Antioch in Biblical History

Bible History

Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Definitions in Biblical History
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

What is Antioch?
AN'TIOCH
(from Antiochus), the name of two cities in New Testament times. 1. Antioch in Syria, founded by Seleucus Nicator, about 300 b. c., and enlarged and newly walled by Antiochus Epiphanes. Coin of Antiochus Epiphanes. Situation. -- This city was about 300 miles north of Jerusalem, on the left bank of the river Orontes, 16 1/2 miles from the Mediterranean, in a deep pass between the Lebanon and the Taurus ranges of mountains. It was sometimes called "the gate of the East," being on the highway from the countries on the Mediterranean to Mesopotamia and Arabia. Biblical History. -- Next to Jerusalem, no city is of greater interest or importance in apostolic history than Antioch in Syria. At this place the disciples were first called Christians, Acts 11:26; it was an important centre for the spread of the gospel, Acts 13; from it Paul started on his missionary journeys, Acts 15:36; Acts 18:23; important principles of Christian faith and practice were raised and settled through the church at Antioch, Acts 14:26, Acts 14:27; Acts 15:2-30; Gal 2:11-14. It was made a "free" city by Pompey, was beautified by the; emperors with aqueducts, baths, and public buildings; and in Paul's time it ranked third in population, wealth. and commercial activity among the cities of the Roman empire. Christianity gained such strength there, that in the time of Chrysostom, who was born at Antioch, one-half of the 200, 000 inhabitants of the city were Christians. Antioch in Syria. (After Cassas. From Lewin's "Life of St. Paul") Present Condition. -- Antioch has been besieged and plundered 15 times, and 7 times destroyed by earthquakes, yet the remains of its ancient walls astonish the traveller. They were 50 feet high and 15 feet thick. The old town, which was 5 miles long, is now represented by a mean, shrunken-looking place of about 6000 population, called Antakieh. An earthquake in 1872 overthrew nearly one half of the houses; since then almost a new town has sprung up, and near by is a silk-factory, and on the river water-wheels for irrigating the gardens. Through the Lake of Antioch flows the Nahr el-Aswad, or " black brook," the Melanes of classic history, which empties into the Orontes 3 or 4 miles above Antioch. Though the modern city is on a beautiful and exceedingly fertile plain between the mountains, and watered by the Orontes, the interior of the town appears to consist "of dreary heaps of ruins, and unsightly, patched, and dilapidated houses, interspersed with rubbish and garbage." (See Baedeker's Palestine and Syria, p. 578.) 1. Antioch in or near Pisidia was also founded or rebuilt by Seleucus Nicator. It was situated on a ridge -- Strabo calls it a "height" -- near the foot of the mountain-range, and by the northern shore of Lake Eyerdie. Paul preached there, Acts 13:14; Acts 14:21, and was persecuted by the people, 2 Tim 3:11. It was formerly erroneously located at Ak-aber, but has lately been identified with Yalabatch, directly east of Ephesus and northwest of ancient Tarsus. Ruins of walls, theatres, and churches still exist there.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'antioch' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
bible-history.com - Schaff's

Copyright Information
© Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Schaff's Bible Dictionary Home
Bible History Online Home

Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
Online Bible (KJV)
Naves Topical Bible
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Schaff's Bible Dictionary
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Hitchcock's Bible Dictionary

Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Popular in the New Testament

Popular in the
New Testament