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Iconium

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History

Iconium is the modern city of Konya, on the edge of the central Anatolian plateau, and the ancient town lies beneath it. In 401 BC Xenophon, marching east with the younger Cyrus, calls it the last city of Phrygia; the army rested there three days before crossing into Lycaonia. Later writers count it as a city of Lycaonia. Its coins of the first century BC show Perseus, for the Greeks explained its name from the image, eikon, of the Gorgon's head.

Strabo describes Iconium as a well-settled town with a richer territory than the dry Lycaonian plain around it; the town had once been held by King Polemon. Mark Antony gave Lycaonia to Amyntas of Galatia, and on Amyntas' death in 25 BC it passed to the new Roman province of Galatia. Under Claudius the city took the name Claudiconium, and Hadrian made it a Roman colony. Pliny calls it a most famous city.

Paul and Barnabas came here after being driven out of Antioch of Pisidia. They spoke in the synagogue, and "a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed." They stayed a long time, but the city was divided; when Gentiles and Jews with their rulers set out to stone them, they fled to Lystra and Derbe. The Second Letter to Timothy recalls the persecutions Paul endured at Iconium. Jews from Iconium later helped turn the people of Lystra against Paul. On the way back the apostles passed through Iconium again, and later the brethren there spoke well of Timothy.

The Acts of Paul, written in Asia in the second century, set the story of Thecla, a young woman of Iconium who left her betrothed to follow Paul, in this city. In the third century bishops from Galatia, Cilicia and neighbouring lands met at Iconium and ruled that baptism given outside the church was not valid, as Firmilian of Caesarea told Cyprian. In the later fourth century Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium, was a leading figure at the Council of Constantinople in 381.

Scripture: Acts 13:50–51; Acts 14:1–6; Acts 14:19; Acts 14:21; Acts 16:1–2; 2 Tim 3:11

Sources

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

Verses (6)

Acts 13:51
But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
Acts 14:1
And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.
Acts 14:19
And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
Acts 14:21
And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
Acts 16:2
Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
2 Tim 3:11
Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

King James Version

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