Asia Minor, the land area of modern-day Turkey, was initially
settled by the Hatti people between 2500 and 2000 BC. Toward the end
of that period, the Indo-European Hittites, drawn to the mild
climate, began a slow settlement alongside the indigenous Hattis,
mixing peaceably with them. By 1750 BC, the Hittites had become the
dominant people group.
In
the twelfth century BC the Hittites fell to the Sea Peoples. They
developed coastal cities along the Aegean, which by the eighth
century were conquered by the Greeks. The Lydian king Croesus came to
power in 560 BC in Sardis and subdued the Greeks, only to fall in 546
BC to Cyrus of Persia. In 334–333 BC Alexander the Great
defeated the Persians in two key battles and won Asia Minor. After
Alexander’s death, one of his generals, Seleucus, took over.
Then, in 190 BC the Romans defeated the Seleucids and assumed
control. This inaugurated an extended period of peace, during which
time Jewish communities of the Diaspora settled throughout the
region.
The
missionary journeys of the apostle Paul (Saul of Tarsus) took him
into and around much of Asia Minor, and directly or indirectly he was
responsible for the establishment of most of the first-century
churches there. The following cities of Asia Minor are mentioned in
the NT.
Eastern
Mediterranean
Tarsus.
The birthplace of the apostle Paul (Acts 9:11; 21:39; 22:3), Tarsus
is located on the Mediterranean coast, nine miles northeast of
modern-day Mersin. Tarsus became the capital of the Roman province of
Cilicia in 67 BC. Cleopatra and Mark Antony met and built their fleet
in this grand city. When his life was threatened after his
conversion, Paul was sent to Tarsus from Jerusalem (9:30).
Antioch.
Antioch (Antakya) is located just inland from the Mediterranean
coast, on the east bank of the Orontes River. Jewish and Gentile
believers who fled Jerusalem after the death of Stephen planted a
church here, where followers of Jesus were first called “Christians.”
Barnabas brought Saul from Tarsus to Antioch, where they labored
together for a year, teaching the church, prior to setting off on
their first missionary journey (Acts 11:19–30). Paul later
returned, along with Silas, bearing the requirements for Gentile
believers from the Jerusalem council (15:22–35).
Southern
Ports
Seleucia.
Known today as Samandağ, Seleucia was Antioch’s port, the
place from which Saul, Barnabas, and John Mark embarked on their
first missionary journey in AD 47 (Acts 13:4).
Perga
in Pamphylia.
Perga is just east of Antalya on the southern Mediterranean coast.
Archimedes’ student Apollonius the mathematician lived here in
the late third century BC. On their first missionary journey, Paul
and Barnabas disembarked in Perga for destinations in southwestern
Asia Minor, while John Mark left them to return to Jerusalem (Acts
13:13–14). On their return trip of the same journey, Paul and
Barnabas stopped in Perga again, this time preaching before heading
to Attalia (14:25).
Galatia
The
following cities became part of the politically defined Roman
province of Galatia in 25 BC. They are to be distinguished from
ethnic Galatia, which is a region further north, around modern-day
Ankara.
Pisidian
Antioch.
Modern Yalvaç, or Pisidian Antioch, is northeast of Isparta in
the lake region. On their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas
preached in the synagogue here and generated enormous interest in the
gospel (Acts 13:14–43). The following Sabbath, nearly the
entire city came out to listen to them. Jealous Jewish leaders
incited a persecution, causing Paul and Barnabas to reorient their
ministry to Gentiles and then leave the region for Iconium
(13:26–51). They returned on their way back to Antioch to
strengthen the disciples and appoint elders (14:21–23).
Iconium.
Iconium, today called Konya, is about sixty-five miles southeast of
Pisidian Antioch. It is one of the most ancient settlements of the
region, dating to the third millennium BC. Paul and Barnabas preached
in the synagogue here on their first missionary journey, initially
winning Jewish and Gentile converts but angering other Jews. Paul and
Barnabas eventually feared for their safety and escaped to Lystra and
Derbe (Acts 14:1–6). However, they came back on the return trip
to Antioch (14:21–23). Iconium is also noteworthy as the home
of the ascetic St. Thecla from the apocryphal second-century
Christian text Acts of Paul and Thecla.
Lystra.
