Seleucia
Seleucia is an ancient city mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of Syria in modern-day Syria. Known today as Seleucia Pieria. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Seleucia appears in Acts 13:4 as the port from which Paul and Barnabas embarked on the first missionary journey, having been commissioned by the church at Antioch and sent out by the Holy Spirit. The text records simply that "they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus." Though the mention is brief, Seleucia's role is pivotal: it was the physical gateway through which the gospel first moved systematically westward into the Gentile world. Seleucia Pieria served as the seaport of Antioch, the great Syrian metropolis where believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). The city was named after Seleucus I Nicator, founder of the Seleucid dynasty, who built it around 300 BC as a fortified harbor. Paul's departure from Seleucia marked the beginning of a revolutionary missionary strategy that would carry the message of Christ across the Roman Empire, establishing churches in Cyprus, Asia Minor, and eventually reaching Europe. The port thus stands at one of the great turning points in redemptive history, representing the church's obedient response to Christ's command to be witnesses "to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Seleucia Pieria is located near the modern town of Samandag in Hatay Province, southern Turkey, approximately 25 kilometers from ancient Antioch (Antakya). The site preserves impressive remains, most notably the Titus Tunnel (Vespasianus Titus Tunnel), an extraordinary Roman engineering feat — a 1.4-kilometer channel carved through solid rock to divert floodwaters away from the harbor. The harbor itself, once one of the most important in the eastern Mediterranean, has largely silted up and lies inland from the current coastline. Excavations have revealed portions of the city walls, a temple platform, rock-cut tombs, and elements of the ancient street grid. The site is accessible to visitors, though much remains unexcavated beneath agricultural land.
Verse Appearances (1)
Acts
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →