Arabissus orArabissos (Ancient Greek:Ἀραβισσός), also known asTripotamos,[1] was a town inancient Cataonia, thenCappadocia, and later in theRoman province ofArmenia Secunda.
The Byzantine EmperorMaurice was born there in 539 who embellished it during his reign. The town suffered from the earthquake of 584/85 and in July 629, emperorHeraclius met here withShahrbaraz to arrange terms with Persia toend the ongoing war.[2]
The town belonged to the so-calledArmenian Hexapolis and remained under Byzantine control in the seventh century.[3] It suffered much during thewars with the Arabs and became the center of akleisoura.[2] After Sayf al-Dawla ravaged Arabissos and its environment in his campaigns of 944 and 951, the town was replaced byPlasta.[4]
The town corresponds to present-dayAfşin, formerly Yarpuz, inKahramanmaraş Province,Turkey.[5][1] A cave of theSeven Sleepers is located in theEshab-ı Kehf Kulliye.
Arabissus was anepiscopal see, asuffragan ofMelitene.
Its diocesan bishops included Otreius, who was at theFirst Council of Constantinople in 381, and Adolius at theCouncil of Chalcedon in 451, Adelphius, who was a signatory of the 458 letter of the bishops of the province of Armenia II toByzantine EmperorLeo I the Thracian to protest at the murder ofProterius of Alexandria, the writer Leontius, who came later, and Georgius, who was at theTrullan Council of 692.Michael the Syrian mentions severalJacobite Church bishops of Arabissus of the 7th to the 10th centuries.[6][7] Itstitular bishops includeStephen Peter Alencastre (1924–1940).
Arabissus is now atitular see of theCatholic Church.[8]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Arabissus".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. The entry cites:| Geographic | |
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38°14′46″N36°54′42″E / 38.246013°N 36.911673°E /38.246013; 36.911673
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