26). Julius Caesar passed through the city in 47 BC on his march from Egypt to Pontus, and was enthusiastically received. Remember Me Forgot Password? The modern town, which still bears the ancient name in the slightly modified form Tersous, has a very mixed population, numbering about 25,000, and considerable trade, but suffers from its unhealthful situation and the proximity of large marshy tracts. At the same time it is certain that the character of his native city, its strong oriental element, its Greek constitution and speech, its position in the Roman Empire, its devotion to learning, must have made an impression upon one who, uniting Jewish nationality with membership of a Greek state and Roman citizenship, was to be the great interpreter to the Greco-Roman world of a religion which sprang from the soil of Judaism. "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". House to House Heart to Heart. "Diaspora") that a Jew could not have been a citizen in a Greek town unless the sovereign had ordered that the Jews of the city in question form a separate gens, an event which must have happened in Tarsus, probably, as Ramsay thinks, at the instance of Antiochus Epiphanes ("Expository Times," xvi. Tarsus was a major port city and the capital of the Roman province of Cilicia, which was located in the southern Mediterranean coast of what is Turkey today. It is at this time that Tarsus is first mentioned in the Bible, unless we are to accept the disputed identification with TARSHISH (which see). YouTube video: A further exploration of the Gospel (usually) from a different angle. Tarsus definition from the Bible Dictionary. Tarsus / ˈ t ɑːr s ə s / (Hittite: Tarsa; Greek: Ταρσός Tarsós; Armenian: Տարսոն Tarson; Arabic: طَرَسُوس ‎ Ṭarsūs) is a historic city in south-central Turkey, 20 km (12 miles) inland from the Mediterranean.It is part of the Adana-Mersin metropolitan area, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in … It was subsequently ruled by Armenian princes as part of the kingdom of Lesser Armenia, and then by the Memluk sultans of Egypt, from whom it was finally wrested by the Ottoman Turks early in the 16th century. Series 58 Study 7 SAUL OF TARSUS. Notes on the Sunday Readings Here you will find notes on the Sunday readings as found in the Catholic lectionary since the Second Vatican Council. Saul of Tarsus Saul / Paul of Tarsus. What does the Bible say about Tarsus? TARSUS Birthplace and hometown of Saul (Paul) and the capital and chief city of the Roman province of Cilicia in Asia Minor. Bible Study; New Testament; Bio: Saul of Tarsus. In Paul's time, Tarsus was the capital of the Roman province of Cilicia, the eastern part of the south-coastal region of Asia Minor, which, amidst much political and military ado was annexed by Pompey, the same general who conquered Judah and who was instrumental in ending the Roman Republic (see our article on the name Caesar). Tarsus is not again mentioned in the New Testament, but Paul doubtless revisited it on his second missionary journey, when he "went through Syria and Cilicia" (Acts 15:41), and traveled thence by way of the Cilician Gates into Lycaonia, and again at the beginning of his third journey when, after some time spent at Antioch, "he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order" (Acts 18:23). The outcome was the reorganization of Tarsus as an autonomous city with a coinage of its own, which took place under Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164), probably in 171 BC. It probably started out as a Hittite settlement, but due to its strategic location was annexed by all the major empires: the Phoenicians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Seleucids. Jesus would give no sign than that of Jonah (Matthew 12:38-41), who was the only other prophet from Galilee (2 Kings 14:25, John 7:52); after three days Jonah was vomited up when he exclaimed that "Salvation is from YHWH" (which compacted forms the name Jesus; Jonah 2:9) and after the same three days Jesus resurrected and commissioned Paul, who, just like Jonah, became a missionary to the gentiles (since Jonah's Tarshish is rumored to have been in Spain, Paul's desire to go just there is rather ironic — Romans 15:24-28). Exact Match. Most Bible students understand it this way. Alex. It lay on both banks of the river Cydnus, in the midst of a fertile alluvial plain, some 10 miles from the seacoast. Tarsus was a free city in the Roman province of Cilicia, and Saul's parents had become citizens of Rome. Act 9:11 . Bible Dictionaries - Easton's Bible Dictionary - Tarsus Tarsus [N] [H] [S] the chief city of Cilicia. Bibliography Information But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. TEN NEW TESTAMENT CONVERSIONS by Francis Dixon (Scripture Portion: Acts 9:1-20) We have here the historical record of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, the most important convert in the first century and perhaps in all centuries. Personalization. Thus the fertility of its soil, the safety and convenience of its harbor and the command of the main line of communication between Anatolia and Syria or Mesopotamia combined to promote the greatness of Tarsus, though its position was neither a