Thyatira
Thyatira
Θυάτειρα (Akhisar) | |
|---|---|
 Paul's third journey | |
  Thyatira | |
| Coordinates:38°55′12″N27°50′11″E/ 38.920090°N 27.836253°E |
Thyateira(alsoThyatira;Ancient Greek:Θυάτειρα) was the name of an ancient Greek city in Asia Minor, now the modern Turkish city ofAkhisar( "white castle" ),Manisa Province.The name is probablyLydian.It lies in the far west of Turkey, south of Istanbul and almost due east of Athens. It is about 50 miles (80 km) from theAegean Sea.
History
[edit]It was an ancient Greek city calledPelopia(Ancient Greek:Πελόπεια) andSemiramis(Ancient Greek:Σεμίραμις),[1]before it was renamed to Thyateira (Θυάτειρα), during the Hellenistic era in 290 BC, by the KingSeleucus I Nicator.He was at war withLysimachuswhen he learned that his wife had given birth to a daughter. According toStephanus of Byzantium,he called this city "Thuateira" from Greek θυγάτηρ, θυγατέρα (thugatēr,thugatera), meaning "daughter", although it is likely that it is an older, Lydian name.[2][3]In classical times, Thyatira stood on the border betweenLydiaandMysia.During the Roman era, (1st century AD), it was famous for its dyeing facilities and was a center of the purple cloth trade.[citation needed]Among the ancient ruins of the city,inscriptionshave been found relating to the guild of dyers in the city. Indeed, more guilds συντεχνία suntechuia (syndicate) are known in Thyatira than any other contemporary city in the Roman province of Asia (inscriptions mention the following: wool-workers, linen-workers, makers of outer garments, dyers, leather-workers, tanners, potters, bakers, slave-dealers, and bronze-smiths).[4]
In early Christian times, Thyateira was home to a significant Christian church, mentioned as one of theseven Churches of the Book of Revelationin theBook of Revelation.[5]According to Revelation, a woman named Jezebel (who called herself a prophetess) taught and seduced the Christians of Thyateira to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed toidols.[6]However, some commentators such as Benson and Doddridge have concluded that what is being here practised in Thyatira is the sameapostasypromoted inIsraelbyJezebelas mentioned in theBooks of Kingsand that use of her name here is a direct reference to such. Indeed, as Doddridge notes, "the resemblance appears so great" that, in his view, it is the "same heresy which is represented".[7]
TheApostle PaulandSilasmight have visited Thyateira during Paul's second or third journey, Acts 16:13–16. They visited several small unnamed towns in the general vicinity during the second journey. While inPhilippi,Paul and Silas stayed with a woman namedLydiafrom Thyateira, who continued to help them even after they were jailed and released.
In 366, abattlefought near Thyateira saw the army ofRoman emperorValensdefeatRoman usurperProcopius.
Notable people
[edit]Artemidorus (Ancient Greek:Ἀρτεμίδωρος) of Thyateira was an athlete whowon the Stadion racein the 193rd Olympiad (8 BC).[8]
Nicander (Ancient Greek:Νίκανδρος), also known as Nicander of Thyateira (Ancient Greek:Νίκανδρος ὁ Θυατειρηνός) was an ancient Greek grammarian.[9][10]
Lydia of Thyatira,businesswoman in theActs of the Apostleschapter 16 verse 11–40.[11]
Bishopric
[edit]The city was home to a Christian community from theapostolic period.The community continued until 1922, when theOrthodox Christianpopulation was deported.
In 1922, theEcumenical Patriarch of Constantinopleappointed anexarchfor Western and Central Europe with the title Archbishop of Thyateira. The current archbishop of Thyateira (since 2019) isNikitas Lulias.[12]The Archbishop of Thyateira resides in London and has pastoral responsibility for theGreek Orthodox Churchin the United Kingdom, Ireland andMalta.
The see of Thyatira is also included, withoutarchiepiscopalrank, in theRoman Catholic Church's list oftitular sees.[13]
-
![19th-century Thyatira[14]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/A_dictionary_of_the_Bible.._%281887%29_%2814595164770%29.jpg/200px-A_dictionary_of_the_Bible.._%281887%29_%2814595164770%29.jpg)
19th-century Thyatira[14] -
Byzantine basilica of Thyatira
![19th-century Thyatira[14]](/translate/en.wikipedia.org?u=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3AA_dictionary_of_the_Bible.._%281887%29_%2814595164770%29.jpg&t=vi)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica, Th319.1
- ^Stephanus of Byzantium,De Urbibus( "On cities" )[1]
- ^Θυγάτηρ, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott,A Greek-English Lexicon,at Perseus project
- ^W.M. Ramsey,The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia,(Hodder, 1904), pp. 324–35.
- ^Rev.1:11; 2:18–28.
- ^Rev.2:20
- ^Benson."Revelation 2 Benson Commentary".Biblehub.Retrieved24 August2019.
- ^Eusebius, Chronography, 79
- ^Harpokration, Lexicon of the Ten Orators, Th33
- ^Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae, § 11.5
- ^Acts16:14.
- ^[2][permanent dead link]– Biography at the website of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain
- ^Annuario Pontificio 2013(Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013,ISBN978-88-209-9070-1), p. 988.
- ^Schaff, Philip (1887).A Dictionary of the Bible.
