Trachonitis
(a rugged region), (Luke 3:1) is in all probability the Greek equivalent for the Aramaic Argob, one of the five Roman provinces into which the country northeast of the Jordan was divided in New Testament times. [Argob]
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Trachonitis
Trachonitis trak-o-ni'-tis: Appears in Scripture only in the phrase tes Itouraias kai Trachbnitidos choras, literally, "of the Iturean and Trachonian region" (Lu 3:1). Trachonitis signifies the land associated with the trachon, "a rugged stony tract." There are two volcanic districts South and East of Damascus, to which the Greeks applied this name: that to the Northwest of the mountain of Bashan (Jebel ed-Druze) is now called el-Leja', "the refuge" or "asylum." It lies in the midst of an arable and pastoral country; and although it could never have supported a large population, it has probably always been inhabited. The other is away to the Northeast of the mountain, and is called in Arabic es-Safa. This covers much the larger area. It is a wild and inhospitable desert tract, remote from the dwellings of men. It was well known to the ancients; but there was nothing to attract even a sparse population to its dark and forbidding rocks, burning under the suns of the wilderness. It therefore plays no part in the history. These are the two Trachons of Strabo (xvi.2, 20). They are entirel…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Trachonitis
In the Bible only in Lk 3', in defining Philip's tetrarcliy : t^s Irovpalai aal TpaxiortriSof x^P"'- Traelionitis was pro])crly the country of, or round, the Trachon or Traclions (6 Tpdxuii', ol Tpdxwvfs), the name given by the (jreeks (7-pdxw ' ; 'price,' ti^it) ; 'valuable,' 'expensive,' •■oXi/reXijt, »oXi>Ti^os ; ' lading of a sliip,' yufios. ii. Data. — 1. General. — The natural features of a country indicate the character and extent of its commerce. Given harbours or practicable land routes, etc., it will export what it produces easily, and import what it pro ,t?f but Jhe %ZthVf Szi^tion would subjects t«>e r^iit j j^nce, obtains from Ben- r«:d°a^Xri:^htto'la;e'stLtsMn^^ • , »n Ur^e ite trading quarter or bazaar IK 2;^1 ipowerfu king°obtained large quantities orfore^n^commoditief as presents or tnVte, e.g. ?he ^fts of the queen of Sheba and other princes, the giiis oi uic 4 ioi»»l The kuig made etc., to SoU.mon (1 K 4 lu h^ Moreover, a similar presents in return (1 ^V^ K J'^^rtkles of ^vealthv sovereign would need f°^eign art Ues ol luxury for his court, raatenals for 1»3 buildi…
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Trachonitis
Luk 3:1. The Trachonite region (the old Bashan) included parrs of Auranitis, Gaulanitis, and Batanaea besides Trachonitis proper, which lay S. of Damascus and E. of Gaulanitis. (Josephus Ant. 17:8, section 1; 11, section 4). Philip was tetrarch of Trachonitis and Ituraea. (See PHILIP) Trachonitis is the Greek for the Aramaic Argob ("heap of stones"), "the rugged region," abounding in caves, some of vast extent. Jerome places Trachonitis rightly between Damascus and Bostra; having Kenath among its chief towns. Trachonitis included el Lejah and part of the western slopes of jebel Hauran. (See ARGOB) On the northern border of Trachonitis are the large ruins of Musmeih, which an inscription on a temple door identifies with Phocus (Phoeno) the old capital (Burckhardt, Trav. Syriac 117). The Lejah is bounded on the E. by the mountains of Batanaea (jebel Hauran) whereon lie the ruins of Kenath, on the S. by Auranitis (Hauran) whereon are the ruins of Bostra, on the N. by Ituraea (Jedur) and Damascus. Josephus (Ant. 15:10, section 1) says "the inhabitants dwelt in caves that served as a refu…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia