Pamphylia
“Of every tribe; mixed races”
Summary
Pamphylia was a narrow coastal province in southern Asia Minor where Paul first landed on the mainland during his first missionary journey, though the hot, malarial climate may have hastened his departure for the highlands.
☩Geography
Pamphylia was a flat, low-lying coastal plain in southern Asia Minor, skirted by the Bay of Adalia and enclosed by the steep Taurus mountains. Extending about eighty miles from east to west and twenty miles at its widest, it was isolated by the precipitous mountain range surrounding it. The climate was hot, moist, and enervating—the fertile but fever-ridden plain being unsuitable for hardy colonists. Its chief cities were Perga (inland on the Cestrus River) and Attalia (the main seaport). The sea between Pamphylia and Cyprus is called 'the sea of Pamphylia' (Acts 27:5).
☩Historical Background
Pamphylia's name means 'of every tribe,' possibly reflecting its mixed population. Though Greeks colonized the area, the Asiatic influence remained stronger than the Greek, and the local dialect became corrupt. Under Roman rule, Emperor Claudius united Pamphylia with Lycia into a single province. The region was less civilized than its neighbors, with the native population dominating the Greek and Jewish minorities. Jews from Pamphylia were among those present at Pentecost who heard the apostles speak in their own language (Acts 2:10).
☩Paul's Ministry
Paul and Barnabas entered Pamphylia by sailing up the Cestrus River to Perga after preaching in Cyprus (Acts 13:13). Here John Mark abruptly departed, returning to Jerusalem—a decision that later caused a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:38). Some scholars suggest Paul contracted malarial fever in the lowland climate, which compelled them to seek the cooler highlands of Pisidian Antioch (Galatians 4:13). On their return journey, they preached in Perga and departed from the seaport of Attalia (Acts 14:25). Apparently little lasting impression was made, as no Pamphylian churches appear in later records.
References
- 1.James Orr (ed.), "Pamphylia," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 2.James Hastings (ed.), "Pamphylia," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 3.John McClintock and James Strong, "Pamphylia," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VII (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Pamphylia," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).