Strong correlation between tectonic and historicalmythological data suggests that. Colosse was rather insignificant in roman history and is mentioned only by a. The ancient city of colossae was built on a major trade route through the lycus river valley in the roman province of asia minor in the southwest corner of modernday turkey. Hotel, pamukkale travertine, thermal hot water and red juice of the karahayit just around the corner. A few months ago, the rev nile suggested that muslim women should not wear their distinctive burqa in public.
Colossae or colosse was an ancient city in the lycus river valley, about 100 miles east of the great, cosmopolitan capital city of ephesus, located in the roman province of asia, in presentday turkey. Colossae was about 12 miles farther east, on the banks of the river itself. Pamukkale, hierapolis, and laodicea, near denizli, turkey. Colossae was situated in phrygia on the southern bank of the lycus river see map on page 11. But colossaes importance as a business center diminished significantly around 100 bc, when the neighboring city of laodicea was founded as an active and commercially aggressive competitor.
Depending on the vehicle you choose to travel, you can calculate the amount of co2 emissions from. Colossae international standard bible encyclopedia. The unexcavated site of colossae sits near the modern city of honaz at the base of mt. The historical setting of colossians sage journals. This brief personal note was written to philemon a prominent member of the church at colossae see map 27. In western turkey, about 100 miles west of ephesus, in a valley where the lycus river. Colossae travel in turkey, the ultimate travel guide for. It was about 12 miles above laodicea, and near the great road from ephesus to the euphrates, and was consequently of some mercantile importance. Paul wrote two letters to colossae, namely colossians and philemon. Here you can find information about the history of ancient turkey, about biblical sites to visit in turkey and greece, major christian saints, missionary journeys of st. The church at colossae was under intense pressure from the society around it. This attempt to make a study of turkish church history is, on the whole, motivated by my. Philemon was also one of pauls fellowworkers, and the church at colossae met in his home.
The road driving distance between ephesus to colossae is 194 km. Colossae, once the great city of southwest phrygia, was situated on rising ground 1150 ft. The epistle to the colossians, an early christian text which identifies its author as paul the apostle, is addressed to the church in colossae. Despite a treacherously ambiguous cartography and history, colossae has been clearly distinguished in modern research from nearby chonai.
Early history of colossae of the three cities, colossae was the earliest to achieve city status. Laodicea denizli pamukkale, biblical sites in turkey, biblical tour guide is a web site where we share with you our knowledge and offer you our top services. The two towns, along with neighboring hierapolis, were destroyed by earthquakes in ad 17 in the reign of tiberius and again in 60 in the reign of nero. Colossae honaz, biblical sites in turkey, biblical tour. The site was founded in the ancient lycus valley on the side of aksu river to the north of old kadmos todays honaz mountain, and positioned on the historic commercial and military routes connecting southwest of anatolia to the east. Colossae was located 120 miles east of ephesus in the lycus river valley in ancient phrygia, part of the roman territory of asia minor.
Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. The church of laodicea in the bible and archaeology. Not only do we live in an atomic and space age, but in the most technologically advanced age of all time. Republic of turkey pearl of the aegean licensed health ministry, spa hotel colossae thermal, pamukkale karahay. Colossae in william smith, editor 1854, 1857 a dictionary of greek and roman geography, volume. The conversion of people with differing world views can create problems but they can be overcome by emphasizing the supremacy of christ. It stood on the great trade route from sardis to celaenae and iconium, and was a large, prosperous city herod. Workbook on colossians the church of christ in zion. The ad 60 denizli basin earthquake and the apparition of.
The earliest historical documents show that the city of ancient colossae, not far from denizli and close to honaz, was well known in the 6th century bce. Pamukkale is a good base for a day trip to aphrodisias. Its history is chiefly associated with that of these two cities. This allows a better understanding of the local active tectonics and seismic history. The tragic ad 60 earthquake of colossae, laodicea, and. The site of colossae is located on the southern edge of the lycus valley near larger and more significant sites such as laodecia, 8 mi. Its ruins are adjacent to modern pamukkale in turkey and currently comprise an archaeological museum designated as a unesco world heritage site.
Colossae definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Holy city was an ancient greek city located on hot springs in classical phrygia in southwestern anatolia. Ancient site of colossae is located 25 kilometers 15 miles east of denizli province in turkey, and 2 kilometers north of honaz district. You can also find the distance from colossae to ephesus using other travel options like bus, subway, tram, train and rail. In western turkey, about 100 miles west of ephesus, in a valley where the. The origins of a church are not nearly as important as its faithfulness to christ. The wool was dyed dark red and was simply known throughout the. Colossae, nestled in the valley of the lycus likuhs river. But early european travellers into asia minor, as they often called it, were flummoxed in their search for colossae because so. This letter was written to the church at colossae about 100 miles 160 km inland from the port of ephesus in the roman province of asia in c.
