Antioch

Ancient city in Syria where followers of Jesus were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26). Antioch became a major center of early Christianity, serving as the home base for Paul’s missionary journeys.

Founded in 300 BCE by Seleucus I Nicator, Antioch grew to become the third-largest city in the Roman Empire after Rome and Alexandria. The city’s cosmopolitan character—with Jewish, Greek, and Roman populations—made it ideal for the spread of the gospel beyond exclusively Jewish communities.

The Antioch church played a crucial role in early Christianity’s expansion. It sent out Barnabas and Saul on the first organized mission to the Gentiles (Acts 13). The Jerusalem Council’s decision to welcome Gentile believers without requiring circumcision originated from disputes in Antioch. Early church tradition holds that Peter served as the first bishop of Antioch before going to Rome.

Today known as Antakya in southern Turkey, ancient Antioch’s legacy includes being one of the five great patriarchates of early Christianity, alongside Jerusalem, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Rome.