If, however, "Paul" was a character built around some historical figure, say, Mucianus, Procurator of Syria then we might be able to see if there was a source of money from somewhere "outside" the Story LIne:
https://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartbo ... /chap8.htm :
"So the eastern provinces now hummed with the preparation of ships, armies and equipment. The most exhausting imposition, however, was the financial levy. According to Mucianus, money was the sinews of civil war, and in his assessments he had eyes only for the depths of a man's purse, not for equity or truth. On every side accusers came forward, and the richer classes were plundered unmercifully. These grievous and intolerable burdens might be defended on the ground of military exigency, but they continued to be imposed even when peace came.."
We might even find some composite material - Polybius, Histories,
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/R ... us/1*.html :
"Their successors, Gnaeus Servilius and Gaius Sempronius, put to sea with their whole fleet as soon as it was summer and after crossing to Sicily proceeded thence to Libya, and sailing along the coast, made a number of descents in which they accomplished nothing of importance, and finally reached the isle of the Lotus-eaters, which is called Meninx and is not far distant from the lesser
Syrtis. Here, owing to their ignorance of these seas, they ran on to some shoals, and, on the tide retreating and the ships grounding fast, they were in a most difficult position.
However, as the tide unexpectedly rose again after some time, they managed with difficulty to lighten their ships by throwing overboard all heavy objects..."
Which, of course, we have seen before:
Acts 27: 14 - 20 (RSV):
[14] But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land;
[15] and when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven.
[16] And running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the boat;
[17-A] after hoisting it up, they took measures to undergird the ship; then,
...
[17-B] fearing that they should run on the Syr'tis, they lowered the gear, and so were driven.
[18] As we were violently storm-tossed, they began next day to throw the cargo overboard;
[19] and the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackle of the ship.
[20] And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many a day, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
Verse 17 is split because there are 2 stories spliced together here:
Tacitus, Histories, Book 3:
"Anicetus also set fire to the fleet, and, as the sea was not guarded, escaped, for Mucianus had brought up to Byzantium the best of the Liburnian ships and all the troops. The barbarians even insolently scoured the sea in hastily constructed vessels of their own called "
camarae,"
built with narrow sides and broad bottoms, and joined together without fastenings of brass or iron. Whenever the water is rough they raise the bulwarks with additional planks according to the increasing height of the waves, till the vessel is covered in like a house. Thus they roll about amid the billows, and, as they have a prow at both extremities alike and a convertible arrangement of oars, they may be paddled in one direction or another indifferently and without risk..."
The Moffatt Translation has a wonderful note -
https://archive.org/details/newtestamen ... f/page/182 - on p. 183 that verse 17, quoted above, tells that "...once it was hoisted aboard, they used
ropes to
undergird the ship...".
"Paul" is a Construction. Acts is built around the Twelfth Legion and Mucianus. There is no Mystery here. The "World Traveler" Mucianus obtained "money for his travels" by ruthless taxation to make an End Run from The Pontus to attack Vitellius at Rome. After he leaves, Anicetus assembles some Low-Lifes and Ex-Soldiers to Plunder The Pontus. The "Camarae" boats, held together by ropes, are found throughout Acts. explaining the last 2 chapters of Acts as well.
"The Queen's Eunuch", Acts 8: 28 - 40 is the Story of Anicetus, found in Tacitus, Histories, Book 3. Remember the verses?
[32] Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this: "As a sheep led to the slaughter
or a lamb before its shearer is dumb,
so he opens not his mouth.
[33] In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken up from the earth."
You think this is about "Jesus". It's not. Anicetus is about to be Double-Crossed and gutted. So it goes. The "Refugees" at the end of Acts come from the rewrite of this section of Tacitus, at the inlet of the Cohibus River. The shipwreck, down to the "Planks", are descriptions of the Camarae boats.
No Mystery at all.
CW