Paul’s birthplace of
Tarsus is one of the oldest settlements in Cilicia.
Excavators working on the mound rising in the
north-west quarter in the city have uncovered
evidence of settlements here in the Chalcolithic,
Early Bronze, Hittite, Hellenistic and Roman
periods. Among the famous people of Tarsus is the
name of Sit Aleyhisselam, known as Adam’s son Seth;
he is reputedly buried in a mausoleum on the eastern
side of Ulu Mosque.
A somewhat later, and likewise legendary, burial is
that at Donuk Tas of Sardanapalus, the Assyrian king
who is sometimes credited with founding Tarsus in
about 820 BC. The Emperor Julian the Apostate was
buried in Tarsus after his defeat in his battles
with the Persians in 364. The Emperor also died
here, and his heir, Hadrian, who was with him,
assumed the power.
Alexander the Great marched through southern
Anatolia in 334 BC enroute to his lightning conquest
of the East. He stopped long enough in Tarsus to
catch what was almost his death of cold swimming in
the Cydnus River, The city has changed hands many
times. The most famous person associated with Tarsus
in religious history |
is Paul the Apostle. Paul was born a Jew of
the tribe of Benjamin in Tarsus about AD 10 and
spent his early years here. While still a youth he
was sent to Jerusalem to study with Gamaliel, a
leading Jewish theologian. In Jerusalem he
persecuted members of the new Christian community
and was present when Stephen was stoned. Continuing
his intent to stop the new group from spreading,
Paul went to Damascus. Shortly before he arrived, he
was struck blind with the vision of Jesus who called
him to witness to the Gospel. From then on his life
was devoted to that mission. Paul was back living in
Tarsus when Barnabas recruited him to work with the
church in Antioch-on-the-Orontes. Paul made two
subsequent missionary journeys through western
Anatolia and into Greece. Tarsus originally was a
seaport on a lagoon at the mouth of the Cydnus River
and into the 10th century it was a hideout for Arab
pirates. Since then the coast has gradually moved
farther and farther out into the Mediterranean Sea.
Other Roman remains have been found in Tarsus. For
example, the foundations of the Tarsus American
Lycee are on top of vaults that probably were part
of a Roman or Hellenistic hippodrome. |
St. Paul's Well in
Tarsus
Birth Place of St. Paul, Tarsus |