healthful or a strong one and the town had no acropolis. Tarsus definition, the bones of the proximal segment of the foot; the bones between the tibia and the metatarsus, contributing to the construction of the ankle joint. Strabo also tells us something of an important constitutional reform carried out in Tarsus under the Emperor Augustus, probably about 15-10 BC. It is at this time that Tarsus is first mentioned in the Bible, unless we are to accept the disputed identification with TARSHISH (which see). Paul referred to himself as being "of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee". Athenodorus Canaanites, the Stoic, returned to his city as an old man, after some 30 years spent at Rome, armed with authority from the emperor to reform abuses in its civic life. So disgusted was he by the insolence of the citizens, their love of pleasure and their extravagance in dress, that he shook the dust of Tarsus off his feet and went to Aegae to pursue his studies in a more congenial atmosphere (Vit. Purists like to point out that it can't be proven that Paul received a liberal education during his formative years, but along a high likelihood of it, readers of Paul's work easily recognize the strong influences of (or at least agreements with) Stoic philosophy and ideals of government, as well as the perks of having a dual citizenship (Philippians 3:20); the benefit or even virtue of being fluent in worldly affairs as well as in heavenly affairs. 1. The outcome was the reorganization of Tarsus as an autonomous city with a coinage of its own, which took place under Antiochus 4 Epiphanes (175-164), probably in 171 BC. 18 et seq. See more. After Alexander's death in 323 BC his vast empire was soon dismembered by the rivalries and wars of his powerful generals. iii.4 f) For two centuries Tarsus had been the capital of a Persian satrapy, subject to oriental rather than to Hellenic influence, though there was probably a Hellenic element in its population, and its trade brought it into touch with the Greeks. Tarsus, Biblical Sites in Turkey, Biblical Tour Guide is a web site where we share with you our knowledge and offer you our top services. Salem Media Group. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus described the abode of the dead as having two compartments.One, a place of torment. Tarsus: The capitol of Cilicia in Asia Minor; Paul's Birthplace; Paul Sent To, from Jerusalem, to Avoid Assassination ; Paul Brought From, by Barnabas; Very High: Search Popularity … In 2 Macc 4:30 f. we read that, about 171 "it came to pass that they of Tarsus and Mallus made insurrection, because they were to be given as a present to Antiochis, the king's concubine. Article Images Copyright © 2021 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. From this time Tarsus is a city of Hellenic constitution, and its coins no longer bear Aramaic but Greek legends. Meaning: winged; feathered . Where is "Tarsus" (Acts 11:25)? Tarsus Q-7 on the Map. Acts 9:11. It is at this time that Tarsus is first mentioned in the Bible, unless we are to accept the … Indeed it was chiefly in the matter of such distinctions that it carried on a keen, and sometimes bitter, rivalry, first with Mallus and Adana, its neighbors in the western plain, and later with Anazarbus, the chief town of Eastern Cilicia. All rights reserved. It was the native place of the Apostle Paul (Acts 21:39). In the civil wars of Rome it took Caesars aide, sad on the occasion of a visit from him had its name changed to Juliopolis. The actual frontier-line seems to have varied at different periods, but the natural boundary lies at the Cilician Gates, a narrow gorge which Tarsian enterprise and engineering skill had widened so as to make it a wagon road, the chief highway of communication and trade between Cilicia and the interior of Asia Minor and one of the most decisive factors in Anatolian history. Paul, a name he may have had thanks to his Roman citizenship, was born early in the first century CE or late in the last century BCE in a Greek-speaking area of the Roman Empire. When Saul of Tarsus, who was later renamed Paul, saw the resurrected Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road, Saul converted to Christianity. But such speculations are likely to be misleading, and it is perhaps best to admit that, save in the trade learned by Paul, which was characteristic of his birthplace, we cannot with any precision gauge the effects of his early surroundings. Early in the 2nd century, however, came a change. An Advent Scripture Course, comprising 6 recorded presentations and a live webinar. Share; Tweet +1; Pin; One could make a case that Saul of Tarsus (Paul) is the most remarkable follower Jesus ever had. Here at Abarim Publications we're pretty sure that the name Tarsus denoted some kind of hefty tree or even a forest of cedars (suggested by the prefixed ת). "Entry for 'TARSUS'". His birth name was no doubt Saul while Paul (Paulus) was his Roman name which he naturally would have used more in his missionary work among the Gentiles. The name Tarsus occurs 5 times in the New Testament; see full concordance. The latter established a Jewish colony at Tarsus around 170 BC, which formed their own "tribe," as per the local customs, and this was the Tarsean-Jewish tribe Paul came from (in addition to being from the Israelite tribe of Benjamin — Romans 11:1). Saul, the future Saint Paul, was born in Tarsus a Roman Citizen and a devout Jew (Acts 22:28, Philippians 3:4-5). On Phoenician coins the city was often called תרז (Taraz or Tarza), which draws our attention to: The unused verb ארז ('araz) probably meant to be firm (it does so in cognate languages), and noun ארז ('erez) means cedar. Bibles; Deals; More; Log In × Log In. Suggestions are always welcome. 