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Home , Asia (Roman province), Bithynia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Galatia (Roman province), Glaphyra

/DRLOUISEKOHLSMITH(32/20/10) ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO

By Alan Ray Buescher in the First Century /DAVIDROGERS(5/17/9) ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO /DAVIDROGERS(32/21/7) FARLEFT: ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO Sprintg 2007 2007 Spring Sprintg BI FAR LEFT:

62 HE BEGINNING of of Cappadocia. sug- Cappadocia; reverse has an Christianity in Cappadocia gested that Peter preached image of a club. Tappeared as a slow train in Cappadocia, but the approaching from the distant hori- accuracy of this claim Far left: Urgup, 1 about 12 miles zon. Some Cappadocian Jews expe- remains vague. east of Nevsehir, rienced the miracle of , History indicates Jews is one of the most hearing in their own language inhabited Cappadocia important centers in Cappadocia. Galilean believers proclaiming the by at least 139 B.C. (see The erosion by AND OF ART ROGERS/MUSEUM /DAVID magnificent acts of God (:9). 1 Maccabees 15:16-22). water and wind Above: dat- produced these Peter provided the other reference to Cappadocia was part of the Roman ing A.D. 81-96 formations, the / DR. LOUISE KOHL SMITH (32/20/10) LOUISE KOHL / DR.

Cappadocians in the Empire at this point. According to from Caesarea, “Fairy Chimneys.” PHOTO ILLUSTRATOR ARCHAEOLOGY/UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI/COLUMBIA (403/25A) in his first , writing his let- Lucius, who was a Roman official, ter to Christians “in the provinces Jews living in the had an that “A venomous viper bit a 4

ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO ILLUSTRATOR of , , Cappadocia, agreement with Roman authori- Cappadocian . . . the viper died.” , and ,” believers he ties. The agreement gave the Jews Brutal Cappadocian winters enter- addressed as “temporary residents a level of security and protection. tained blizzards—sometimes mak- of the Dispersion” (1 Pet. 1:1). Quite likely, the first Christians ing roads impassable until spring. Even though Cappadocians in Cappadocia came from such Heavy snows could confine persons were among the first to believe in Jewish communities. inside their homes for as long as Christ at the beginning of Despite this apparently slow two months. When the snows melt- the Christian church in , beginning, near the end of the ed and farming season had begun, Christianity apparently did not pen- fourth century, the Cappadocian swarms of beetles always posed a etrate central and eastern Asia Minor fathers, specifically Basil of potential threat to grain crops.5 (Pontus, Cappadocia, and northern Caesarea, his brother Gregory of The names Cappadocia (Greek, Galatia) to any great extent until the , and Gregory of , Kappadokia), , and all mid-third century and later. History directed the growth of the church begin with the Greek letter kappa. and archaeology barely provide a in central and eastern Asia Minor These three developed the sketch of Christian communities in through their writings and actions. reputation as the three most loath- first-century A.D. Cappadocia. The All three of these men helped some and contemptible regions begin- New Testament provides no direct define the doctrine of the Trinity as ning with the letter kappa. No one indication that Christian churches declared orthodox at the Council of had many kind words to say about began in Cappadocia in the first cen- Constantinople in A.D. 381.2 Thus Cappadocians. Worthless, deceitful, LEFT: COREL PHOTO LEFT:

/ DAVID ROGERS (5/17/9) ROGERS / DAVID tury A.D. One of the Cappadocian the influence of early Christians in selfish, brutish—these describe how fathers of the fourth century A.D., Cappadocia ended up giving direc- many viewed them.6 Perhaps their , perpetuated a tion to Christians and Christian harsh environment and living condi- legend that the Roman centurion theology through the centuries. tions contributed to their character ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO ILLUSTRATOR who verbally glorified God at the and reputation. In any case, being

FAR LEFT: crucifixion of Jesus founded the first The Viper Died Cappadocian was not easy. church in Cappadocia. Others later The and climate of As a result of its geography and added to this urban legend by nam- Cappadocia, located in the high- climate, throughout ancient his- ing the centurion , a native lands of central/eastern Asia Minor tory Cappadocia remained on (in present-day eastern , see the outskirts of great civilizations Facing page, First inhabited map, p. 66), may partially explain and cultures that thrived along clockwise from about 3000 B.C., the slow growth of Christianity the Mediterranean coast and low- lower right: in the fifth cen- Christian fres- tury Nevsehir in this region. To the south, the lands. Greek culture and Roman coes from the and the surround- hampered easy rule struggled to impact this rug- 11th cent. in the ing region came Dark Church at under Lydian rule. access to the region of Cilicia on the ged region, and Christianity was no

