- Epiphania, Cilicia
Epiphania was a city in Cilicia Secunda (Cilicia Trachea), in
Anatolia .The city was originally called Oiniandos, and was located in the area of the famous
Gülek Pass (Cilician Gates).In thesecond century BC the city was renamed Epiphania, in honour ofAntiochus IV Epiphanes , King of Syria from175 BC to164 BC .The city is mentioned in the writings of
Ptolemy andPliny the Elder .Cicero stayed there briefly during his exile. In 66 BC the Roman generalPompey led a campaign against the mediterranean pirates. After the surrender of the pirates, they were dispersed and many were settled at Epiphania.According to Gibbon,
Saint George was born here, in a fuller's shop [http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/hst/roman/TheDeclineandFallofTheRomanEmpire-2/chap41.html] , in the latefourth century .Saint Amphion was the earliest knownbishop of Epiphania in325 , as asuffragan of the Bishop ofAnazarbus . He attended theFirst Council of Nicaea in325 , and later suffered under the persecutions ofDiocletian .Today its ruins include the remains of walls, a temple, an acropolis, an aqueduct, and many houses, all built in basalt.
References
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05503a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia]
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