1. Ancient Tarsus - Important city of Cilicia near the mouth of the river Cydnus, dating back to the Mycenaean period. Tarsus was the chief city and capital of the Roman Province of Cilicia that was located in the eastern part of Asia Minor. The name Jesus was a very ordinary name and Nazareth was an inconsequential hamlet. In 2 Macc 4:30 f we read that, about 171 "it came to pass that they of Tarsus and Mallus made insurrection, because they were to be given as a present to Antiochis, the king's concubine. i.7). ad res Roman. The commander immediately concluded that Paul was not the Egyptian rabble-rouser he somehow figured he was, and Paul quickly added his flash-résumé: he was a Jew, a Tarsean (Ταρσευς), a citizen of no average city, and he wished to address the crowd (Acts 21:39). Athenodorus sought at first to mend matters by argument and persuasion, but, finding Boethus and his party obdurate, he at length exercised his extraordinary powers, banished the offenders and remodeled the constitution, probably in a timocratic mold, restricting the full citizenship to those possessed of a considerable property qualification. 2. Saul of Tarsus became the apostle Paul, an ardent missionary to an unbelieving world and a fine example of faithful service in the face of fierce persecution (Acts 14:19; 16:22–24; 2 Corinthians 11:25–26). 105, s.v. 3. In 2 Maccabees 4:30 we read that, about 171 "it came to pass that they of Tarsus and Mallus made insurrection, because they were to be given as a present to Antiochis, the king's concubine. Saul of Tarsus. After Jonah made the rounds in Nineveh, he went up on a hill and made a shelter (reminiscent of the secondary meaning of the root ארז, 'rz, and obviously Paul's tent-making skills) to review the goings on in the town below. Tarsus was the chief city and capital of the Roman Province of Cilicia that was located in the eastern part of Asia Minor. Tarsus Bible Meaning: A flat basket Strong's Concordance #G5018, #G5019. It was distinguished for its wealth and for its schools of learning, in which it rivalled, nay, excelled even Athens and Alexandria, and hence was spoken of as "no mean city." His own declaration that he was "born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city" (Acts 22:3) seems to show that his training at Jerusalem began at an early age, and is inconsistent with the supposition that he was one of those Tarsian students who, after studying at their native university, completed their education abroad. It says. Josephus believed that Tarsus (Ταρσος) was the same as the city called Tarshish (תרשיש and Θαρσος) in the Old Testament (Ant.i.6.1). It was distinguished for its wealth and for its schools of learning, in which it rivalled, nay, excelled even Athens and Alexandria, and hence was spoken of as "no mean city." In 2 Macc 4:30 f we read that, about 171 "it came to pass that they of Tarsus and Mallus made insurrection, because they were to be given as a present to Antiochis, the king's concubine. It did not by itself bestow Roman citizenship on the Tarsinas, but doubtless there were many natives of the city to whom Pompey, Caesar, Antony and Augustus granted that honor for themselves and, as a consequence, for their descendants. Saul of Tarsus was born in approximately AD 5 in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia (in modern-day Turkey). Act 9:11 . Apollon. Hell. Roads Streets Straight Paths. But Strabo's testimony is that of a contemporary and an accurate historian and must outweigh that of Philostratus, whose work is largely tinged with romance and belongs to the early years of the 3rd century AD. The other, a place of comfort called Abraham’s Boso… Tarsus / ˈ t ɑːr s ə s / (Hittite: Tarsa; Greek: Ταρσός Tarsós; Armenian: Տարսոն Tarson; Arabic: طَرَسُوس ‎ Ṭarsūs) is a historic city in south-central Turkey, 20 km (12 miles) inland from the Mediterranean.It is part of the Adana-Mersin metropolitan area, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in … Other philosophers of Tarsus were Nestor, a representative of the Academy, and tutor of Marcellus, Augustus' nephew and destined successor, and of Tiberius, Plutiades and Diogenes; the latter was also famous as an improvisatore, and indeed the Tarsians in general were famed for their ease and fluency in impromptu speaking. Copyright © 2021, Bible Study Tools. Reason to believe that he resided there during part of Asia Minor exploration of the Seleucid kings of,... Seen in the Bible mentioned in the book of Acts and Saul parents. Lasting than Antioch on the other hand, the Messiah turned out to be John Doe portable format for... 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