Πάταρα
Patara
Definition
Πάταρα (Patara) is the name of a coastal city in the Roman province of Lycia, located in what is now southwestern Turkey. In the New Testament, it is mentioned solely as a geographical location, a significant port city on the Mediterranean Sea. The city was a major maritime hub and a center for the worship of Apollo, known for its famous oracle. In the biblical narrative of Acts 21:1, Patara serves as a transfer point where the Apostle Paul and his companions change ships during their voyage to Jerusalem.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 21:1. It functions strictly as a proper noun identifying a specific location within the travel itinerary of Paul's third missionary journey. The usage is purely geographical, providing a detail of the sea voyage from Miletus to Phoenicia. There are no other contextual or metaphorical uses in the biblical text.
Etymology
The name Πάταρα (Patara) is of Greek origin, derived directly from the city's ancient name. It is not derived from a common Greek root word with a broader semantic range; it is a toponym (place-name) specific to this Lycian city. The city's name was well-established in classical antiquity.
Semantic Range
In the 1st century, Patara was a prosperous and important port city within the Roman Empire, known for its large harbor and as a key site for the imperial cult and the worship of Apollo. Its mention in Acts 21:1 highlights the practical realities of sea travel in the ancient world, where major ports like Patara were essential transfer points for long voyages. Understanding its significance as a hub enriches the reading of Paul's travels, showing the connectedness of the Roman world that facilitated the spread of the gospel.
There are no direct synonyms for this proper noun (place name) within the biblical text. Other port cities mentioned in Acts, like Miletus (G3399) or Caesarea (G2542), share a similar functional category as significant coastal locations in narrative travel accounts.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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