tarsus Summary and Overview

the chief city of Cilicia. It was distinguished for its wealth and for its schools of learning, in which it rivalled, nay, excelled even Athens and Alexandria, and hence was spoken of as "no mean city." It was the native place of the Apostle Paul (Acts 21:39). It stood on the banks of the river Cydnus, about 12 miles north of the Mediterranean. It is said to have been founded by Sardanapalus, king of Assyria. It is now a filthy, ruinous Turkish town, called Tersous. (See PAUL T0002871.)

the chief town of Cilicia, "no mean city" in other respects, but illustrious to all time as the birthplace and early residence of the apostle Paul. #Ac 9:11; 21:39; 22:3| Even in the flourishing period of Greek history it was a city of some considerable consequence. In the civil wars of Rome it took Caesar's aide, sad on the occasion of a visit from him had its name changed to Juliopolis. Augustus made it a "free city." It was renowned as a place of education under the early Roman emperors. Strabo compares it in this respect to Athens unto Alexandria. Tarsus also was a place of much commerce. It was situated in a wild and fertile plain on the banks of the Cydnus. No ruins of any importance remain.

TAR'SUS , celebrated as the birthplace of the apostle Paul. Acts 9:11, 1 Kgs 20:30; Eze 11:25; Acts 21:39; Acts 22:3. It was the capital of Cilicia, in Asia Minor, and "no mean city." It stood in the centre of a spacious and fertile plain, 12 miles from the Mediterranean, "which lay to the south, and about the same distance from the Taurus range, on the north. The city stood on both banks of the river Cydnus, which has since changed its channel. At the mouth of the river were docks, and the port of Tarsus was a place of much commerce, being, indeed, identified by some writers with Tarshish, which see. Tarsus was said to have been founded by the Assyrian Sardanapalus. It suffered severely during the civil wars following the assassination of Caesar. Augustus made it a free city. It possessed a Roman stadium and gymnasium, and became famous as the seat of one of the three great universities of the pagan world, ranking next to Athens and Alexandria. The imperial family of Rome selected tutors from the literati of Tarsus. Hence the boyhood of the apostle Paul was passed in a city not only of great commercial importance, but one offering opportunities for secular learning as well. The modern city is called Tersons. It stands about a mile from the Cydnus, and is a mean Turkish town with narrow and filthy streets and low, flat-roofed houses. The population is about 30,000 during the winter season. In summer it is reduced to 4000 or 5000 by the migration of the inhabitants on account of the miasma, which renders the city unhealthy.

Acts 9:11; Acts 22:3; Acts 21:39. Paul's birthplace and early residence. Capital of Cilicia, in a plain on the river Cydnus at the foot of the passes northward over Mount Taurus into Cappadocia and Lycaonia. Through these passes a road led to Lystra and Iconium (Acts 14), another road by the Amanian and Syrian gates eastward to Antioch. Founded by Sennacherub of Assyria; the Greeks too took part in its colonisation (Strabo xiv. 673), Xenophon mentions it (Tarsoi in the Ariabasis). Julius Caesar rewarded Tarsus for fidelity, and Augustus made it a free city, i.e. governed by its own laws and magistrates and free from tribute, but without Roman citizenship, which Paul must have acquired in some other way. Ranked by Strabo above Athens and Alexandria for its school of literature and philosophy; Athenodorus, Augustus' tutor, the grammarians Artemidorus and Diodorus, and the tragedian Dionysides belonged to Tarsus. Here Paul received providentially that training which adapted him for dealing with the polished Greeks on their own ground, quoting Aratus a Cilician poet, Epimenides a Cretan, and Menander the Athenian comedian. He resided in Tarsus at intervals after his conversion (Acts 9:30; Acts 11:25); after his first visit to Jerusalem and before his ministry with Barnabas at Antioch, and doubtless at the commencement of his second and third missionary journeys (Acts 15:41; Acts 18:23). G. Rawlinson thinks Tarshish in Genesis 10:4 can scarcely designate Tartessus, founded not until after Moses, but Tarsus in Cilicia; though said to be founded by Sennacherib, an old settlement doubtless preceded his colony. Thus, Tarshish in Genesis 10:4 will represent the Cilicians or the Greeks in Cilicia; it is associated with Kittim or Cyprus, which was near.