Bible Encyclopedia: Perga

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

PERGA

pur'-ga (Perge):

1. Location and History:

An important city of the ancient province of Pamphylia, situated on the river Cestris, 12 miles Northeast of Attalia. According to Acts 13:13, Paul, Barnabas and John Mark visited the place on their first missionary journey, and 2 years later, according to Acts 14:24, 25, they may have preached there. Though the water of the river Cestris has now been diverted to the fields for irrigating purposes, in ancient times the stream was navigable, and small boats from the sea might reach the city. It is uncertain how ancient Perga is; its walls, still standing, seem to come from the Seleucidan period or from the 3rd century B.C. It remained in the possession of the Seleucid kings until 189 B.C., when Roman influence became strong in Asia Minor. A long series of coins, beginning in the 2nd century B.C., continued until 286 A.D., and upon them Perga is mentioned as a metropolis. Though the city was never a stronghold of Christianity, it was the bishopric of Western Pamphylia, and several of the early Christians were martyred there. During the 8th century under Byzantine rule the city declined; in 1084 Attalia became the metropolis, and Perga rapidly fell to decay. While Attalia was the chief Greek and Christian city of Pamphylia, Perga was the seat of the local Asiatic goddess, who corresponded to Artemis or Diana of the Ephesians, and was locally known as Leto, or the queen of Perga. She is frequently represented on the coins as a huntress, with a bow in her hand, and with sphinxes or stags at her side.

2. The Ruins:

The ruins of Perga are now called Murtana. The walls, which are flanked with towers, show the city to have been quadrangular in shape. Very broad streets, running through the town, and intersecting each other, divided the city into quarters. The sides of the streets were covered with porticos, and along their centers were water channels in which a stream was always flowing. They were covered at short intervals by bridges. Upon the higher ground was the acropolis, where the earliest city was built, but in later times the city extended to the South of the hill, where one may see the greater part of the ruins. On the acropolis is the platform of a large structure with fragments of several granite columns, probably representing the temple of the goddess Leto; others regard it as the ruin of an early church. At the base of the acropolis are the ruins of an immense theater which seated 13,000 people, the agora, the baths and the stadium. Without the walls many tombs are to be seen. E. J. Banks

Greek

4011. Perge -- Perga, a city of Pamphylia
... Perga, a city of Pamphylia. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Perge
Phonetic Spelling: (perg'-ay) Short Definition: Perga Definition: Perga, a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4011.htm - 6k

825. Attaleia -- Attalia, a city of Pamphylia
... Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Attaleia Phonetic Spelling: (at-tal'-i-ah)
Short Definition: Attalia Definition: Attalia, the port of Perga in Pamphylia ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/825.htm - 6k

Library

His Missionary Travels
... They struck across the sea to Perga, a town near the middle of the southern coast
of Asia Minor, then right up, a hundred miles, into the mainland, and thence ...
/.../stalker/the life of st paul/chapter vi his missionary travels.htm

Acts xiii. 4, 5
... "Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia;
and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxviii acts xiii 4.htm

The Kingdom Conquering the World
... 1. Seleucia " " " " " 2. Salamis " " " " " 3. Paphos " " "
" " 4. Perga " " " " " 5. Antioch ...
/.../palmer/a birds-eye view of the bible/ix the kingdom conquering the.htm

The Acts of Barnabus.
... until we had gone round all Cyprus. And setting sail from Cyprus, we landed
in Perga of Pamphylia. And there I then stayed about ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/the acts of barnabus/the acts of barnabus.htm

To the Regions Beyond
... Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia:
and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.'"Acts 13:1-13. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/to the regions beyond.htm

First Missionary Journey Scripture
... Barnabas. +Perga in Pamphylia+"(Acts 13:13, 14). ... Antioch in Pisidia+ (Acts
13:14-52) was about ninety miles directly north of Perga. It ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study iii first missionary journey.htm

