Mopsuestia
Mopsuestia, also known as Mamistra, is a historical city located in southeastern Asia Minor, specifically in the region of Smooth Cilicia, positioned on the right bank of the Pyramus River (Ceyhan). The city is steeped in legend, with its founding attributed to the diviner Mopsus, who is said to have migrated there after the fall of Troy. Mopsuestia has undergone several name changes and significant historical transitions, including its liberation from Persian control by Alexander the Great and its brief renaming to Seleucia on the Pyramus during the Seleucid period. The city thrived during imperial times, thanks to its strategic location along the main route connecting Antioch to Tarsus.
Mopsuestia is notable for its local coinage, which celebrated various emperors and showcased the city's prosperity. The city hosted the "Holy Ecumenical Games," which were competitive festivals akin to those in other Cilician centers. Architectural remnants, including a Roman bridge, a theater, and a stadium, highlight its historical significance. The presence of a large basilica with important mosaics further signifies Mopsuestia's status as an episcopal see, particularly during the tenure of its famous bishop, Theodore of Antioch. This rich tapestry of history and culture makes Mopsuestia a fascinating subject for those interested in ancient civilizations and their legacies.
Subject Terms
Mopsuestia
(`the Hearth of Mopsus’) or Mopsus (Misis)
A city of Smooth Cilicia (Pedias, Campestris) in southeastern Asia Minor, on the right bank of the river Pyramus (Ceyhan), at an important crossing where it flows past the foothills. The legendary founder of the settlement was the diviner Mopsus, whose migration to Cilicia after the fall of Troy, at the head of `mixed multitudes of peoples,’ was recorded by many tales.
Liberated from Persian control by Alexander the Great, the town was renamed Seleucia on the Pyramus by the Seleucid monarch Seleucus IV Philopator (187–175 BC), and coined as such under Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–163), but did not retain the name for long. In 96 Seleucus VI Epiphanes was killed at Mopsuestia, which suffered devastation. In 68/67 the city adopted a new era to celebrate the ejection, by the Romans, of the Armenian monarch Tigranes I the Great who had occupied Cilicia fifteen years earlier. In imperial times, when Mopsuestia's position on the main road from Antioch to Tarsus brought it prosperity, local coinage labelled its citizens with a remarkable variety of surnames in honour of successive emperors, notably Hadrianoi, Antoninianoi, Alexandroi, Decianoi, Valerianoi and Gallienianoi. Other pieces show the circular Altar of Mopsus (or a model) in the hands of the city-goddess; and we read of the city's `Holy Ecumenical Games,’ in competition with similarly named festivals at other Cilician centers. A coin of the time of Valerian (253–68) depicts the Pyramus bridge (an imperial gift) terminating in massive arches at either end. Remains of the bridge are still to be seen, in addition to the ruins of a theater, stadium and colonnaded street. A large basilica, containing important mosaics, attests the status of Mopsuestia as an episcopal see; the building may have been in existence at the time of the city's famous and controversial bishop, Theodore of Antioch (342–408).