ACHAIA

ACHAIA - This name was originally applied to a strip of land on the N. coast of the Peloponnese. On annexing Greece and Macedonia as a province in 146 BC, the Romans applied the name Achaia to the whole of that country. In 27 BC two provinces were formed, Macedonia and Achaia; and the latter included Thessaly, Aetolia, Acarnania, and some part of Epirus, with Euboea and most of the Cyclades. A Senatorial province since Caligula, it was governed by a proconsul of the second grade, with headquarters at Corinth (Ac.18.12). 'Hellas' (Ac.20.2) is the native Greek name corresponding to the Roman 'Achaia.' There were Jewish settlements in this province, at Corinth, Athens, etc. (Ac.17.17, 18.4-7), and the work of St. Paul began amongst them and was carried on by Apollos (1 and 2 Co passim, Ac.17.16f, 18, 19.1). [Article: Dictionary of the Bible, J.Hastings, 2nd Ed., T&T.Clark, 1963. - A. So.]