World's leading travel agency
Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul, was once the most important city in the Cilician plain, located in what is now the region of Çukurova. By the time of St. Paul's birth, Tarsus had a long and storied history, with evidence of occupation dating back to the Neolithic period, around the seventh millennium BCE. Excavations at the Gözlü Kule tumulus, near the modern city, have revealed that the site was once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kizzuwatna during the Bronze Age. The famous Hittite queen Puduhepa was a priestess in Kizzuwatna before moving to the Hittite capital of Hattusas, and the capital of the kingdom at that time was 'Tarsa'. Greek cultural influences began to take root in the region around the twelfth century BCE, coinciding with the upheavals caused by the Sea Peoples.
The Assyrian annals refer to Tarsus as 'Tarzi', the capital of the kingdom of Que, which aligns with the biblical reference to Coa (Cilicia) in the Second Book of Chronicles, dated to the tenth century BCE. Tarsus was a crucial trading hub, especially for metals like silver, iron, and lead, which were exchanged with the Phoenician city of Tyre (Ezekiel 27:12). However, much of ancient Tarsus, built after its relocation by King Sennacherib of Assyria, now lies beneath the sediment of the Cydnus River and modern buildings.
Tarsus remained significant even after the collapse of the Assyrian empire, and when the Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great expanded into Anatolia, Tarsus became a key urban center. For travelers moving from the Cilician Gates into Syria, Tarsus was a vital stop. It was here that both Cyrus the Younger and Alexander the Great rested during their campaigns, with Alexander famously attempting a dangerous plunge into the Cydnus River that nearly cost him his life.
Roman control of Cilicia began in 50 BCE, and Tarsus became an important city under Roman rule. It was during this period that Cicero served as the Roman governor of the region, staying in Tarsus. Tarsus also played a key role in the famous love affair between Mark Antony and Cleopatra in 41 BCE. Cleopatra’s dramatic arrival in Tarsus, traveling on a lavish barge with purple silk sails and a crew dressed as mythological figures, is one of the most memorable events from the city's Roman period.
Recent excavations in Tarsus reveal that it was a prosperous Roman city, with architectural remains similar to those of Antioch on the Orontes. The city’s significance is reflected in St. Paul's own words in Acts 21:39, where he refers to himself as a 'citizen of no mean city'. Though Acts only briefly mentions St. Paul’s Tarsus citizenship, archaeological evidence, such as the remains of the Via Tauris and a large floor mosaic, provide a glimpse into the city's appearance during his time.
St. Paul’s early life was primarily spent in Jerusalem, where he studied under the respected teacher Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). Despite Tarsus being a renowned center of Greek philosophy, particularly known for its Stoic school, Paul did not take advantage of this intellectual heritage, as his education in Jerusalem took precedence. St. Paul’s eventual return to Tarsus was likely during his missionary journeys, including his travels through Galatia and Pisidia, though the details of these visits are not explicitly recorded in Acts.
Tarsus, once a major crossroads of trade and culture, served as a vibrant backdrop for the early life of St. Paul and his mission to spread Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.