Lasea

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

(Λασαία, Westcott-Hort’s Greek TestamentΛασέα)

Lasea was a city near Fair Havens, on the southern coast of Crete ( Acts 27:8). It is not elsewhere mentioned by any ancient geographical or other writer, but as it was one of the smaller of the hundred cities of the island-‘centum nobilem Cretam urbibus’ (Hor. Ep. ix. 29)-this need cause no surprise. The conjecture of Captain Spratt in 1853 as to its site was confirmed by G. Brown, who examined the ruins in 1856. He found the beach buried under masses of masonry, and higher up discovered the ruins of two temples. ‘Many shafts, and a few capitals of Grecian pillars, all of marble, lie scattered about.… Some peasants came down to see us from the hills above, and I asked them the name of the place. They said at once, “Lasea,” so there could be no doubt’ (J. Smith, The Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul 4, 1880, p. 268f.).

The city was about 5 miles east from Fair Havens, and 1 mile east from Cape Leonda, which was so named from its resemblance to a lion couchant. As St. Paul’s ship remained for ‘much time’ (ἱκανοῦ χρόνου) in the Havens, Lasea was perhaps frequently visited by the Apostle. It is quite possible that the evangelization of Crete, in which Titus afterwards laboured, was begun at that time.

James Strahan.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

LASEA is mentioned by St. Luke (  Acts 27:8 ), but by no other ancient author. It was the nearest town to Fair Havens in Crete, but it was 5 miles away, and this, apart from the inconvenience of the roadstead, would explain the reluctance of the captain of St. Paul’s ship to winter there. The ruins of Lasea were examined in 1856, the site still bears the ancient name.

A. E. Hillard.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Lase'a.  Acts 27:8. A city of Crete, the ruins of which were discovered in 1856, a few miles to the eastward of Fair Havens.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

City of Crete, near the port of the Fair Havens. Some ruins in the neighbourhood bear the ancient name.  Acts 27:8 .

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A city near Fair-Havens, on the south side of Crete. Paul passed it on his voyage to Rome,  Acts 27:8 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Acts 27:8

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

la - sē´a ( Λάσαια , Lásaia ): A town on the South coast of Crete, 5 miles East of Fair Havens (  Acts 27:8 ). The ruins were examined in 1856 by G. Brown (see Code of Hammurabi ( St . P ), chapter xxiii, 640). If Paul's ship was detained long at this anchorage, it would be necessary to purchase stores from Lasea; and this in addition to the inconvenience of the roadstead (see Fair Havens ) would probably explain the captain's reluctance to winter there.