This proper noun refers to the Adriatic Sea, though in ancient usage the term covered a broader area than the modern Adriatic. Luke uses it in Acts 27:27 during Paul's shipwreck narrative, noting they were "driven across the Adria." In the first century, "Adria" could encompass not just the sea between Italy and Greece but also the central Mediterranean waters south of Italy. This broader geographical reference explains how Paul's ship, caught in a storm while sailing from Crete toward Italy, could be described as crossing "the Adria" before running aground at Malta.