Antioch
Ἀντιόχεια · Antakya · Antiocheia · Antiochia ad Orontem
Seleucid to Mamluk·Greek → Roman → Byzantine → Crusader·🇹🇷 Hatay Province, Turkey
About
About Antioch
One of the four great cities of antiquity (300 BCE–1400 CE), founded by Seleucus I honoring father Antiochos, capital of Seleucid kingdom and Roman Syria with 500,000 inhabitants at peak (Aug 5), early Christian center (Christians first called there, Acts 11:26), and mosaics capital (Antioch mosaics at Princeton). 526 and 2023 earthquakes (February 2023 Hatay 7.8 destroyed modern Antakya atop ancient, including Hatay Museum damage). Hippodamian grid, Tychaeum, Daphne suburb.
Why it mattersMosaic school; early Christian text; Seleucid urbanism; disaster archaeology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Christians named there — archaeology of church?
- 02Daphne oracle sanctuary location
Theories
- 01Tetraopolis four-quarter plan
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- May 300 BCE
- Period
- Seleucid to Mamluk
- Culture
- Greek → Roman → Byzantine → Crusader
- Builders
- Seleucus I, Antiochos I, Titus, Justinian
- Purpose
- Imperial capital and Orontes port; early Christianity hub
- Abandoned
- 1268 CE Mamluk Baibars sack; diminished Ottoman
- Rediscovered
- 1932 Princeton expedition (Waagé/Levi)
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
300 BCE
Seleucus founds
47 BCE
Caesar visits
526 CE
Great earthquake kills 250k
2023
M7.8 earthquake devastates tell
On the ground
Structures & features
36.2020° N · 36.1600° E · 80 m · 3 mapped features
Atrium House mosaics (Yakto)
villaMegarian bowls mosaic cluster
36.2025° N · 36.1620° ESt Peter's Cave Church (grotto)
churchCrusader facade on early cave church
36.2090° N · 36.1780° ETychaeum (Fortuna sanctuary)
templeEutychides Tyche of Antioch temple
36.2015° N · 36.1580° E