Archeology - City Visited by St. Paul Unearthed by Scientists

Sep 21, 2026

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Archaeology coverage of Pisidian Antioch describes how the city later associated with the Apostle Paul has become a focus of modern excavation. It recounts Paul’s preaching to both Jews and Gentiles, Antioch’s enduring religious impact, and the discovery of church foundations, sculpture, temples, and inscriptions. The reporting details how excavations and scholarly debate reconstruct the city’s layout and assess the origins of its artistic and architectural work, including Greek influence in a Roman setting.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

City and Historical Background

Paul’s Visit and Early Christian Impact

Excavation Findings

Churches and Temple Area

Reconstruction and Evidence

Preservation and Ongoing Challenges

Distributed for personal,school,club or library use only and publication of any portion is strictly prohibited.Issued by SCIENCE SERVICE,Inc.,1918 Harford Ave.,Baltimore,Md.,and 21st and B Sts.,Washington,D.C. VoI.X $5 a year No.293 10c.a copy ARCHEOLOGY City Visited by St.Paul Unearthed by Scientists centuries is not to be confused withthe Syrian Antioch where the Apos-tle Paul also preached,and where thename of Christian was first be-stowed upon his converts. Thisruined city is the Antioch of theprovince of Pisidia,high among themountains of Asia Minor. Not a prize fighter,but a battered head of theEmperor Augustus found in Antioch. By EMILY C.DAVIS Antioch,the city most often re-membered as the place where theApostle Paul turned from the Jewsto offer his message of Christianityto the Gentiles,has acquired a newfame. Archæologists who have excavatedamong the ruins of this ancientRoman colony have been studyingthe fragments of sculpture and ar-chitecture unearthed there,andthese finds are declared to be out-standingly fine examples of the artof their time. This means distinction of a highorder,since the rivalry among Rom-an colonies was keen,and each citywas eager to outshine the others,and if possible Rome itself,in themagnificence of its temples andmonuments. It should be said at the startthat this Antioch which is winningthe admiration of archæologistsafter it has lain buried for so many It was to Pisidian Antioch thatPaul came about the year 46 A.D.,when the city was a busy centerof Roman civil and military admin-istration. His preaching at theJewish synagogue so attracted theentire population that "when theJews were gone out of the syna-gogue,the Gentiles besought thatthese words might be preached tothem the next Sabbath.” The account in the Book of Actscontinues to say that on the nextSabbath almost the whole city gath-ered to hear him and that whenthe Jews saw the multitudes theywere envious of Paul's popularityand condemned his preaching.Whereupon Paul and his companionBarnabas made a decision of policythat was so important in the historyof the early church,saying boldly: "It was necessary that the wordof God should first have beenspoken to you but seeing ye put itfrom you,and judge yourselves un-worthy of everlasting life,lo,weturn to the Gentiles. "And the word of the Lord waspublished throughout all the region.” Paul departed from the city,butAntioch’s interest in his teachingsgrew for several centuries. Therecent excavations have revealedthe foundations of two largechurches,one a cathedral,probablythe first cathedral of the earlychurch. The city's destruction is believedto have been caused by the Arabs,about 713,though earthquakes haveplayed a part in shaking down the (113) The handsome features of Augustus restored. walls and columns.As far backas 1833,the modern career of An-tioch began when a British clergy-man who was hunting for the an-cient cities connected with churchhistory found his way to the ruinsand identified them as the true siteof Pisidian Antioch. Eighty years elapsed;and thenSir William Ramsay conductedtrial excavations there and foundthat valuable relics lay only a fewfeet below the surface.The warinterrupted his work,until 1924,when the University of Michigan be-came interested in Antioch and sentan expedition there in cooperationwith him,under the direction of Dr.David M.Robinson,of Johns Hop-kins University The full report of the importantfinds which have been made by thisexpedition has not yet been pub-lished,because scientists of the ex-pedition are still studying severalthousand photographs and exhaust-ive notes which they brought back. The difficulty of reconstructing(Just Turn the Page) Antioch Unearthed (Continued from Page 113) the city and its life is particularlygreat.Not only was the entirearea completely wrecked,but na-tives of the modern city nearby areaccustomed to use th

FAQs

Which ancient city does the article focus on, and why is it significant?

The article focuses on Pisidian Antioch, associated with the Apostle Paul’s message and later confirmed through archaeological excavations of the ancient Roman colony.

What kinds of discoveries did archaeologists report at Antioch?

Excavations uncovered foundations of major churches, including what is described as an early cathedral, as well as sculpture, inscriptions, and architectural fragments linked to the city’s buildings.

How did scholars explain who built the temple area?

Dr. Robinson argues that a Roman did not build the temple; he suggests colonists engaged a Greek builder, citing Greek elements in design and Greek mason’s marks as evidence.

Sep 21, 2026

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