Paul and Barnabas in Foreign Lands
... When they had gone over the whole island as far as Paphos, they set sail,
and Paul and his companions came to Perga in Pamphylia. ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/paul and barnabas in foreign.htm

The Ordination of Paul and Barnabas; their Missionary Tour in Asia ...
... Roman proconsul. Departing from Cyprus, Paul and Barnabas now set sail for
Asia Minor, where they landed at Perga in Pamphylia. Here ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter v the ordination of.htm

Acts XIV
... (24) "And passing through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia; (25) and having
spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xiv.htm

Acts XIII
... prosecution of their tour. (13) "Now those about Paul set sail from Paphos,
and went to Perga of Pamphylia. But John, departing ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xiii.htm

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Perga

very earthy

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Perga

(earthy), a city of Pamphylia, (Acts 13:13) situated on the river Cestius, at a distance of 60 stadia (7 1/2 miles) from its mouth, and celebrated in antiquity for the worship of Artemis (Diana).

ATS Bible Dictionary

Perga

A city of Pamphylia, Acts 13:13; 14:25. This is not a maritime city, but is situated on the river Cestrus, at some distance from its mouth, which has long been obstructed by a bar. It was one of the most considerable cities in Pamphylia; and when that province was divided into two parts, this city became the metropolis of one part, and side of the other. On a neighboring mountain was a splendid temple of Diana, which gave celebrity to the city.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The capital of Pamphylia, on the coast of Asia Minor. Paul and his companions landed at this place from Cyprus on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:13, 14), and here Mark forsook the party and returned to Jerusalem. Some time afterwards Paul and Barnabas again visited this city and "preached the word" (14:25). It stood on the banks of the river Cestrus, some 7 miles from its mouth, and was a place of some commercial importance. It is now a ruin, called Eski Kalessi.

Thesaurus

Perga (3 Occurrences)
...PERGA. ... A long series of coins, beginning in the 2nd century BC, continued until
286 AD, and upon them Perga is mentioned as a metropolis. ...
/p/perga.htm - 10k

Pamphylia (6 Occurrences)
... Paul and his company, loosing from Paphos, sailed north-west and came to Perga,
the capital of Pamphylia (Acts 13:13, 14), a province about the middle of the ...
/p/pamphylia.htm - 12k

Attalia (1 Occurrence)
... The early city did not enjoy the ecclesiastical importance of the neighboring city
of Perga; but in 1084 when Perga declined, Attalia became a metropolis. ...
/a/attalia.htm - 8k

Pisidia (2 Occurrences)
... Paul passed through Antioch a second time on his way to Perga and Attalia (Acts
14:21). ... Acts 13:14 But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. ...
/p/pisidia.htm - 21k

Paphos (2 Occurrences)
... apostolic teaching. From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed in a northwesterly
direction to Perga in Pamphylia (Acts 13:6-13). Paul ...
/p/paphos.htm - 14k

Pergamos (1 Occurrence)

/p/pergamos.htm - 12k

Departed (270 Occurrences)
... (KJV WBS). Acts 13:13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to
Perga in Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. ...
/d/departed.htm - 34k

Antioch (21 Occurrences)
... Paul passed through Antioch a second time on his way to Perga and Attalia (Acts
14:21). ... Acts 13:14 But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. ...
/a/antioch.htm - 27k

Loosed (41 Occurrences)
... Acts 13:13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga
in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. (KJV WBS). ...
/l/loosed.htm - 19k

Departing (20 Occurrences)
... (See NAS). Acts 13:13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came
to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. ...
/d/departing.htm - 12k

Bible Concordance

Perga (3 Occurrences)

Acts 13:13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 13:14 But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 14:25 When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Perga

Perga: Paul Preaches In

Related Terms

Pamphylia (6 Occurrences)

Attalia (1 Occurrence)

Pisidia (2 Occurrences)

Paphos (2 Occurrences)

Pergamos (1 Occurrence)

Departed (270 Occurrences)

Antioch (21 Occurrences)