth in this period (the name is attested but not extremely common); (b) the office-progression (city treasurer → aedile is a known career path); (c) the timing (Paul writes Romans c. AD 57, the inscription dates to roughly the same period). Mainstream NT archaeology (Edwin Yamauchi; John McRay) considers the identification probable; minimalist NT scholarship treats it as merely possible.
First-century Christian penetration into the Corinthian municipal elite. If the identification is correct, then the Erastus Inscription gives direct material evidence for a member of the Corinthian civic-magisterial class as part of the Pauline Christian community, supporting Paul's letter-greeting reference. This is significant for the broader question of the social composition of early Christian communities (cf. Wayne Meeks, The First Urban Christians, 1983).

Biblical references

Romans 16.23, "Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you."
Acts 19.22, "And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while."
2 Timothy 4.20, "Erastus remained at Corinth."

Evidential status

Inscription itself is mainstream-confirmed; identification with the Pauline Erastus is probable but not certain. Pro-identification: Yamauchi, McRay, Bruce, Witherington (and many others) treat the identification as substantially likely. Skeptical of identification: Steven Friesen, Bruce Winter, and others note that the name was not unique and the identification cannot be conclusively established. The best summary is that the inscription is genuine, the name and office fit the Pauline reference, and the identification is the most economical explanation; but absolute certainty is not available.

Common questions this page answers

Q: What is the Erastus Inscription?

A Latin pavement inscription cut into limestone in the theater precinct of Roman Corinth, dated to the mid-1st century AD, naming a civic official Erastus who paid for the pavement "in return for his aedileship." It is widely identified by NT scholarship as the "Erastus, the city treasurer" who is named in Romans 16.23 sending greetings from Corinth.

Q: Is this the same Erastus that Paul mentions?

The identification is probable but not certain. The inscription dates to Paul's general period (mid-1st century AD), names an Erastus holding civic office at Corinth, and fits a known Roman municipal career progression (city treasurer → aedile). Paul writes Romans from Corinth around AD 57 and sends greetings from "Erastus, the city treasurer." Mainstream NT archaeology considers the identification substantially likely; some scholars (Steven Friesen) treat it as merely possible. The honest framing is that the identification is the most economical explanation but absolute certainty is not available.

Q: Where is the Erastus Inscription today?

The pavement remains in situ at the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth, near the northeastern corner of the Roman theater. It is visible to visitors.

Q: What does the Erastus Inscription say in English?

"Erastus, in return for his aedileship, laid this pavement at his own expense." The Latin is Erastus pro aedilitate sua pecunia stravit, conventionally abbreviated on the stone as Erastus pro aed s p stravit. The aedileship was a junior Roman municipal magistracy.

Q: Does the Erastus Inscription prove the book of Romans is historically accurate?

It provides one piece of evidence that fits a named figure in Romans 16:23, but it is not conclusive proof. The broader case for Paul's letters' historical accuracy rests on a wider cumulative argument that includes confirmed geographical references, named figures (Erastus, Crispus, Gaius, Sosthenes), administrative titles (politarchs, aediles), and travel itineraries that match the archaeological and inscriptional record. The Erastus Inscription is one piece of that cumulative case rather than a single decisive proof.