town or village

Antioch

• Today Antakya

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Events

1. c. 300 BCSeleucus I founds Antioch on the Orontes
2. AD 526An earthquake and fire destroy Antioch
3. AD 540Khosrow I of Persia sacks Antioch
4. AD 969The Byzantines retake Antioch
5. AD 1098The First Crusade takes Antioch after a long siege
6. AD 1268Baybars takes Antioch

In ancient writers

• Strabo, Geography 16.2.4–5 — Antioch, founded by Seleucus Nicator and named for his father, is the metropolis of Syria, itself a tetrapolis of four walled quarters, not much inferior in wealth and size to Seleucia on the Tigris or Alexandria.
• Josephus, Jewish War 3.29 — Vespasian set out from Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, which in size and prosperity undisputedly ranks as the third city of the Roman world.

Questions

• Where was Antioch? (both Antiochs of Acts)

History

Antioch lies on the Orontes in northern Syria, about 25 km from the sea, between the river and Mount Silpius; today it is Antakya in Turkey. Seleucus I Nicator founded it in 300 BC and named it after his father Antiochus, with Seleucia Pieria as its port and the grove of Apollo at Daphne as its suburb. It became the capital of the Seleucid kings and grew into a city of four walled quarters.

When Pompey made Syria a Roman province in 64 BC, Antioch became the seat of its governor. Herod the Great paved its main street and lined it with colonnades. Josephus counts it the third city of the Roman world after Rome and Alexandria, and it had a large Jewish community.

In Acts, believers scattered after Stephen's death preached to Greeks at Antioch. Jerusalem sent Barnabas, who brought Saul from Tarsus, and here the disciples were first called Christians; when Agabus foretold a famine, the church sent relief to Judea. The church sent Barnabas and Saul on their first journey and received them back. A dispute over circumcision took Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, and they returned with the apostles' letter. Paul withstood Peter at Antioch, and from here he set out on his later journeys.

Its bishop Ignatius was taken to Rome under Trajan and wrote letters to the churches on the way. Trajan was in the city when a great earthquake struck in AD 115. Constantine began the octagonal Great Church, and his son Constantius finished it; it was dedicated in 341 at a council held there. Julian spent the winter of 362–363 in Antioch and quarrelled with its people. Libanius taught rhetoric there, and John Chrysostom preached there from 386 until he became bishop of Constantinople in 398.

Scripture: Acts 11:19–30; Acts 13:1–3; Acts 14:26–28; Acts 15:1–2; Acts 15:22–35; Gal 2:11; Acts 15:36–41; Acts 18:22–23

Checked against its sources; not yet read by a historian.

Verses (18)

Acts 6:5

And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

Acts 11:19

Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.

Acts 11:20

And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.

Acts 11:22

Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.

Acts 11:26

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Acts 11:27

And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.

Acts 11:29

Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judæa:

Acts 13:1

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Acts 14:26

And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

Acts 14:27

And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

Acts 15:1

And certain men which came down from Judæa taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

Acts 15:22

Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

Acts 15:23

And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:

Acts 15:30

So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:

Acts 15:35

Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Acts 18:22

And when he had landed at Cæsarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

Acts 18:23

And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

Gal 2:11

But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

King James Version

Tours through this place

• Empires of the biblical world →
• The conversion of Saul →
• Paul's first journey →
• Paul's second journey →
• Paul's third journey →