 ARomansarcophagus on the upper hills of the city | |
  Shown within Turkey | |
| Location | Hatay Province,Turkey |
|---|---|
| Region | Levant |
| Coordinates | 36°07′26″N35°55′19″E / 36.12389°N 35.92194°E /36.12389; 35.92194 |
| Type | Settlement |
| History | |
| Builder | Seleucus I Nicator |
| Founded | 300 BC |
| Periods | Hellenistic toMedieval |
| Cultures | Greek,Roman,Arab,Turkish |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | In ruins |
Seleucia in Pieria (Greek Σελεύκεια ἐν Πιερίᾳ), also known in English asSeleucia by the Sea, and later namedSuedia, was a Hellenistic town, the seaport ofAntioch ad Orontes (Syria Prima), theSeleucid capital, modernAntakya (Turkey). The city was built slightly to the north of the estuary of the riverOrontes, between small rivers on the western slopes of the Coryphaeus, one of the southern summits of theAmanus Mountains.
According toPausanias andMalalas, there was a previous city here named Palaeopolis ("Old City"). At present, it is located at the seaside village of Çevlik[1]near the town ofSamandağ in theHatay Province ofTurkey. Seleucia,Apamea,Laodicea, andAntioch formed theSyrian tetrapolis.[2]
Seleucia Pieria was founded in ca. 300 BC bySeleucus I Nicator, one of thesuccessors of theMacedonian conquerorAlexander the Great and the founder of theSeleucid Empire.[3] The Macedonians called the landscape Pieria, after a district in their homeland that was also between the sea and a mountain range (the Olympus).[3]
When Seleucus I was murdered on his way to Macedon in 281 BC, his son, Antiochus I, buried his ashes in a building called "Nikatoreion", situated on Seleucia.
The city was of great importance in the struggle between theSeleucids and thePtolemies; it was captured byPtolemy Euergetes in 246 BC.[2] As thePtolemies (Lagids) andSeleucids fought over the city, it changed hands several times until 219 BC, when the SeleucidAntiochus III the Great recaptured it during the FourthSyrian War (219–217 BC) his generalArdys is recorded as having distinguished himself during the siege. Then it obtained its freedom and kept it even to the end of theRoman occupation. It had long enjoyed the right of coinage.[4]
Seleucia's importance grew significantly over time, necessitating the enlargement of its harbours several times underDiocletian andConstantius. These harbours, called the "inner" and "outer" harbours, served from time to time theRoman navy.
Most buildings and structures today date from the Roman period.
DuringByzantine times the city went into a steady decline. The silting up of the city's harbours hastened this process. In the fifth century CE the fight to keep them open was finally given up. It suffered severely in the devastating526 Antioch earthquake.
Seleucia was captured by theSassanids around 540 CE. While it never recovered as a port-city again,Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik,Umayyad Caliph from 705 to 715, built a fortress in the city.[5]
The city wasChristianized early. As the port of Antioch of Syria,[2] "Seleucia on sea"—so called to distinguish it from other cities of the same name—is most notable as the precise point of embarkation from which theApostle Paul [in 45 CE] andSaint Barnabas sailed from this port on their first missionary journeys, as chronicled in the Bible (Acts 13:4).[6] At the end of that same journey Paul must have made landfall at Seleucia before going to Antioch (see Acts 14:26). His route at the beginning of the second journey was by land and probably bypassed Seleucia (see Acts 15:40–41), though on returning, he must have passed through it again (see Acts 18:22). Once more taking a land route when setting out on his third journey, Paul may have missed Seleucia (see Acts 19:1), and at that journey's end he did not return to Antioch and so missed Seleucia again (see Acts 21:7–8). This means that Paul passed through Seleucia at least three times, and probably several more on pre-missionary visits to Antioch of Syria (see Acts 11:26; 12:25).
The oldestbishop known is Zenobius, present at theCouncil of Nicaea in 325 CE. Other known bishops includeEusebius, anArian, andBizus in the fourth century, with twelve others cited byLe Quien (Oriens Christianus, II, 777–780). In the sixth century CE theNotitia Episcopatuum of Antioch, gives Seleucia Pieria as anautocephalous archbishopric, suffragan of Antioch (Échos d'Orient, X 144); the diocese existed until the tenth century CE, and its boundaries are known (Échos d'Orient, X, 97). For some Roman Catholic titularies seeEubel,Hierarchia catholica medii aevi, I, 468.[4]
Seleucia Pieria was a diocese of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, the Syriac (Miaphysitic) Orthodox Church appointed bishops to the city in the eighth and ninth centuries CE, three of whose bishops are known. The last-known Syriac Orthodox bishop of Seleucia, Ahron (847/874 CE), is mentioned in the lists ofMichael the Syrian. There were alsoGeorgian monastic establishments around Seleucia from the 11th to the 13th centuries.[7]
The city is still atitular see of theRoman Catholic Church,Seleuciensis Pierius; the seat is vacant following the death of the last bishop in 1980.[8]
The upper city, about 13 km in circumference, is still distinguishable. The lower city, smaller than the preceding one, was more thickly populated.[4] Ruins include anecropolis,amphitheatre,citadel, temples, some irrigation works as well as some fortifications.
The highlight of the city is a 1350–1400m-long tunnel/canal complex built duringRoman times. It is believed that it was dug to divert the nearby river and prevent the harbour from silting up with time. A further reason is assumed to be to help reduce flooding caused during heavy winter rains. Construction began during the reign of EmperorVespasian (69–79 CE) continuing mainly during his sonTitus's time (79–81 CE).
According to FlaviusJosephus, a Roman-Jewish historian (37–ca.100 CE),Jewish slaves were used as workers. These were working under orders of EmperorTitus, who had capturedJerusalem in 70 CE. Other POWs were sent toRome, where they had to build theColosseum. According to an inscription, the tunnel/canal was not completely finished until the reign ofAntoninus Pius (138–161 CE). The last workers wereRoman legionaries.[3]
Most parts of the tunnel/canal are intact and it can be visited on foot. Rock tombs are found on the wall of the canal.
Famous residents includeApollophanes, a physician ofAntiochus III the Great (third century), andFirmus who arousedPalmyra andEgypt against Rome in 272.[4]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Vailhé, Siméon (1912). "Seleucia Pieria". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Easton, Matthew George (1897). "Seleucia".Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons.Hellenistic/Macedoniancolonies | ||
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