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→Later life
==Later life==
Peter's leaving for "another place" (Acts 12.17) can possibly be dated to AD 41 or 42, this dating would also satisfy an [[Apocrypha | apocryphal]] command of Jesus that the [[Apostles]] should remain centered in [[Jerusalem]] for twelve years ([[Acts of Peter]] 2.5). It is possible that after departing from Jerusalem Peter visited [[Antioch]], as well as several towns in [[Asia Minor]] that are later mentioned in [[1 Peter]]. He may have visited Corinth, which would explain the reference that Paul makes to a "[[Cephas]] group" within that church ([[1 Corinthians | 1 Cor]]. 1.12,14; 9.5). It is important however to keep in mind that all of Paul's "references to Cephas in Galatians and 1 Corinthians are...distant and somewhat guarded" (Michaels).
Invariably any discussion of Peter's later missionary activity, indeed any discussion of his whereabouts and activities after Acts 15 must eventually come to a discussion of his alleged stay in Rome. Some have purposed that Peter had two stays in [[Rome]], the first of which began in the winter of AD 42 and was interrupted when Peter returned to Jerusalem after [[Herod Agrippa]]'s death (Thiede). The question of whether or not Peter ever even went to Rome has been questioned off and on for that past 800 years, beginning with the [[Waldensians]] (Cullmann). The Biblical record remains silent regarding this issue (Custer), the only arguments that may be made from the book of Romans on the issue are arguments from silence (Cullmann), such as the fact that "Peter was not one" (Custer) of the persons listed by Paul at the end of [[Romans]]. The only other possible reference to Peter in Rome in the [[New Testament]] is found in 1 Peter 5.13 where the writer sends greetings from the saints in "[[Babylon]]." Some scholars have taken Babylon to be a "cryptic name for Rome" (Cullmann). If this is the case then it makes at least some argument for Peter having stayed in Rome, though a single reference is far from conclusive. As has already been postulated one must move outside the realm of [[Scripture]] for an answer to the question of Peter's stay in Rome, and indeed for an explanation of Peter's [[martyrdom]] in general.
At least one scholar has commented that all the "earliest extant sources which comment on Peter's death agree that it happened in Rome" (Thiede). These earliest sources include [[Dionysius of Corinth]] dated to sometime between AD 166 and 174. However Dionysius contradicts [[Paul]]'s statement in Romans that he has not yet visited Rome (Rom. 1.9-10). This has caused some scholars to be dubious as to the accuracy of the remainder of what he has to say. Even with obvious objections being raised as to the historicity of Peter's stay in Rome "there is a large measure of agreement that Peter did go to Rome" (Grant). Assuming that this large measure of scholarship is correct, and that Peter did indeed stay in Rome there are certain other traditions regarding his stay. There is one strong tradition that he lived with [[Aquila]] and [[Priscilla]] during his time in the Imperial Capital (Grant). There is also a tradition that says Peter lived with [[Senator Pudens]] during this period. The apocryphal Acts of Peter attribute Peter's confrontation with [[Simon Magus]] to several locations finally ending in Rome. The final, and perhaps most important tradition regarding Peter in Rome is his martyrdom.
==Martyrdom==
