The Erastus Inscription

The Erastus inscription is a Latin inscription made in the mid-first century CE. It was found in 1929 in Corinth near a pavement.

The Latin inscription reads:

ERASTVS PRO AED S P STRAVIT

Erastus, for his aedileship, paved it with his own money.

Erastus had been made an aedile in Corinth, and he celebrated the occasion by laying a pavement at his own expense. As an aedile of Corinth, Erastus would have been responsible for the maintenance of public buildings in the city.

The office of aedile was generally part of the typical career path to high positions in the Roman government. Promising young politicians were usually promoted to the office of aedile after a period of time holding the office of quaestor.

In Romans 16:23, Paul mentioned an Erastus who was with him at Corinth, and describes him as the city’s “treasurer” (ESV, NASB, HCSB) or “director of public works” (NIV), which may indicate the office of quaestor. Given that Erastus was not a common name, this is very likely the same Erastus who is named in the inscription. If this is the case, then Erastus would have been promoted to the office of aedile shortly after the Book of Romans was written.