Oil on troubled waters: A reappraisal of the storm tactics described in Acts 27

Abstract

This note reassesses the storm sequence preserved in Acts of the Apostles 27, and argues that oil may have played a significant role in preserving the vessel on which St Paul was voyaging to Rome. The biblical narrative lacks the requisite detail required for a positive identification of the storm tactics adopted by the sailors aboard the ancient ship. Nevertheless, in addition to the long-established interpretations of the actions taken by the sailors, this note advances the previously overlooked possibility that oil was deployed in an effort to save the vessel from the tempest. During the medieval and modern eras of history, sailors across a long period have resorted to laying a slick of oil as an effective storm strategy, while the calming effect of the liquid on rough seas is recognized in the ancient literature. The mariners on board St Paul’s ship may therefore have attempted to create a wave-dampening slick around the vessel.