ACTS
The continued Life of Jesus through the Apostles

Seleucia plain with Mt. Cassius

Seleucus I Nicator of Syria founded Seleucia Pieria in 301 B.C.
as a port for his capital in Antioch.  The city became one of the “Syrian Tetrapolis,”  designed to promote Hellenistic culture in Syria.  It was then an important political,  military,  and economic game piece in the Ptolemaic-Seleucid wars.  In 63 B.C. Rome made Seleucia a free city and then in 70 A.D. made it the base for the imperial fleet.

The Harbor

Seleucia was the seaport from which Paul and Barnabas left with John Mark for their first missionary journey  (ca. 49 A.D.,  see Acts 13:4).  Part of the ancient (manmade) harbor can still be seen,  although it has since silted up.  This harbor caused continual problems and required frequent maintenance.