Tarsus
Tarsus is an ancient city mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of Asia Minor in modern-day Turkey. It appears across 5 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Tarsus was the capital city of the Roman province of Cilicia in southern Asia Minor, situated on the Cydnus River near the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean. Its biblical significance rests almost entirely on its identity as the birthplace and home city of Saul, who became the apostle Paul. In Acts 9:11, the risen Christ instructs Ananias to seek Saul on the street called Straight in Damascus — but Saul's origin is given as "a man from Tarsus." Paul himself, when addressing the Jerusalem crowd, declares with evident civic pride: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia" (Acts 22:3). After his conversion and initial missionary activity, Paul was sent to Tarsus for a period of relative obscurity (Acts 9:30) before Barnabas retrieved him to serve at Antioch (Acts 11:25–26). The fact that Paul was a Roman citizen by birth (Acts 22:25–28) likely reflects Tarsus's status as a free city with special privileges granted by Rome. Tarsus was renowned in antiquity as a center of learning, philosophy, and commerce, providing Paul with the cultural and intellectual formation evident in his sophisticated letters to the early churches.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Tarsus has been continuously inhabited since antiquity and remains a living city in modern Turkey, which limits large-scale archaeological investigation. However, excavations conducted by Hetty Goldman and the American Schools of Oriental Research in the 1930s and 1940s revealed occupation layers stretching from the Neolithic period through the Byzantine era, demonstrating the city's extraordinary longevity. Roman-period remains are extensive, including portions of a colonnaded street and monumental architecture. A gate known locally as "Cleopatra's Gate" preserves Hellenistic and Roman masonry. The ancient Cydnus River, which once ran through the city center and was famous for its cold clarity, has been diverted in modern times. Paul's birthplace is commemorated by a traditional site near the city center, though its authenticity cannot be verified archaeologically.
Verse Appearances (5)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →