Bible Encyclopedia: Seleucia

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

SELEUCIA

se-lu'-shi-a (Seleukia): The seaport of Antioch from which it is 16 miles distant. It is situated 5 miles North of the mouth of the Orontes, in the northwestern corner of a fruitful plain at the base of Mt. Rhosus or Pieria, the modern Jebel Musa, a spur of the Amanus Range. Built by Seleucus Nicator (died 280 B.C.) it was one of the Syrian Tetrapolis, the others being Apameia, Laodicea and Antioch. The city was protected by nature on the mountain side, and, being strongly fortified on the South and West, was considered invulnerable and the key to Syria (Strabo 751; Polyb. v.58). It was taken, however, by Ptolemy Euergetes (1 Maccabees 11:8) and remained in his family till 219 B.C., when it was recovered for the Seleucids by Antiochus the Great, who then richly adorned it. Captured again by Ptolemy Philometor in 146 B.C., it remained for a short time in the hands of the Egyptians. Pompey made it a free city in 64 B.C. in return for its energy in resisting Tigranes (Pliny, NH, v.18), and it was then greatly improved by the Romans, so that in the 1st century A.D. it was in a most flourishing condition.

On their first missionary journey Paul and Barnabas passed through it (Acts 13:4; Acts 14:26), and though it is not named in Acts 15:30, 39, this route is again implied; while it is excluded in Acts 15:3.

The ruins are very extensive and cover the whole space within the line of the old walls, which shows a circuit of four miles. The position of the Old Town, the Upper City and the suburbs may still be identified, as also that of the Antioch Gate, the Market Gate and the King's Gate, which last leads to the Upper City. There are rock-cut tombs, broken statuary and sarcophagi at the base of the Upper City, a position which probably represents the burial place of the Seleucids. The outline of a circus or amphitheater can also be traced, while the inner harbor is in perfect condition and full of water. It is 2,000 ft. long by 1,200 ft. broad, and covers 47 acres, being oval or pear-shaped. The passage seaward, now silted up, was protected by two strong piers or moles, which are locally named after Barnabas and Paul. The most remarkable of the remains, however, is the great water canal behind the city, which the emperor Constantius cut through the solid rock in 338 A.D. It is 3,074 ft. long, has an average breadth of 20 ft., and is in some places 120 ft. deep. Two portions of 102 and 293 ft. in length are tunneled. The object of the work was clearly to carry the mountain torrent direct to the sea, and so protect the city from the risk of flood during the wet season.

Church synods occasionally met in Seleucia in the early centuries, but it gradually sank into decay, and long before the advent of Islam it had lost all its significance.

W. M. Christie

Greek

4581. Seleukeia -- Seleucia, a city of Syria
... Seleucia, a city of Syria. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Seleukeia
Phonetic Spelling: (sel-yook'-i-ah) Short Definition: Seleucia Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4581.htm - 6k

Library

Of the Synod at Seleucia, in Isauria.
... Book II. Chapter XXXIX."Of the Synod at Seleucia, in Isauria. But I must
now give an account of the other Synod, which the emperor's ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of scholasticus/chapter xxxix of the synod at.htm

Of the Council Held at Seleucia in Isauria.
... Book II. Chapter XXII."Of the Council held at Seleucia in Isauria. After
a time, at the suggestion of the accusers of Eudoxius ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/chapter xxii of the council held.htm

Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia.
... Chapter II. Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia. Part I. History of the Councils. ...
Proceedings at Seleucia; reflections on the conduct of the Arians. ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/councils of ariminum and seleucia.htm

Council of Seleucia.
... Book IV. Chapter XXII."Council of Seleucia. About ... exile. We have now given a
brief account of the termination of the council of Seleucia. ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of sozomenus/chapter xxii council of seleucia.htm

Acacius and Aetius; and How the Deputies of the Two Councils of ...
... Chapter XXIII."Acacius and Aëtius; and how the Deputies of the Two Councils of Ariminum
and of Seleucia were led by the Emperor to accept the Same Doctrines ...
/.../chapter xxiii acacius and aetius and.htm

