DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4680#0378
CHAPTER XVII
THE CHRISTIAN INSCRIPTIONS OF CENTRAL PHRYGIA.
§ 1. The Pentapolis and Avircius Marcellus p. 709, § 2. The Legend of
St. Abercius p. 713. § 3. Diffusion of Christianity in Central Phrygia p. 715-
Appendix: Inscriptions. (1) The country of the Moxeanoi p. 717. (2) The
Phrygia.n Pentapolis p. 719. (3) The Synnada District p. 735. (4) Aristion and
Prymnessos p. 736. (5) Dokimion p. 742.
§ 1. The Pentapolis and Avircius Marcellus. The Glaukos1
valley was Christianized early. Nothing is known as to the facts ; but
the tradition that St. Bartholomew was the Apostle of the Lykaones
makes it probable that Central Phrygia was the country in which his
mission lay. It is impossible to take Bartholomew as the Apostle of
Lycaonia, for that position belonged confessedly to Paul. That the
Lykaones were in Central Phrygia is certain, as they were in the
conventus of Synnada ; and, if we have rightly assigned their position,
the Apostle of the Lykaones could hardly avoid preaching also in
the Pentapolis2. Bartholomew, though the Apostle of the Lykaones,
is not called the Apostle of the Pentapolis or of any of its cities. This
seems distinctly to imply that the origin of Christianity there was
traced back even earlier than the mission of Bartholomew, and that
can only be to Paul or one of his coadjutors, such as Timothy,
Mark 3, &c.
All that is known of the history of the Pentapolis centres round
the name of Avircius 4 Marcellus. He is presented to us5 as the most
prominent Church leader in a district already permeated with Chr.
influence, and the chief figure in the resistance to Montanism in the
latter part of the second century. His part does not lie in conversion
1 The name Glaukos is uncertain, to the Pentapolis.
p. 354. s See note 3 p. 511, and below § 3.
2 M. Radet actually places the Lyka- 4 On the name, see no.672.
ones in the territory which we assign 6 Euseb. It. E.
THE CHRISTIAN INSCRIPTIONS OF CENTRAL PHRYGIA.
§ 1. The Pentapolis and Avircius Marcellus p. 709, § 2. The Legend of
St. Abercius p. 713. § 3. Diffusion of Christianity in Central Phrygia p. 715-
Appendix: Inscriptions. (1) The country of the Moxeanoi p. 717. (2) The
Phrygia.n Pentapolis p. 719. (3) The Synnada District p. 735. (4) Aristion and
Prymnessos p. 736. (5) Dokimion p. 742.
§ 1. The Pentapolis and Avircius Marcellus. The Glaukos1
valley was Christianized early. Nothing is known as to the facts ; but
the tradition that St. Bartholomew was the Apostle of the Lykaones
makes it probable that Central Phrygia was the country in which his
mission lay. It is impossible to take Bartholomew as the Apostle of
Lycaonia, for that position belonged confessedly to Paul. That the
Lykaones were in Central Phrygia is certain, as they were in the
conventus of Synnada ; and, if we have rightly assigned their position,
the Apostle of the Lykaones could hardly avoid preaching also in
the Pentapolis2. Bartholomew, though the Apostle of the Lykaones,
is not called the Apostle of the Pentapolis or of any of its cities. This
seems distinctly to imply that the origin of Christianity there was
traced back even earlier than the mission of Bartholomew, and that
can only be to Paul or one of his coadjutors, such as Timothy,
Mark 3, &c.
All that is known of the history of the Pentapolis centres round
the name of Avircius 4 Marcellus. He is presented to us5 as the most
prominent Church leader in a district already permeated with Chr.
influence, and the chief figure in the resistance to Montanism in the
latter part of the second century. His part does not lie in conversion
1 The name Glaukos is uncertain, to the Pentapolis.
p. 354. s See note 3 p. 511, and below § 3.
2 M. Radet actually places the Lyka- 4 On the name, see no.672.
ones in the territory which we assign 6 Euseb. It. E.