Antioch

Location

Antioch on the Orontes (Antakya in modern Turkey) lay on the eastern bank of the Orontes river, roughly fifteen miles from the Mediterranean coast. It was founded by Seleucus I Nicator c. 300 BC and became the capital of the Seleucid Empire. Under the Romans it was the third city of the Empire after Rome and Alexandria, with a population estimated at around half a million in the first century.

Biblical importance

Antioch is one of the most important cities of the New Testament. It was the place to which the scattered disciples went after the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 11:19), where the disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26), the base of Paul's missionary journeys (Acts 13:1-3, 14:26-28, 15:35-36, 18:22-23), and the site of an early confrontation between Paul and Peter (Galatians 2:11-14).

Historical timeline

c. 300 BC — Antioch is founded by Seleucus I Nicator.
64 BC — The Romans take Antioch; it becomes the capital of the province of Syria.
c. AD 42 — Refugees from the persecution in Jerusalem arrive in Antioch (Acts 11:19).
c. AD 43 — The disciples are first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26).
c. AD 46 — Barnabas and Saul are set apart at Antioch and sent on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-3).
c. AD 49 — The Antioch incident: Paul withstands Peter to the face (Galatians 2:11-14).
c. AD 50-58 — Antioch remains Paul's base between missionary journeys.
c. AD 68-107 — Ignatius, third bishop of Antioch, writes his seven epistles on the way to martyrdom in Rome.
AD 260 — Persian sack of the city under Shapur I.
AD 325 — Antioch's bishop attends the Council of Nicaea.
AD 341 — Council of Antioch — an important early synod.
AD 451 — Antioch is confirmed as a Patriarchate at the Council of Chalcedon.
AD 526, 528, 540 — A series of earthquakes and a Persian sack devastate the city.
AD 637 — Arab conquest.
AD 1098 — First Crusade captures Antioch.
AD 1268 — Mamluk conquest ends the Latin principality.

Important biblical events

Acts 6:5 (KJV) Nicolas 'a proselyte of Antioch' is among the seven deacons chosen in Jerusalem.
Acts 11:19-21 (KJV) Those scattered after the death of Stephen travel as far as Antioch, preaching to Greeks.
Acts 11:22-24 (KJV) Barnabas is sent from Jerusalem to Antioch and rejoices when he sees the grace of God.
Acts 11:25-26 (KJV) Barnabas fetches Saul from Tarsus; they assemble with the church a whole year, and the disciples are called Christians first in Antioch.
Acts 11:27-30 (KJV) Agabus prophesies a famine; the disciples send relief to Judea by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
Acts 13:1-3 (KJV) Certain prophets and teachers at Antioch, having fasted and prayed, lay hands on Barnabas and Saul and send them away.
Acts 14:26-28 (KJV) Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch after the first journey.
Acts 15:1-2 (KJV) Certain men from Judea come to Antioch teaching circumcision; the church sends Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem.
Acts 15:30-35 (KJV) After the Jerusalem council, Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch and read the decree.
Galatians 2:11-14 (KJV) Paul withstands Peter to the face at Antioch when Peter withdraws from eating with the Gentiles.

Important Christian events

Ignatius of Antioch (c. AD 35-107, third bishop) was one of the earliest Church Fathers to leave a substantial body of writing; his seven letters written on the way to martyrdom are among the earliest extant Christian documents outside the NT.
The School of Antioch produced a distinctive tradition of biblical interpretation emphasising literal and historical readings (John Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret).
John Chrysostom (c. AD 349-407) served as a priest at Antioch before becoming Archbishop of Constantinople.
The Patriarchate of Antioch remains one of the five ancient patriarchates.

Related Scripture

Acts 15:22-23 (KJV) The letter of the Jerusalem Council is addressed 'unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.'
Galatians 2:11 (KJV) 'But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.'

Related biblical people

Barnabas.
Saul / Paul.
Agabus the prophet.
Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen — teachers at Antioch (Acts 13:1).
Peter — present at the Antioch incident.
Ignatius of Antioch — early bishop and martyr.
John Chrysostom — priest at Antioch.

Related Journeys

Historical churches

The Cave Church of St Peter (Grotto of St Peter) — a small cave church outside modern Antakya, traditionally identified as one of the earliest Christian meeting places.
The historic Cathedral of St Peter in Antakya (Antiochian Orthodox) — the modern seat of the Antiochian Patriarchate is now in Damascus.

Historic monasteries

The monasteries of the Mount Silpius region — described by John Chrysostom and other early writers; largely archaeological today.

Museums and archaeological collections

Hatay Archaeology Museum (Antakya) — houses an important collection of Roman-period mosaics from Antioch and its port at Seleucia.
Princeton University Art Museum and other museums preserve mosaics from the 1930s excavations at Antioch.

Pilgrimage today

Modern Antakya has suffered significant earthquake damage (2023). CrossAIHub does not offer travel guidance for the current situation; any pilgrimage should be planned with a trusted parish and Middle Eastern Christian communities.

Related liturgical seasons

The feast of St Ignatius of Antioch — 20 December (Latin) / 20 December (Eastern).
The feast of St John Chrysostom — 13 September (Latin) / 13 November (Eastern).

Images (public-domain, to be added)

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A view of Antioch and the Orontes in the nineteenth century.

Public-domain source: nineteenth-century engraving.

Historic maps (public-domain, to be added)

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The Roman Near East showing Antioch, Tarsus, and the road to Jerusalem.

Public-domain source: Smith's Historical Atlas of the Bible.