/ DAVID ROGERS (5/17/8) ROGERS / DAVID Goreme. The / DAVID ROGERS (32/21/7) ROGERS / DAVID northeastern Mediterranean coast. exception. Indeed, the Apostle frescoes include A wide-angle Traveling west toward Galatia, the never ventured to Cappadocia with images of Christ view of the apse, enthroned; His central nave and elevated steppe seemed never end- the , acknowledging that he betrayal by Judas, flanking aisles of ing. The regions most accessible to received his itinerary from the Holy ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO ILLUSTRATOR ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO ILLUSTRATOR and shown, the the Dark Church Cappadocia existed to the north Spirit to move westward.7 2007 Spring LEFT: LEFT:

Lord’s Supper. at Goreme, BI

FAR LEFT: Cappadocia (Pontus and northeastern Galatia) Nevsehir is and east ().3 LESSON REFERENCE the capital of Anchorite A rugged terrain chisels a rugged the region of dwellings in ETB: :1-12 63 Cappadocia. Cappadocia. people. An early adage remarked It’s All About the Money PONTUS, GALATIA, ASIA, AND BITHYNIA Money motivates governments and moves armies—always has, always he Roman provinces of the . The temple to will. Cappadocia, while not lacking in Pontus and Bithynia lay the Greek (the natural resources, became significant Tto the north and north- Roman Diana) made the list as to the Romans not only as another west of Cappadocia respectively, one of the Seven Wonders of the source of income to fuel its expan- although the Romans had actu- Ancient World.4 sion, but also as a frontier border ally united the two into one prov- History is silent on the begin- from which to defend its empire from ince for administrative purposes ning of Christianity in Bithynia. outside attack and to protect its inter- approximately 63 B.C. Aquila Not until the correspondence in ests in the . stands unique as the only native approximately A.D. 110 between Archelaus, appointed by Marcus of Pontus mentioned in the New Pliny, the governor of Bithynia, Antonius as the last king of Cappadocia Testament (:2). The other and , the emperor, does before Cappadocia became a Roman two provinces listed in 1 Peter 1:1, information surface concerning province, ruled from 36 B.C. until Galatia and Asia, lay to the west. the status of churches in this prov- his death in A.D. 17. Archelaus As with Cappadocia, Paul never ince. The gospel affected Bithynia understood and sought political alli- visited Bithynia-Pontus, being enormously, reaching persons of ances. His daughter, , mar- prevented by the Holy Spirit from all ages and social ranking. The ried , son of Herod, and he going to Bithynia (16:7), and evan- changed lives of so many persons maintained influential connections in gelized only in southern Galatia, adversely affected pagan temple . However, approximately three in the cities of (), attendance and caused a reduc- years before his death, the authori- Iconium, , and . He tion in the sale of sacrificial meat ties summoned Archelaus to Rome, experienced great success in west- for pagan worship, resulting in charging him with treason. The results ern Asia on his third missionary persecution of Christians at least of this trial remain unknown. Upon journey, with a three-year minis- by the early second century.5 i Archelaus’s death, the Romans try in (20:31).1 immediately incorporated 1. A. Harland, “Bithynia” in Eerdmans These four provinces, together Dictionary of the , David Noel Freedman, ed. in Cappadocia into its empire as with Cappadocia, and Cilicia, chief (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing a province—with little objec- Company, 2000), 190; Jack Finegan, The Archeology comprised the peninsula that of the New Testament (Boulder: Westview Press, tion from the Cappadocians. extends westward from the main- 1981), 84. Their agreeing was perhaps largely 2. Finegan, 79-80. 8 land of Asia between the Black 3. Emil G. Kraeling, “Asia” in Dictionary of the aided by a reduction in taxes. Bible, James Hastings, ed., Frederick C. Grant and Sea and Mediterranean, known H. H. Rowley, eds., rev. ed. (New York: Charles Roman procurators of equestrian also as Asia Minor or Scribner’s Sons, 1963), 64. rank replaced the Cappadocian mon- 4. Barry J. Beitzel, Moody Atlas of Bible Land, (constituting most of present-day (Chicago: Moody Press, 1985), 182. archy from A.D. 17 until A.D. 72. Turkey).2 Asia, established as a 5. Pliny, Letters Books VIII-X and Panegyricus, The Cappadocia, with only two significant Loeb Classical Library, G. P. Goold, ed. (Cambridge: when Rome con- Harvard University Press, 1969), 10.95-97 (pp. cities ( and Mazaca) at the time quered the kingdom of Pergamum 285-293). of its incorporation into the Roman in 133 B.C., boasted one of the Empire, posed a unique situation richest economies in the Roman Alan Ray Buescher is a free- for Rome. Without municipal gov- Empire.3 One of its major cities, lance writer living in Nashville, ernments in place, the procurators Ephesus, was a top-ranking city in Tennessee. did little to alter the existing feudal internal organization. Instead, they Artist’s rendition allowed the local feudal lords to retain of the temple of Artemis at much freedom and sovereignty in the Ephesus. © 2006 JupiterImages Corporation judicial and administrative matters of their local domains, which made even more sense with few Roman citizens residing in Cappadocia. The Cappadocian kings had divided the land into strategiai, which the Spring 2007 Spring Romans left unchanged. One or more BI feudal lords provided the leadership in the strategiai. 64 Roman rule provided a catalyst for more urban development, but Right: At Zelve, volcanic rocks and cones provided comfortable dwelling places for the area’s inhabitants. Zelve

