Bible Encyclopedia: Hierapolis

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

HIERAPOLIS

he-er-ap'-o-lis (Hierapolis, "sacred city"): As the name implies, Hierapolis was a holy city. It was situated 6 miles from Laodicea and twice that distance from Colosse, on the road from Sardis to Apamea. Though its history is not well known, it seems to have been of Lydian origin, and once bore the name of Kydrara. The Phrygian god Sabazios was worshipped there under the name Echidma, and represented by the symbol of the serpent. Other local deities were Leto and her son Lairbenos. Though called the holy city, Hierapolis was peculiarly regarded as the stronghold of Satan, for there was a Plutonium, or a hole reaching far down into the earth, from which there issued a vapor, even poisoning the birds flying above. It is supposed that upon a stool, deep in the Plutonium, a priest or priestess sat, and, when under the influence of the vapor, uttered prophecies valuable to those who sought them. Though a stronghold of Satan, Hierapolis early became a Christian city, for, according to Colossians 4:13, the only place where it is mentioned in the New Testament, a church was founded there through the influence of Paul while he was at Ephesus. Tradition claims that Philip was the first evangelist to preach there, and it also claims that he and his two unmarried daughters were buried there; a third who was married, was buried at Ephesus. Several of the early Christians suffered martyrdom at Hierapolis, yet Christianity flourished, other churches were built, and during the 4th century the Christians filled the Plutonium with stones, thus giving evidence that the paganism had been entirely supplanted by the church. During the Roman period, Justinian made the city a metropolis, and it continued to exist into the Middle Ages. In the year 1190 Frederick Barbarossa fought with the Byzantines there.

The modern town is called Pambuk Kalessi, or cotton castle, not because cotton is raised in the vicinity, but because of the white deposit from the water of the calcareous springs. The springs were famous in ancient times because they were supposed to possess Divine powers. The water is tepid, impregnated with alum, but pleasant to the taste. It was used by the ancients for dyeing and medicinal purposes. The deposit of pure white brought up by the water from the springs has heaped itself over the surrounding buildings, nearly burying them, and stalactite formations, resembling icicles, hang from the ruins. The ruins, which are extensive, stand on a terrace, commanding an extensive view, and though they are partly covered by the deposit, one may still trace the city walls, the temple, several churches, the triumphal arch, the gymnasium and baths, and the most perfect theater in Asia Minor. Outside the walls are many tombs.

E. J. Banks

Greek

2404. Hierapolis -- Hierapolis, a city in Asia
... 2403, 2404. Hierapolis. 2405 . Hierapolis, a city in Asia. Part of
Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Hierapolis Phonetic ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2404.htm - 6k

2857. Kolossai -- Colossae, a city in Phrygia
... Spelling: (kol-os-sah'-ee) Short Definition: Colossae Definition: Colossae, a town
of the Roman province Asia, in the Lycus valley, near Laodicea and Hierapolis ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2857.htm - 6k

2993. Laodikeia -- Laodicea, a city in Phrygia
... Spelling: (lah-od-ik'-i-ah) Short Definition: Laodicea Definition: Laodicea, a city
in the Lycos valley in the Roman province Asia, near Colossae and Hierapolis ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2993.htm - 6k

Library

To Alexander of Hierapolis.
... To Alexander of Hierapolis. ... Footnotes: [2306] This according to Marius Mercator
is the conclusion of a letter to Alexander of Hierapolis. ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/clxxv to alexander of hierapolis.htm

Letter to Alexander of Hierapolis.
... Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, CLXXVIII. Letter to Alexander of Hierapolis.
I think that more than all the very holy and venerable ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/clxxviii letter to alexander of.htm

Claudius Apollinaris, Bishop of Hierapolis, and Apologist.
... Fragments from His Five Books of Commentaries on the Acts of the Church.
Claudius Apollinaris, Bishop of Hierapolis, and Apologist. ...
/.../unknown/the decretals/claudius apollinaris bishop of hierapolis.htm

Apolinarius, Bishop of the Church of Hierapolis.
... Book IV. Chapter XXVII."Apolinarius, Bishop of the Church of Hierapolis.
A number of works of Apolinarius [1315] have been preserved ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xxvii apolinarius bishop of the.htm

Letter Written by Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus, from Chalcedon to ...
... Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, CLXIX. Letter written by Theodoretus,
Bishop of Cyrus, from Chalcedon to Alexander of Hierapolis. ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/clxix letter written by theodoretus.htm

The Death of John and Philip.
... Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, [858] who sleeps in Hierapolis,
[859] and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter who lived in ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xxxi the death of john.htm

