Malta and the classical authors

Abstract

'The civilisation of the Maltese is probably one of the oldest in the Mediterranean" says S. Bullough OP, and Mgr Knox adds that, at least, at the time of Luke's writing about Malta, "the place no doubt had, already, some importance in the Mediterranean sea traffic". There are frequent references to Malta by classical authors before and after Christ. If Malta had caught Luke's attention because of the providential sea misadventure, the island also had attracted, in more ways than one, the eye and the imagination of earlier important classical writers, Let us peruse their works and see what contribution these authors offer to the student of Melitensia. [excerpt]