remains one of SMITH (32/20/20) LOUISE KOHL / DR. the best-pre- served examples of a cave dweller community. ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO ILLUSTRATOR Below: of Mazaca (Caesarea) in Cappadocia; the tetrahedron in Zeus’s right hand represents Mount Argaeus.

the growth Although Rome had lowered War and Peace of cities was taxes on the feudal lords, much Any international conflict involving slow. The revenue flowed to the Roman Rome in Cappadocia came from the lower classes emperor from the lands previ- east. The River provided lived in feudal ously owned by Archelaus. Mines the region’s eastern border, dividing villages, and yielded translucent marble, crystal the Roman Empire to the west from many of the alabaster, onyx, silver, lead, and Rome’s primary adversary to the Cappadocians iron. Varieties of domesticated east, the Parthians, whose empire in Rome came animals flourished in Cappadocia: encompassed a large part of present- from the large sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, mules, day . The country of Armenia, slave population camel, and horses. This region on the east bank of the Euphrates, in Cappadocia.9 had long had a reputation for its also provided an additional buf- Mazaca, later horses, going back to the eighth fer from the Parthians, making the renamed Caesarea century B.C. However, most politics of Armenia of great inter- by Archelaus in of the revenues generated from est to the Romans and Parthians honor of the emper- the land previously owned by alike as they vied for control in the or Caesar , Archelaus came from the minerals Near East.13 served as the capital and precious stones.11 Peace ruled between the Roman city for the Cappadocian Despite the land’s rich resourc- province of Cappadocia and the kings through the reign of es, most of Cappadocia remained Parthians for 16 years after the Archelaus in A.D. 17. Located backward and impoverished. Many Roman procurator took office in on a plateau on the north side people lived in caves carved in the A.D. 17. However, when Armenia’s /DAVID ROGERS/MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS/BOSTON (314/20) OF FINE ARTS/BOSTON ROGERS/MUSEUM /DAVID of the 13,000 foot, volcanic, snow- soft volcanic rock formations, often King Artaxias died in A.D. 34, a hos- capped Mount Argaeus, Caesarea sharing their homes with their - tile 3-year struggle began between developed into the leading Roman mals. The land yielded enough grain Rome and the Parthians to determine Spring 2007 Spring

ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO ILLUSTRATOR city of the region. Not until the for export, but most of the wine the next ruler of Armenia. Rome fourth century A.D., however, did and olive oil that locals consumed never actually sent forces against BI it boast several schools, gymnasi- was imported. The inhabitants of the Parthians, rather Pharasamanes, ums, and temples to the Greek gods eastern Cappadocia also enjoyed the king of , took the lead in 65 Zeus, , and Fortune.10 harvests of fruits and nuts.12 skirmishes against the Parthians. / LINDEN ARTISTS/ / LINDEN ARTISTS/ ILLUSTRATOR MAP ILLUSTRATOR

