COLOSSAE. Cadmus, 8,013 ft. high. So you have it crossing over the border, but they came from a certain cultural background. "Archaeology From Art: Investigating Colossae and the Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Kona. This often meant mixing them to make a new faith system. [citation needed], The city's fame and renowned status continued into the Byzantine period, and in 858, it was distinguished as a Metropolitan See. Early History of Colossae Of the three cities, Colossae was the earli-est to achieve city status. The letter was written to his friend, Philemon, who lived in the city of Colossae. The town was known for its fusion of religious influences (syncretism), which included Jewish, Gnostic, and pagan influences that in the first century AD were described as an angel-cult. It was one of a triad of cities in the area (the other two being Laodicea and Hierapolis), resting at the foot of Mount Cadmus. Colossae lay only a few miles from a major trade route which linked Paul’s home city of Tarsus to Ephesus, the capital of Asia Minor. province of Asia, ten to eleven m. further up the Lycus valley than Laodicea and thirteen m. from Hierapolis. ko-los'-e (Kolossai, "punishment"; the King James Version Colosse): A city of Phrygia on the Lycus River, one of the branches of the Meander, and 3 miles from Mt. Outside the tell there are also remains of sections of columns that may have marked a processional way or the cardo. Letter of Paul to the Colossians, also called Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Colossians, abbreviation Colossians, twelfth book of the New Testament, addressed to Christians at Colossae, Asia Minor, whose congregation was founded by St. Paul the Apostle’s colleague Epaphras. [14], Although during the Hellenistic period, the town was of some mercantile importance, by the 1st century it had dwindled greatly in size and significance. If we all live this way, then the new man that Paul describes in Colossians will just be a theory. Though only a small town in Paul’s time, Colossae had long been known for its fine wool, and in … The ancient city of Colossae was built on a major trade route through the Lycus River Valley in the Roman province of Asia Minor (in the southwest corner of modern-day Turkey). 1 - If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above , where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Rebuilt after each earthquake, Colossae never regained its early prominence, and by 400 the city no longer existed. It was located on the Lycus River and on the great east-west trade route leading from Ephesus on the Aegean Sea to the Euphrates River (see map, p. 2288). Today, the remains of one column marks the location where locals believe a church once stood, possibly that of St. b. Colossae was in the district of Phrygia, a part of the Roman province of Asia. / HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The city of Colosse lay in the beautiful Lycus Valley about 100 miles east of Ephesus. Christians are united with the risen Christ, and therefore they share in his power and authority. "Colossae in Space and Time: Overcoming Dislocation, Dismemberment and Anachronicity". It is likely that Epaphras founded the Colossian church (Col. 1:7), and from 1:21 we assume that the church was composed mainly of Gentiles. Tradition also gives Philemon as the second bishop of the see. 1. [10], The first mention of the city may be in a 17th-century BC Hittite inscription, which speaks of a city called Huwalušija, which some archeologists believe refer to early Colossae. The Colossian Syncretism: The Interface Between Christianity and Folk Belief at Colossae Clinton E. Arnold. Cadwallader, Alan H., and Michael Trainor (2011). Nevertheless, sources suggest that the town may have decreased in size or may even been completely abandoned due to Arab invasions in the seventh and eighth centuries, forcing the population to flee to resettle in the nearby city of Chonai (modern day Honaz). Strabo notes that the city drew great revenue from the flocks, and that the wool of Colossae gave its name to colour colossinus. It was a suffragan diocese of Laodicea in Phyrigia Pacatiane but was replaced in the Byzantine period by the Chonae settlement on higher ground[3], As of 2019, Colossae has never been excavated, as most archeological attention has been focused on nearby Laodicea and Hierapolis,[23] though plans are reported for an Australian-led expedition to the site. He wrote to refute each of the theological errors the Colossians were tempted to embrace. He emphasizes Christ’s authority over all evil powers. Join us for a study, then try it with your own group. © 2014 by the Theology of Work Project, Inc. There the Co­lossians manufactured a beautiful dark red wool cloth ( colossinum) for which the city became famous. Background to the letter. [23] Near the Lycus River, there is evidence that water channels had been cut out of the rock with a complex of pipes and sluice gates to divert water for bathing and for agricultural and industrial purposes. Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). According to Xenophon, a Greek historian from the 4th century BC, Colossae was one of the six big cities of Phrygia. Colossae was about ten miles from Laodicea and … Since then, new trade routes had carried most traffic to its neighboring towns of Laodicea and Hierapolis, and had left Colosse only a country village. The Colossians were living in the Lyscus Valley in lower Asia Minor. At both ends, the walkway opens up to reveal South Korean artist Lee Ufan’s 2017 painting titled “Dialogue.” The letters, however, take readers far beyond these issues of deception. [15] Paul's letter to the Colossians points to the existence of an early Christian community. A Phrygian city, in NT times situated in the Rom. [24], The holiness and healing properties associated with the waters of Colossae during the Byzantine Era continue to this day, particularly at a pool fed by the Lycus River at the Göz picnic grounds west of Colossae at the foot of Mt. Picture Study Bible with Maps and Background Information . Capital city of the Roman province of Asia, Ephesus had approximately a quarter of a million people and was an important seaport. [3], The canonical biblical text Epistle to the Colossians is addressed to the Christian community in Colossae. [19] Its history is chiefly … Cadmus. About six miles away in Hierapolis were hot springs, but that water, too, was lukewarm when it reached Laodicea. Produced by TOW Project, Bible Study: Wednesdays, Oct. 14 - Dec. 16, Theology of Work Project Online Materials, 10 Key Points About Work in the Bible That Every Christian Should Know, Beyond Rank and Power: What Philemon Tells Us About Leadership, Background on Colossae and the Colossians, God Worked in Creation, Making Humans Workers in His Image (Colossians 1:1–14), God at Work, Jesus at Work (Colossians 1:15–20), Jesus, the Image of the Invisible God (Colossians 1:15–29), “I’m Doing Alright by Myself” (Colossians 2:1–23), Set Your Mind On Things Above: Heavenly Living for Earthly Good (Colossians 3:1–16), Doing Our Work as for the Lord (Colossians 3:17, 23), Of Slaves and Masters, Ancient and Contemporary (Colossians 3:18–4:1), Summary & Conclusion to Colossians & Philemon, Key Verses and Themes in Colossians and Philemon, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. He also was a slaveholder whose slave Onesimus had escaped, had later encountered the Apostle Paul, and had responded to the gospel message about Jesus. It’s biblical significance lies in the fact that the book of Colossians was addressed to the church here (Col 1:2) and that Philemon lived in this city. Colossians 2 . [2][3] At Colossae, Herodotus describes how, "the river Lycos falls into an opening of the earth and disappears from view, and then after an interval of about five furlongs it comes up to view again, and this river also flows into the Maiander. A significant city from the 5th century BC onwards, it had dwindled in importance by the time of Paul, but was notable for the existence of its local angel cult. In the Greco Roman world of the first century, Ephesus was exceeded in population only by Rome and Alexandria. The epistle also seems to imply that Paul had never visited the city, because it only speaks of him having "heard" of the Colossians' faith (Col. 1:4), and in the Epistle to Philemon Paul tells Philemon of his hope to visit Colossae upon being freed from prison (see Philemon 1:22). According to the Epistle to the Colossians, Epaphras seems to have been a person of some importance in the Christian community in Colossae (Col. 1:7; 4:12), and tradition presents him as its first bishop. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org. The city was located in the Lycus Valley about 100 miles east of Ephesus. Encyclopedia of The Bible – Colossae . Northeast of the tell, and most likely outside the city walls, a necropolis displays Hellenistic tombs with two main styles of burial: one with an antecedent room connected to an inner chamber, and tumuli, or underground chambers accessed by stairs leading to the entrance. "[4] Despite a treacherously ambiguous cartography and history, Colossae has been clearly distinguished in modern research from nearby Chonai (Χῶναι), now called Honaz, with what remains of the buried ruins of Colossae ("the mound") lying 3 km to the north of Honaz. Materials from the site and ancient references demonstrate that Colossae shared similarities with other cities in Asia minor during the Roman period, using Greek as the main language, having the typical building found in cities, issuing its own coinage, practicing polytheism, and living life according to typical Roman social and cultural norms. It … [21] On the other hand, the Catholic Encyclopedia considers Philemon doubtful. In the letter to the Colossians, Paul addresses how our relationship to God through Jesus Christ affects us in the workplace. The Fifth Century geographer Herodotus first mentions Colossae by name and as a "great city in Phrygia", which accommodates the Persian King Xerxes I while en route to wage war against the Greeks - showing the city had already reached a certain level of wealth and size by this time. [11] [1] It was located 15 km southeast of Laodicea on the road through the Lycus Valley near the Lycus River at the foot of Mt. In the first century it was part of the tri-city area of Laodicea, Colossae, and Hierapolis. This mixing is called syncretizing. "Colossae". Ceramic finds around the theater confirm the city's early occupation in the third and second millennia BC. Colossae was about 12 miles farther east, on the banks of the river itself. Colossae was located in what was known as Asia during that time, and more specifically in the region of Phrygia. Drawing upon little-known angel inscriptions, magical texts, and archaeological evidence from Asia Minor, the author argues that the Colossians tried to combine Paul's teachings about Christ with local pagan and Jewish folk beliefs. A. The Apostle Paul had spent two years planting a church in Ephe­sus, and in Acts 19:10 we learn that, radiating from that center, “all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.” Whether Paul himself fanned out in missionary activity throughout the province or whether some of his converts did so, a church was planted in Colossae. Light of the support of people like you a large economy consisting mostly from textiles, and one the! These people brought assorted philosophies, faith systems, cultural backgrounds, and therefore they share in power... Nearby highway, [ when? a large, important city Minor, was! 'S letter to the Colossians were living in the workplace any size, you ’ ll enable us continue. 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