bgr_428141 - CILICIA - TARSOS Unité

CILICIE - TARSUS

(Second-first century BC)

Mythologically, Tarsus was founded by Argives who was leaving for Egypt in search of Io. The city is historically very old and was part of the Hittite and Assyrian empires before passing under Persian rule. The city fell into the hands of Alexander the Great on the eve of the Battle of Issus in 333 BC The city then became part of the Seleucid empire, but he was sometimes disputed by the Ptolemies. In the Hellenistic period, it became a major metropolis and a renowned center for his Stoic philosophy. Tigranes, king of Armenia, seized the city and ravaged. It was then temporarily occupied by the Parthians and Labienus threatening the province of Asia. Antony met Cleopatra at Tarsus and followed in Egypt. St. Paul was born in Tarsus of 8 in a Hellenized Jewish family.