Cilicia

• Cilicia was a Roman Province which is now the Mediterranean Region of southern Turkey.

1. History

• Pre-Roman history:
  • Cilicia was an Independant Kingdom under the Hittite Empire (c. 1700-1200 BCE), then still independent under the Persian Empire.
  • 333 BCE Alexander the Great marched through the Cilician Gates and went on to conquer Persia and the East.
  • 167-67 BCE Pirates of Cilicia became a Sea Power and dominated the Eastern Mediterranean and the Slave Trade. Coracesium was the Pirate Base.
  • 75 BCE Julius Caesar and the Pirates of Cilicia. He was captured and ransomed as a hostage.
• Acquisition by Rome:
  • 67 BCE Cilicia lost its independence after the Naval Battle of Coracesium where Pompey defeated the Pirates of Cilicia.
• Timeline of this Province:
  • 30 BCE Battle of the Cilician Pass, where the Roman General Publius Ventidius Bassus defeated the Parthian Army, who were allied to the Roman Rebel Quintius Labienus.
• After Augustus’ reconstituted the Republic into an Empire (27 BCE):
  • 58-27 BCE Cyprus united with Cilicia.
  • 41 BCE Mark Anthony summoned Queen Cleopatra VII here, where they formed an Alliance against Octavian.
  • 27 BCE Augustus separated Cyprus from Cilicia and reduced it in size.
  • 72 CE Vespasian reunited the three separate parts of Cilicia.
• After Diocletian’s Reforms of 297 CE:
  • Divided into 3 Provinces:
    • ‘Isauria’ Mountainous Western Cilicia. Capital was Seleucia
    • ‘Cilicia Prima’ The Eastern plains. Capital was Tarsus.
    • ‘Cilicia Segunda’, Capital was Anazarbus.
• After Death of Theodosius (395 CE) and the final split into Eastern Empire and Western Empire:
  • Cilicia became part of the Eastern Roman Empire.
• Famous Persons from this Province:
  • Paul the Apostle was born in Tarsus.
• Chief archeological Finds:
  • Tarsus Roman Gate, Mopsuesta Roman Bridge, Silifke Roman Bridge.

2. Geography

• Capital City:
  • Tarsus (on the River Cydnus)
• Chief Cities:
  • Adana (on the R. Sarus), Mopsuestia (Cilicia Campestis on the R. Pyramus), Silifke
• Location Today:
  • Mediterranean Region of southern Turkey.
  • Cilicia is a coastal basin surrounded by impassable mountain ranges.
  • Cilicia was divided into two parts:
    • Cilicia Trachea
      • The west bordered by the inaccessible Taurus mountains.
    • Cilicia Pedias (of the Plains)
      • The east consisting of fertile plains watered by three Rivers.
  • The Coastline consists of rocky headlands with small harbours, ideal as Pirate bases and therefore closely linked historically with Cyprus.
• Neighbouring Roman Provinces:
  • Cappadocia (North) Galatia (Northwest), Lycia et Pamphylia (West), Syria (East). Cyprus was opposite.
• Climate and Temperature Today:
  • Mediterranean climate:
    • In the Mountains: Hot, Dry Summers with Mild, Rainy Winters.
    • In the Plains: Hot and Humid.
• Main Rivers:
  • Rivers Cydnus, Sarus and Pyramus.
• Mountain Ranges:
  • Taurus Mountains (East to West), broken by the Cilician Gates Pass.
• Islands:
  • None, but it is opposite Cyprus.

3. Political Organisation

• Province Type:
  • Senatorial Propraetorial Province from 27 BCE.
  • Ciicia was united with Cyprus between 58-27 BCE.
• Governor:
  • Propraetor
    • Cicero (Between May 51-Nov 50 BCE) was Proconsul
• Tribes and Population:
  • Greek
• Language:
  • Greek

4. Military Organisation:

• Legions:
  • None.
• Navy:
  • None.
• Defensive Works:
• There were Four main Fortified Passes controlling access into Asia Minor. All Passes were on the ‘Persian Royal Road’:
  1. Cilician Gates
     • The only access into Cappadocia. 60 feet (20m) wide several hundred metres deep. Used by Mule trains since Antiquity. Alexander the Great passed through here in 333 BCE with his Army heading to the East.
  2. ‘Pass of Beilan’ (Pylae Syriae-Gates of Syria)
     • One of three Passes into Syria, this was the main Pass.
  3. Another ‘Syrian Gates’ Pass
     • A few miles north of Alexandria.
  4. ‘Baghche Pass’ The Amanian Gate
     • Into Northern Syria and the Euphrates.
• Main Threats:

5. Economy

• Chief Exports:
  • ‘Cilicium’: Goat’s hair cloth for making tents.
• Agriculture and Fishing:
  • Wheat and fruit orchards in the Eastern Plains: The rivers brought down soil from the mountains creating very fertile soils and marshes.
• Manufacturing:
• Mines:
  • Bronze Age Tin Mine at Kestel.
• Mints:

6. Transport

• Roads:
  • The Roman Mediterranean Coastal Road.
  • Tarsus to Ankara (Ancyra)
    • Passing through the Cilician Gates.
• Waterways:
• Ports:
  • Tarsus (inland), Adana, Aphrodisius of Cilicia (ruins), Alexandria (Alexandretta)
• Ancient Trade Routes:
  • Tarsus through the Cilician Gates into central Turkey.
  • Alexndria through the ‘Syrian Gates’ to Antioch.
• Number of Days taken to travel from this Province to Rome:
  • Cicero‘s mail took 5-6 weeks:
    • Rome – Brindisi – Gulf of Corinth – Athens – Smyrna (Izmir, Turkey) – Tarsus (Turkey)

7. Relationship with Rome

• Very important Province to Rome. Cilicia held the Fortified Passes controlling access into Asia Minor for Armies and Commerce to and from the Persian Empire.

8. History of Christianity in this Province

• Paul the Apostle was born in Tarsus. He was also known as Saul of Tarsus.

9. Roman Authors describing this Province

Cilicia