Bible Cities: Seleucia
Seleucia in Easton's Bible Dictionary
the sea-port of Antioch, near the mouth of the Orontes. Paul
his companions sailed from this port on their first
journey (Acts 13:4). This city was built by Seleucus
the "king of Syria." It is said of him that "few
ever lived with so great a passion for the building of
He is reputed to have built in all nine Seleucias,
Antiochs, and six Laodiceas." Seleucia became a city
importance, and was made a "free city" by Pompey. It
is now a
small village, called el-Kalusi.
Seleucia in Fausset's Bible Dictionary
Antioch's seaport. The Orontes passes Antioch, and falls into
the sea near Seleucia, 16 miles from Antioch. Paul and
Barnabas at their first missionary tour sailed from that port
(Acts 13:4), and landed there on returning (Acts 14:26). Named
from the great Alexander's successor, Seleucus Nicator, its
founder, who died 280 B.C. The two piers of the old harbour
still remain, bearing the names of Paul and Barnabas; the
masonry is so good that it has been proposed to clear out and
repair the harbour.
Seleucia in Hitchcock's Bible Names
shaken or beaten by the waves
Seleucia in Naves Topical Bible
(A city of Syria beside the Mediterranean Sea)
Seleucia in Smiths Bible Dictionary
(named after its founder, Seleucus), near the mouth of the
Orontes, was practically the seaport of Antioch. The distance
between the two towns was about 16 miles. St. Paul, with
Barnabas, sailed from Seleucia at the beginning of his first
missionary circuit. Ac 13:4 This strong fortress and
convenient seaport was constructed by the first Seleucus, and
here he was buried. It retained its importance in Roman times
and in St. Paul's day it had the privileges of a free city.
The remains are numerous.
Seleucia in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE
se-lu'-shi-a (Seleukia): The seaport of Antioch from which
it is 16 miles distant. It is situated 5 miles North of the
mouth of the Orontes, in the northwestern corner of a
fruitful plain at the base of Mt. Rhosus or Pieria, the
modern Jebel Musa, a spur of the Amanus Range. Built by
Seleucus Nicator (died 280 BC) it was one of the Syrian
Tetrapolis, the others being Apameia, Laodicea and Antioch.
The city was protected by nature on the mountain side, and,
being strongly fortified on the South and West, was
considered invulnerable and the key to Syria (Strabo 751;
Polyb. v.58). It was taken, however, by Ptolemy Euergetes (1
Macc 11:8) and remained in his family till 219 BC, when it
was recovered for the Seleucids by Antiochus the Great, who
then richly adorned it. Captured again by Ptolemy Philometor
in 146 BC, it remained for a short time in the hands of the
Egyptians. Pompey made it a free city in 64 BC in return for
its energy in resisting Tigranes (Pliny, NH, v.18), and it
was then greatly improved by the Romans, so that in the 1st
century AD it was in a most flourishing condition.
On their first missionary journey Paul and Barnabas passed
through it (Acts 13:4; 14:26), and though it is not named in
Acts 15:30,39, this route is again implied; while it is
excluded in Acts 15:3.
The ruins are very extensive and cover the whole space
within the line of the old walls, which shows a circuit of
four miles. The position of the Old Town, the Upper City and
the suburbs may still be identified, as also that of the
Antioch Gate, the Market Gate and the King's Gate, which
last leads to the Upper City. There are rock-cut tombs,
broken statuary and sarcophagi at the base of the Upper
City, a position which probably represents the burial place
of the Seleucids. The outline of a circus or amphitheater
can also be traced, while the inner harbor is in perfect
condition and full of water. It is 2,000 ft. long by 1,200
ft. broad, and covers 47 acres, being oval or pear-shaped.
The passage seaward, now silted up, was protected by two
strong piers or moles, which are locally named after
Barnabas and Paul. The most remarkable of the remains,
however, is the great water canal behind the city, which the
emperor Constantius cut through the solid rock in 338 AD. It
is 3,074 ft. long, has an average breadth of 20 ft., and is
in some places 120 ft. deep. Two portions of 102 and 293 ft.
in length are tunneled. The object of the work was clearly
to carry the mountain torrent direct to the sea, and so
protect the city from the risk of flood during the wet
Church synods occasionally met in Seleucia in the early
centuries, but it gradually sank into decay, and long before
the advent of Islam it had lost all its significance.
Seleucia Scripture - Acts 13:4
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto
Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
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