Fant Clyde E. - A guide to biblical sites in Greece and Turkey

A GUIDE TO BIBLICAL SITES IN GREECE AND TURKEY

CLYDE E. FANT AND
MITCHELL G. REDDISH

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Copyright 2003 by Clyde E. Fant and Mitchell G. Reddish

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Fant, Clyde E.

A guide to biblical sites in Greece and Turkey /
Clyde E. Fant and Mitchell G. Reddish.
p. cm. Includes index.
ISBN 0-19-513917-8 (cloth)ISBN 0-19-513918-6 (pbk.)
1. BibleAntiquitiesGuidebooks.
2. GreeceAntiquitiesGuidebooks.
3. TurkeyAntiquitiesGuidebooks.

I. Reddish, Mitchell Glenn, 1953 II. Title.
BS621.F36 2003 220.91dc21 2003042955

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper

Dedicated with gratitude to our wives,
Cheryl Hammock and Barbara Reddish,
whose loving support and patience
made this work possible.

For most people the biblical world suggests images of the land of Israel. Much of biblical history indeed took place within the boundaries of the modern nation of Israel, but the biblical world is not confined to that area alone. Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey also are stages upon which the biblical story was enacted. In the biblical writings, and particularly in the New Testament, the areas encompassed by the modern countries of Greece and Turkey appear prominently. Nearly two-thirds of the New Testament, including all the letters of Paul, most of Acts, and the book of Revelation, are set in either Turkey or Greece.

This book is intended to serve as a historical, biblical, and archaeological guide to biblical sites in Greece and Turkey, including sites on the Greek islands and in Cyprus. All the significant places mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament are covered in this guide, with a few exceptions. For example, the ancient city of Haran is not included because it is in an area of Turkey that is seldom visited due to its remoteness and because virtually nothing remains today of biblical Haran. Some minor places, such as Cnidus, Adramyttium, Lasea, and Phoenix, are not included because they receive only a passing mention in the biblical text and play no role in the biblical story. Although discussed within the context of some of the site entries, the various regions and provinces of Greece or Turkey, such as Macedonia, Phrygia, Galatia, and Lycia, do not have separate entries. For example, Cappadocia, one of the most interesting areas of Turkey to visit due to its strange and intriguing landscape and its underground cities, is not covered in this volume. Although Cappadocia is mentioned in the Bible, it is not a specific site but a region.

This guide also includes no entry on one of the most impressive places in Turkey, the city of Istanbul. That is because, as important as Istanbul (or Byzantium or Constantinople) was in the history of the Christian church, it plays no role in the Bible and thus falls outside the purview of this work. Visitors to Turkey who are interested in the Bible and biblical history, however, should certainly include a visit to Istanbul. The city has much to offer anyone interested in biblical events and history, including the wealth of artifacts to be enjoyed in the archaeological museums of the city.

For each biblical site included in this volume, a description of the sites location and history is given, followed by a discussion of the biblical significance of the place. Next, a visit to the site is described, indicating the major items of archaeological interest that can be seen. The description of the site focuses on remains from the biblical period, although other structures and later additions are frequently included when they are of particular interest. In each section of the various articles, the names of historical figures related to the place appear in bold the first time they are listed. Likewise, in the Site Visit section, the first reference to a significant artifact or structure at the archaeological site appears in bold print. Maps are included for the larger sites. Several area maps and helpful charts are found at the end of the book.

The biblical sites are arranged alphabetically, first the sites in Greece, then the sites in Turkey. The description of Cyprus is divided into northern Cyprus and southern Cyprus. The name that is used for each place is the biblical name, following the spelling used in the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Where sites are known by an alternative name or alternative spelling, we have given the alternative name in the pertinent article. The modern names of each place, in addition to the biblical versions of their names, are listed in the index.

At the end of some of the entries, an additional section entitled Other Sites of Interest appears. This section brings to the readers attention nearby or especially significant archaeological sites that, although they are not mentioned in the Hebrew Bible or New Testament, deserve a visit if time allows.

We have tried to provide the most current information available for each of the sites, based on our own visits to the sites and research and reports completed by other scholars. Many of the sites that are presented in this guide, however, are active archaeological sites. New discoveries and new interpretations are occurring even as we write, thus rendering some site descriptions incomplete before the book is even in print. But such problems are the welcome consequence of the fresh insights and knowledge that the archaeologists spade unearths.

All biblical quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version. For dates, B.C.E. and C.E. are used throughout this work. C.E. (Common Era) refers to the period of time common to Judaism and Christianity and is equivalent to the period conventionally referred to as A.D. The abbreviation B.C.E. (Before the Common Era) refers to the period conventionally referred to as B.C. Dates that are preceded by an r. (e.g., r. 527565 C.E.) refer to the years in which a ruler was in office.

All photographs in the book are by the authors. The drawing of the Athenian Agora () is reproduced with permission from Wolfgang Radt, Pergamon: Archaeological Guide, 3rd ed. (Istanbul: Trkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu, 1984), 37.

It is hoped that this guide will help visitors to Greece and Turkey appreciate the rich history and significance of the ancient world of the Bible. The more the reader is able to comprehend the geography, the history, the culture, and the everyday life of the biblical world, then the better equipped he or she will be to understand the biblical writings that were a product of that world.

Our experiences in visiting virtually all the sites in Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus, including the Greek islands, mentioned in Acts have given us an even deeper appreciation for the commitment and endurance of the Apostle Paul and his historic journeys throughout the Mediterranean world. While we enjoyed the convenience of (mostly) modern transportation to these far-flung sites of the ancient world, Paul and those who accompanied him traveled primarily by foot and on small sailing vessels that plied the Mediterranean, often experiencing many hardships, including shipwreck. Such travels undoubtedly required a degree of persistence and courage few people today can even imagine.