{With a great sum} (pollou kephalaiou). The use of
kephalaiou (from kephal(885c), head) for sums of money (principal
as distinct from interest) is old and frequent in the papyri. Our
word capital is from caput (head). The genitive is used here
according to rule for price. "The sale of the Roman citizenship
was resorted to by the emperors as a means of filling the
exchequer, much as James I. made baronets" (Page). Dio Cassius
(LX., 17) tells about Messalina the wife of Claudius selling
Roman citizenship. Lysias was probably a Greek and so had to buy
his citizenship. {But I am a Roman born} (Eg(9320)de kai
gegenn(886d)ai). Perfect passive indicative of genna(935c). The word
"Roman" not in the Greek. Literally, "But I have been even born
one," (i.e. born a Roman citizen). There is calm and simple
dignity in this reply and pardonable pride. Being a citizen of
Tarsus ( 21:39 ) did not make Paul a Roman citizen. Tarsus was an
_urbs libera_, not a _colonia_ like Philippi. Some one of his
ancestors (father, grandfather) obtained it perhaps as a reward
for distinguished service. Paul's family was of good social
position. "He was educated by the greatest of the Rabbis; he was
at an early age entrusted by the Jewish authorities with an
important commission; his nephew could gain ready access to the
Roman tribune; he was treated as a person of consequence by
Felix, Festus, Agrippa, and Julius" (Furneaux).