Elucidation.
... the learning and ingenuity of Lightfoot could fish out of very dark waters such
shining booty as fills the network about "Abercius of Hierapolis?" While he ...
/.../urbanus/the extant writings of asterius urbanus/elucidation.htm

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians --The Epistle of ...
... The place was on the river Lycus in Phrygia, about ten miles from Laodicea and thirteen
from Hierapolis, and thus the three towns were the sphere of the ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter xiv the epistle of.htm

The Epistle to the Colossians.
... The cities of Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis are mentioned together as seats
of Christian churches in the closing chapter of Colossians, and the Epistle ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 94 the epistle to.htm

Colossians iv. 12, 13
... God. For I bear him witness, that he hath much zeal [901] for you, and
for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis.". In the ...
/.../homily xii colossians iv 12.htm

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Hierapolis

holy city

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Hierapolis

(holy city), a city of Phrygia, situated above the junction of the rivers Lycus and Maeander, near Colossae and Laodicea mentioned only in (Colossians 4:13) as the seat of a church probably founded by Epaphras.

ATS Bible Dictionary

Hierapolis

A city of Phrygia, situated on its western border, near the junction of the rivers Lycus and Meander, and not far from Colosses and Laodicea. It was celebrated for its warm springs and baths. A Christian church was early established here, and enjoyed the ministrations of the faithful Epaphras, Colossians 4:12,13. The city is now desolate, but its ruins still exhibit many traces of its ancient splendor. Among them are the remains of three churches, a theatre, a gymnasium, and many sepulchral monuments. The white front of the cliffs, above which the city lay, has given it its present name of Pamluke-kaleh, the Cotton Castle.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sacred city, a city of Phrygia, where was a Christian church under the care of Epaphras (Colossians 4:12, 13). This church was founded at the same time as that of Colosse. It now bears the name of Pambuk-Kalek, i.e., "Cotton Castle", from the white appearance of the cliffs at the base of which the ruins are found.

Thesaurus

Hierapolis (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. HIERAPOLIS. he-er-ap'-o-lis (Hierapolis, "sacred
city"): As the name implies, Hierapolis was a holy city. ...
/h/hierapolis.htm - 10k

Carchemish (3 Occurrences)
... Chebar and the Euphrates, but a city considerably higher up the river, and commanding
the ordinary passage of the Euphrates; probably identical with Hierapolis...
/c/carchemish.htm - 13k

Phrygia (4 Occurrences)
... The towns of Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:14), Colosse, Hierapolis, Iconium, and
Laodicea were situated in it. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. PHRYGIA. ...
/p/phrygia.htm - 11k

Colossae (1 Occurrence)
... of a gorge where the two streams unite, and on the great highway traversing the
country from Ephesus to the Euphrates valley, 13 miles from Hierapolis and 10 ...
/c/colossae.htm - 9k

Philip (37 Occurrences)
... Of his later life nothing is certainly known. He is said to have preached
in Phrygia, and to have met his death at Hierapolis. (2 ...
/p/philip.htm - 32k

Hi-erap'olis (1 Occurrence)
Hi-erap'olis. Hierapolis, Hi-erap'olis. Hiereel . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(See RSV). Hierapolis, Hi-erap'olis. Hiereel . Reference Bible.
/h/hi-erap'olis.htm - 6k

Undergone (20 Occurrences)
... Colossians 4:13 For I give witness of him that he has undergone much trouble
for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. (BBE). ...
/u/undergone.htm - 12k

La-odice'a (5 Occurrences)
... Colossians 4:13 For I testify about him, that he has great zeal for you, and
for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis. (See RSV). ...
/l/la-odice'a.htm - 7k

Labours (19 Occurrences)
... (KJV DBY YLT). Colossians 4:13 For I bear him witness that he labours much
for you, and them in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. (DBY). ...
/l/labours.htm - 12k

Laodicea (6 Occurrences)
... Colossians 4:13 For I testify about him, that he has great zeal for you,
and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis. ...
/l/laodicea.htm - 11k

Bible Concordance

Hierapolis (1 Occurrence)

Colossians 4:13 For I testify about him, that he has great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Hierapolis

Hierapolis: Christians In

Related Terms

Carchemish (3 Occurrences)

Phrygia (4 Occurrences)

Colossae (1 Occurrence)

Philip (37 Occurrences)

Hi-erap'olis (1 Occurrence)

Undergone (20 Occurrences)

La-odice'a (5 Occurrences)

Labours (19 Occurrences)