Acacius, Bishop of Cæsarea, Dictates a New Form of Creed in the ...
... Book II. Chapter XL."Acacius, Bishop of Cæsarea, dictates a new Form of
Creed in the Synod at Seleucia. Acacius and his adherents ...
/.../chapter xl acacius bishop of caesarea.htm

Introduction to De Synodis.
... 4 apo tes nun hupateias) and of the fateful assemblies of Rimini and Seleucia. ... At
Ariminum the Nicene, at Seleucia the Semi-Arian cause carried all before it. ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/introduction to de synodis.htm

How Simon Confederated Himself with Antiochus Pius, and Made War ...
... his enemies superior to him; for the soldiery hated him, and revolted from him to
Cleopatra, the wife of Demetrius, who was then shut up in Seleucia with her ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 how simon confederated.htm

The Reason of any New Council Having Been Called.
... Sec. 12. Proceedings of the 160 at Seleucia Trachea. ... 29. Creed propounded by the
Acacians at Seleucia (359, the Dated' Creed revised in the Homoean sense). ...
/.../athanasius/select works and letters or athanasius/section 1 the reason of.htm

Dragged on his Way
... At this crisis a lady named Seleucia offered to the sick and suffering martyr
the shelter of her villa, which was five miles distant. ...
/.../chapter liii dragged on his.htm

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Seleucia

shaken or beaten by the waves

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The sea-port of Antioch, near the mouth of the Orontes. Paul and his companions sailed from this port on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:4). This city was built by Seleucus Nicator, the "king of Syria." It is said of him that "few princes have ever lived with so great a passion for the building of cities. He is reputed to have built in all nine Seleucias, sixteen Antiochs, and six Laodiceas." Seleucia became a city of great importance, and was made a "free city" by Pompey. It is now a small village, called el-Kalusi.

Thesaurus

Seleucia (1 Occurrence)
... He is reputed to have built in all nine Seleucias, sixteen Antiochs, and six Laodiceas."
Seleucia became a city of great importance, and was made a "free city ...
/s/seleucia.htm - 10k

Separate (115 Occurrences)
... This she did first at Iconium and then in Seleucia where she died. Various
later additions described Thecla's end, and in one of ...
/s/separate.htm - 71k

Seleu'cia (1 Occurrence)
Seleu'cia. Seleucia, Seleu'cia. Seleucidae . Multi-Version Concordance
Seleu'cia (1 Occurrence). ... Seleucia, Seleu'cia. Seleucidae . Reference Bible.
/s/seleu'cia.htm - 6k

Apocryphal
... This she did first at Iconium and then in Seleucia where she died. Various
later additions described Thecla's end, and in one of ...
/a/apocryphal.htm - 101k

Lydia (5 Occurrences)
... After the death of Alexander its possession was claimed by the kings both of Pergamos
and of Seleucia, but in 190 BC it became the undisputed possession of the ...
/l/lydia.htm - 12k

Gaulanitis
... Herod Antipas. It lay to the east of the Lake of Galilee, and included
among its towns Bethsaida-Julias (Mark 8:22) and Seleucia. ...
/g/gaulanitis.htm - 6k

Ptolemy
... success, overran Syria, plundered Susa and Babylonia, penetrated to the shores of
India and captured the important stronghold of Seleucia (1 Maccabees 11:8 ...
/p/ptolemy.htm - 17k

Antioch (21 Occurrences)
... about 15 miles from the sea. He also rounded and fortified Seleucia to
be the port of his new capital. The city was enlarged and ...
/a/antioch.htm - 27k

Antiochus
... He renewed the war, but was defeated at Raphia in 217, and was obliged to give
up Phoenicia and Coelesyria; Seleucia, however, he retained. ...
/a/antiochus.htm - 17k

Seleuceia (1 Occurrence)

/s/seleuceia.htm - 6k

Bible Concordance

Seleucia (1 Occurrence)

Acts 13:4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Seleucia

Seleucia or Seleucia

Seleucia: Paul Visits

Related Terms

Separate (115 Occurrences)

Seleu'cia (1 Occurrence)

Apocryphal