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Tarsus, 14 miles east of Mersin, was indeed the largest city in Cilicia in ancient times. It was an unpretentious town, with narrow, tortuous streets, mud houses, and a small bazaar. |
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Satellite view of the area
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Today no spectacular remains exist to give evidence of the former importance of the very ancient town. |
| The city was along the Seyhan River in the ancient past and probably in marine contact with the Sea. Tarsus sits on the east side of the Cilician Gates and controlled all trade by this route. Control of the Cilician plain, as the hinge point of routes, controlled trade to Israel and Egypt, from Europe. | |
| Almost all traffic from the Anatolian plateau to the Levant was funneled through here, coming down by the Cilician Gates to Tarsus, which at that time could be reached from the sea. Some of the trade goods meant for the southern reaches of Palestine and Egypt were loaded aboard ships at Tarsus, to continue the journey south. | |
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(From Ancient Routes by Rod Baird) |
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(from The Moody
Atlas of Bible Lands. Copyright 2000 (c) by Barry J. Beitzel.)
(Biblesoft)
Bibliography