Frequently mentioned with Derbe (Acts 14:6; 16:1), Lystra (modern
Hatunsaray) is nineteen miles south of Iconium. Paul and Barnabas
fled here from Iconium and preached. Paul healed a lame man, and as a
result he and Barnabas were presumed by the enthusiastic crowd to be
Zeus and Hermes. At the instigation of Paul’s Jewish opponents,
the crowd’s sentiments turned, and Paul was nearly stoned to
death. He and Barnabas left for Derbe the following day (14:6–20),
but they came back on their return trip (14:21–23). Paul
returned on his second missionary journey, where he met his protégé,
Timothy (16:1–2).
Derbe.
About fifty miles southeast of Lystra and slightly north of
present-day Karaman is Derbe. Paul and Barnabas fled here after
Paul’s stoning in Lystra on their first missionary journey,
preached the gospel, made many disciples, and appointed elders (Acts
14:21–23). Among the disciples likely was Gaius, who later
accompanied Paul during his third missionary journey (Acts 20:4).
Western
Aegean Ports
Troas.
Troas was a major northwest seaport located about twelve miles
southwest of Troy. On his second missionary journey, Paul, traveling
with Silas and Timothy, was prevented from entering Bithynia by the
Spirit of Christ and went instead to Troas. Here he had a vision
beckoning him to Macedonia, which he promptly obeyed (Acts 16:6–11).
Because this is the first of the so-called “we” passages
in Acts, Luke may have joined the group here (16:10). Paul also
stopped at Troas on the return to Jerusalem from his third missionary
journey. There he raised Eutychus after the latter’s traumatic
fall (20:4–12). Troas is mentioned twice more, suggesting that
Paul spent time here in addition to the above visits (2 Cor.
2:12–13; 2 Tim. 4:13).
Adramyttium.
A few miles south of Troas was the port of Adramyttium. It was the
origin of the ship that transported Paul from Caesarea to Myra around
AD 60 en route to Rome (Acts 27:2).
Assos.
Assos is an acropolis sitting 774 feet above sea level, up from the
village of Behramkale. It overlooks the Bay of Edremit and has a
splendid view of Lesbos. Doric columns from the seventh-century BC
temple of Athena are prominent at the site. According to Acts
20:13–14, on his return from his third missionary journey, Paul
went overland from Troas to Assos, and there he joined his traveling
companions on their ship. From here on the way to Miletus, they made
several nearby island stops off the coast of Asia Minor: Mitylene on
Lesbos, Chios, and Samos (20:14–16).
Miletus.
Located about twenty miles south of Ephesus, at the point where the
Meander River met the Gulf of Latmus (now silted over), was the
important southwestern seaport of Miletus. The city was significant
in the NT era for its four harbors. A center for commerce,
scholarship, geometry, and science, it was also the prototype for
principles of city planning later applied throughout the Roman
Empire. On his third missionary journey, Paul’s farewell to the
Ephesian elders took place here (Acts 20:15–38). Later he left
the ill Trophimus in Miletus (2 Tim. 4:20).
Southwestern
Ports
Patara.
Sitting on the Mediterranean coast at the mouth of the Xanthus River,
about forty miles west of present-day Demre, Patara was a flourishing
harbor and commercial center in antiquity. Paul changed ships here as
he returned to Jerusalem from his third missionary journey, after
island stops in Kos and Rhodes (Acts 21:1–2).
Myra.
Myra is a coastal ruin due south of present-day Demre. In the NT era,
the seaport featured a Roman theater, Roman baths, and two rock-cut
necropolises. Here, Paul changed ships around AD 60 on his way to
Rome while in the custody of a centurion (Acts 27:5). Myra is perhaps
best known as the home of the fourth-century bishop St. Nicholas,
who was from nearby Patara.
Cnidus.
At the tip of the long, narrow Datca peninsula on the extreme
southwestern corner of Asia Minor lies Cnidus. Founded around 360 BC,
the acropolis rises 1,000 feet above sea level. The port included two
harbors and four theaters but was most famous for its fourth-century
BC statue of Aphrodite, carved by the Athenian sculptor Praxiteles.
Around AD 60 the ship carrying Paul to Rome stopped here because of
slow winds and changed course (Acts 27:7).
Seven
Churches of Revelation; Lycus Valley
The
seven churches of Rev. 1–3 lay along a north-south elliptical
route in western Asia Minor. Laodicea, the seventh, forms a tight
geographic triangle with Hierapolis and Colossae in the Lycus Valley.
Ephesus.
Known today as Selçuk, ancient Ephesus is located on the
Aegean coast of Asia Minor at the mouth of the Cayster River. It was
founded in the eleventh century BC by the Ionians and later ruled
successively by the Athenians, Spartans, Persians, and Greeks. Roman
governance began in 190 BC. Later, Ephesus became the capital of the
province of Asia, as well as its most important commercial center.