A welldocumented fact of colossian history was that the lycus river, beginning at colossae, disappeared underground for about 12 mile. Colossae was the smallest of three cities in the lycus valley along with laodicea 12 miles west and hierapolis 15 miles northwest. Although little remains today, in roman times, colossae was an important city on the banks of the river lycos near the modern town of honaz. Places of interest in the ancient city of hierapolis, pamukkale travertine, buldan karahay. T his was a city of phrygia, on the lycus river, which is a tributary of the maeander river. Apart from the trip distance, refer directions from colossae to ephesus for road driving directions. Early, according to both herodotus and xenophon, it was a place of great importance. The ancient city of colossae was built on a major trade route through the lycus river.
It was known into the 8th century ce, though its significance gradually waned. This page was last edited on 28 february 2020, at 17. The bible journey pauls letter to philemon at colossae. Denizli has good bus connectivity to southwestern turkey and even good overnight train service with istanbul. Many of the pensions there can put you on the daily organized van trip. In antiquity colossae was on the trade route from ephesus to the euphrates river heading east and was a very important city. Colossae definition, an ancient city in sw phrygia. It was one of a triad of cities in the area the other two being laodicea and hierapolis, resting at the foot of mount cadmus. Background on colossae and the colossians bible commentary.
Colossae was located in the roman province of asia minor, which is modern day turkey. Summarizes some facts about the site with internal links to related topics. Tectonic analysis is combined with a study of histori cal seismicity, highlighting the use of historical sources from. Forms of gnosticism, asceticism, and sophistry were popular in the city gnosticism combined ideas from greek philosophy, oriental mysticism, and christianity a classic example of syncretism, combining elements of different religions. The book of colossians, or colossians, is actually a letter of spiritual instruction written by the apostle paul to christians who lived in the city of colossae. A church need not have a long history in order to have a great impact.
In the first century it was part of the tricity area of laodicea, colossae, and hierapolis. It is believed this canyon was formed by collapsing of earth caused by the ad 60 earthquake 102. There are many books acts, galatians, ephesus, colossians, and. Book spa hotel colossae thermal, turkey on tripadvisor. This connection between the cities lies behind pauls reference to hierapolis and laodicea in his epistle to the colossians col 4. Colossae is clearly marked on maps today, just to the north of the town of honaz and east of the city of denizli in southwestern turkey. The original roads from ephesus and sardis joined there, and this defensible and wellwatered hill. Originally they had been phrygian cities, but in the new testament age they were. It was also near hierapolis it does not appear that paul had visited this city when he wrote his letter to the church. In the area where the underground course was believed to run is now a 30. It does not appear that paul had visited this city when he wrote his letter to the church there colossians. Because the lycus valley was particularly fertile, the region produced large crops of figs and olives.
The ad 60 denizli basin earthquake and the apparition of archangel michael at colossae aegean turkey article pdf available in geological society london special publications 2731. The distance between colossae to ephesus is 194 km by road. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Laodicea denizli pamukkale, biblical sites in turkey.
As in the past, this is a day where, duped by the ageold lie of satan, man still continues to believe in. Colossae honaz, biblical sites in turkey, biblical tour guide is a web site where we share with you our knowledge and offer you our top services. Colossae was an ancient city of phrygia in asia minor, and one of the most celebrated cities of southern anatolia modern turkey. Colossaes history, sketchy though it may be, but they shed little or no light on how. The place of ancient colossae was discovered by william j. This article explores the history of colossae in connection with pauls letter. A significant city from the 5th century bc onwards, it had dwindled in.
Hierapolis, the sacred city, is located at presentday pamukkale in south central turkey. In the area where the underground course was believed to run is now a 30 deep canyon. Laodicea and hierapolis stood on opposite sides of the valley, some 6 miles apart. The ancient archeological, colossae, was an ancient roman territory of phrygia in asia minor, on the southern edge of the lycus valley near the larger and more significant sites such as laodicea, 120 miles east of ephesus in the lycus river valley, to the north of old kadmoscadmus honaz mountain, is. Colossae originally lay on the main road from ephesus to the euphrates and the e, at the junction of the highways to sardis and pergamum, and it was the visible policy of paul to plant the gospel at places whence it would diffuse down the main arteries of trade and communication. Hierapolis 12 miles northwest and laodicea 12 miles west. It is located near the sites of laodicea and hierapolis, which also appear in the bible michael trainor explores colossae in his article colossae colossal in name only. Introductory remarks because of the rising tide of human philosophies confronting us today, no new testament book speaks with more relevancy than does the epistle to the colossians. The once great city of colossae in modern turkey has never been excavated. Colossae epistle to the colossians, philemon 10,23 along a main inland road from ephesus to the euphrates river, colossae shared the beauty of the lycus valley with its sister cities. A short but helpful page with links to related articles.