The capital city of Cilicia in southeast Asia Minor; birthplace of the apostle Paul.
About Tarsus
Birthplace and hometown of Saul (Paul) and the capital and chief city of the Roman province of Cilicia in Asia Minor. The city is mentioned only five times in the Bible, all in the book of Acts. After Saul’s conversion, the Lord directed Ananias to visit Saul; Ananias was told to ask for “a man of Tarsus named Saul” (Acts 9:11). Then, when Saul returned to Jerusalem and a plot against his life was discovered, the Christians sent him to Tarsus (v 30). When Barnabas was serving in Syrian Antioch and needed help, he went to Tarsus to get Saul to work with him (11:25). On the occasion of Paul’s rescue from the Jewish mob in the temple, the Roman tribune was concerned with Paul’s identity. Paul identified himself: “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia” (21:39). In the defense he made before that angry multitude, speaking in Hebrew, he declared, “I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia” (22:3).
Tarsus was situated on the Cydnus River, 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) upstream from the Mediterranean Sea. The plain on which the city was built was very fertile, composed of alluvium carried down from the Taurus Mountains by the Cydnus and several other streams.
Key References
When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”
All Scripture References (5)
Acts (5)
“Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.