During the NT era, the Artemision (see Artemis) was an important
pilgrimage site.
Paul
stopped in Ephesus briefly on his second missionary journey, leaving
Priscilla and Aquila. They later encountered and mentored Apollos
there (Acts 18:19–26). On his third journey, Paul remained in
Ephesus for three years, teaching, performing miracles, and healing
the sick (19:1–22) until the riot incited by Demetrius the
silversmith (20:1). He wrote 1 Corinthians in Ephesus (1 Cor.
16:8) and later wrote to the Ephesians from his Roman prison cell
(Eph. 3:1) as well as to Timothy in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3).
In
Rev. 2:1–7 the Ephesian church is commended for its
perseverance but chastised for having lost its first love.
Smyrna.
Smyrna (modern İzmir) is located about thirty-five miles north
along the coast from Ephesus. In 195 BC it became the first city in
Asia Minor to erect a temple for the imperial cult, and by the next
century it was known as “the ornament of Asia.” In its
letter, which mentions no negatives, the church is encouraged to be
faithful in its suffering (Rev. 2:8–11).
Pergamum.
About seventy miles north of Smyrna is Pergamum (modern Bergama). The
dazzling acropolis sits one thousand feet high and about sixteen
miles inland from the Aegean. The Attalids, who ruled 263–133
BC, allied Pergamum with Rome and built it into a major religious and
intellectual center, constructing the great altar to Zeus Soter, the
temple to Athena Nicephorus, and the large complex dedicated to
Asclepius Soter. They also established a ruler cult and built a
library containing two hundred thousand volumes, which at its peak
was second only to the library at Alexandria.
The
letter to the church (Rev. 2:12–17) references Satan’s
throne, which many believe to be a reference to the altar to Zeus.
The church is commended for its faithfulness and yet is admonished
for tolerating those advocating pagan practices within the community.
Thyatira.
Thyatira (now called Akhisar) is about thirty-five miles southeast of
Pergamum. It was mainly noted as having a significant concentration
of trade guilds, especially those connected with textiles. Lydia,
Paul’s disciple and host in Philippi, was a dealer in purple
cloth from Thyatira (Acts 16:14). The church is commended for its
good deeds but criticized for tolerating the false teacher Jezebel
(Rev. 2:18–29).
Sardis.
Forty-five miles east of Smyrna, on the banks of the Pactolus, is
Sardis, where Croesus, the sixth-century BC Lydian king, was said to
have panned for gold. He also built an impressive Ionic temple to
Artemis here. Archaeological evidence points to the presence of a
significant Jewish community in Sardis, about which the NT is silent.
The
letter to Sardis is a stern warning to wake up, highlighting the
church’s incomplete deeds and impurity (Rev. 3:1–6).
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia (modern Alaşehir) is twenty-six miles southwest of
Sardis on the Cogamis River. The city was noted for its wine
production, and it was nicknamed “Little Athens” during
the Roman era. Its letter is thoroughly positive; the church is
commended for its deeds and faithfulness (Rev. 3:7–13).
Laodicea.
Laodicea is located about a hundred miles east of Ephesus, in a
valley where the Lycus River joins the Meander; Hierapolis is just to
the north, and Colossae just to the east. Laodicea was founded in the
third century BC by the Seleucid king Antiochus II, who named it
after his wife. Cicero served as proconsul there in 51 BC.
Laodicea
was a prosperous city, a center for banking, eye salve (“Phrygian
powder”), and wool production. Its water was supplied via
aqueducts from Hierapolis’s hot springs, but it arrived
lukewarm and heavy with mineral impurities—no match for either
its hot source or Colossae’s cold springs. The Laodicean letter
employs all of this background in its harsh message to the church,
which it describes as tepid, poor, blind, and naked (Rev. 3:14–22).
Hierapolis.
Eight miles to the north of Laodicea, Hierapolis sits atop dramatic
white cliffs created by its hot springs (Col. 4:13). The city was
home to the reputed entrance to the underworld, the Plutonium, and
had an enormous necropolis.
Colossae.
Colossae, ten miles east of Laodicea, was a center for dyed red wool.
Although wealthy in the late fourth century BC, it was later eclipsed
by Laodicea.
The
churches in Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colossae (the oldest of the
three cities) were begun by Epaphras and shared letters, including
Paul’s letter to the Colossians (Col. 4:13–16). The slave
Onesimus carried it, along with the Letter to Philemon, to Colossae,
where Philemon hosted the house church (Col. 4:9; Philem. 10–12).
