Brief Overview of στρατοπεδάρχης (Strong’s G4759: stratopedarchēs)

Strong’s G4759: The commander of a military camp or prefect of the Praetorian Guard in Rome. A compound word from στρατόπεδον (army camp) and ἄρχω (to rule). Appears once in Acts, referring to the official responsible for prisoners sent to Rome.

U- Unveiling the Word

Στρατοπεδάρχης represents a specific high-ranking Roman military position, likely referring to the prefect of the Praetorian Guard who was responsible for imperial prisoners in Rome. The word appears in the crucial narrative of Paul’s arrival in Rome, highlighting God’s sovereignty in using even Roman military structure to advance the Gospel. Early church writers saw significance in how this official’s authority served God’s purposes in protecting Paul and enabling his ministry in Rome. Today, it reminds us how God can use secular authority structures to accomplish His purposes.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: στρατοπεδάρχης, stratopedarchēs, /strat-op-ed-ar’-khace/
• Detailed Pronunciation: strat-oh-ped-AR-kace (emphasis on third syllable)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• στρατόπεδον (stratopedon) – “army camp” (from στρατός “army” + πέδον “ground”)
• ἄρχω (archō) – “to rule”
• -ης (-ēs) – masculine noun ending
  Combined meaning “ruler of the military camp”

D – Defining Meanings

• Commander of a military camp
• Prefect of the Praetorian Guard
• Military commander with prisoner oversight
• Imperial military administrator

For compound words:
Στρατόπεδον (army camp) + ἄρχω (to rule) combines to describe the official in charge of a military installation or camp

Translation Options:

1. “Praetorian Prefect” – Most specific to Roman context
2. “Camp Commander” – More general military term
3. “Military Governor” – Emphasizes administrative role

E – Exploring Similar Words

1. χιλίαρχος (chiliarchos) /khil-ee’-ar-khos/ – commander of thousand. See G5506
2. ἑκατοντάρχης (hekatontarchēs) /hek-at-on-tar’-khace/ – centurion. See G1543
3. στρατηγός (stratēgos) /strat-ay-gos’/ – military commander. See G4755

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a noun, στρατοπεδάρχης exhibits these features:

• Case: Nominative/Accusative/Genitive/Dative
• Number: Singular/Plural
• Gender: Masculine
• Declension: First

Examples of morphological changes:

• Singular: στρατοπεδάρχης (nominative), στρατοπεδάρχου (genitive), στρατοπεδάρχῃ (dative), στρατοπεδάρχην (accusative)
• Plural: στρατοπεδάρχαι (nominative), στρατοπεδαρχῶν (genitive), στρατοπεδάρχαις (dative), στρατοπεδάρχας (accusative)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG associates it with the Praetorian Prefect. Thayer’s notes its specific Roman military context. LSJ documents its use in military administration. Vine’s connects it to prisoner oversight. Strong’s emphasizes its compound nature. Moulton and Milligan cite its technical usage in Roman documents.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First Appearance:

“When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him, having been delivered to the [στρατοπεδάρχης] commander of the guard.” Acts 28:16

Additional References:
This is the only occurrence in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Στρατοπεδάρχης illustrates how God sovereignly uses human authority structures for His purposes. The fact that Paul was placed under this official’s authority led to his effective ministry in Rome. This reminds us that no earthly authority can hinder God’s plans; rather, He often works through such structures to advance His kingdom.

D – Did You Know?

1. The Praetorian Prefect was one of the most powerful positions in the Roman Empire.
2. This official’s treatment of Paul influenced the spread of Christianity in Rome.
3. The position combined both military and civil administrative duties.

Strong’s G4759: The commander of a military camp or prefect of the Praetorian Guard in Rome. A compound word from στρατόπεδον (army camp) and ἄρχω (to rule). Appears once in Acts, referring to the official responsible for prisoners sent to Rome.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: roman-official, military-commander, praetorian-guard, paul-in-rome, roman-authority, military-leadership, imprisonment, acts-narrative, roman-empire, greek-noun​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​