Rome had chosen Pharasamanes’s also gained citizenship upon their fruit ripening in the fourth century brother, Mithridates, as their can- husbands’/fathers’ return to civilian through the actions and words of the didate for king of Armenia. History life. Rome and Parthia reached a . i is silent about how this war affect- peace settlement in A.D. 66; Rome, 1. Raymond Van Dam, Becoming Christian: The ed Cappadocia; but the settlement therefore, withdrew its legions from Conversion of Roman Cappadocia (Philadelphia: reached between Rome and the Cappadocia at that time.15 University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003), 1; Raymond Van Dam, Kingdom of Snow: Roman Rule and Greek Culture Parthians in A.D. 37 established Acts 2:9 indicates Parthians (Jews in Cappadocia (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Mithridates as the new ruler of or proselytes) witnessed the miracle Press, 2002), 21; Raymond Van Dam, “The Disruptive Impact of Christianity in Late Roman Cappadocia” in Armenia, with the Parthian king, of Pentecost together with residents The Making of Christian Communities in Late Antiquity Artabanus, returning to his throne of Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, and and the Middle Ages, Mark Williams, ed. (London: 14 Anthem Press, 2005), 16; Jack Finegan, The Archeology after a temporary loss of power. others. The New Testament makes no of the New Testament (Boulder: Westview Press, 1981), 20, 83. The greatest struggle for Armenia other specific reference to Parthia. 2. Van Dam, Becoming Christian, 1-2. arose in the reign of Nero, with Cappadocia proved to be a great 3. Van Dam, Kingdom of Snow, 13. 4. Ibid. Cappadocia becoming a strategic laboratory for witnessing the effi- 5. Ibid., 13-15. military outpost for Rome during cacy of the gospel of Jesus Christ 6. Ibid., 1. 7. Van Dam, “The Disruptive Impact,” 8. the Parthian and Armenian War, to penetrate hearts conditioned to 8. William Emmett Gwatkin, Jr., “Cappadocia As which waged from the A.D. mid-50s resist change by a harsh and relative- a Roman Procuratorial Province” in The University of Missouri Studies, H. M. Belden, ed. in chief, vol. 5, no. to A.D. 66. Rome recruited through- ly isolated environment. The Jewish 4 (Columbia, MO: The University of Missouri, October 1, 1930), 5-16, 19; “Cappadocia” in The Anchor Bible out Cappadocia and Galatia to fill its Diaspora planted Jewish commu- Dictionary (ABD), David Noel Freedman, ed. in chief, legions, which normally were com- nities in Cappadocia. This result vol. 1 (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 870-872. 9. Ibid., 17-19; Van Dam, Kingdom of Snow, 24-25. posed of Roman citizens. As a result, of God’s judgment on His people’s 10. Finegan, 83; Van Dam, Kingdom of Snow, 24-27. some Cappadocians gained Roman disobedience centuries earlier pro- 11. Gwatkin, 19; Van Dam, Kingdom of Snow, 15. 12. Van Dam, Kingdom of Snow, 15, 16. citizenship through enrolling in the vided the basis for the expansion 13. ABD; Jesse Curtis Pope, “Parthians” in Eerdmans legion. Since Cappadocians raised of the gospel in the Roman Empire. Dictionary of the Bible, David Noel Freedman, ed. in chief (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing horses, most of the Cappadocian Perhaps that first seed of God’s Company, 2000), 1010. 14. Gwatkin, 30. recruits probably joined the cavalry. grace germinated in a Cappadocian 15. Ibid., 44-45, 55. Spring 2007 Spring Other Cappadocians joined Roman heart in Jerusalem on Pentecost and BI auxiliary forces and probably gained transplanted itself amidst a people citizenship only after completing of volcanic crags, feudal lords, and Alan Ray Buescher is a free- 66 25 years of service. The wives and horses. The seed grew slowly, silent- lance writer living in Nashville, children of these military recruits ly, with its flowers blossoming and Tennessee.