SPAIN

A country situated on the Iberian Peninsula in SW Europe. After visiting the Roman Christians, the apostle Paul hoped to be escorted partway there by his fellow believers in Rome. (Ro 15:23, 24, 28) Whether the apostle ever reached Spain is not certain. However, Clement of Rome stated (c. 95 C.E.) that Paul came “to the extreme limit of the west,” which could have included Spain. (The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. I, p. 6, “The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians,” chap. V) If he reached that land, the visit probably occurred between Paul’s release from his first imprisonment in Rome (c. 61 C.E.) and his imprisonment there once again in about 65 C.E. At that time Spain was under Roman rule. Some identify Tarshish with the southern part of Spain.​—See TARSHISH No. 4.