Antioch summary

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Antioch, Turkish Antakya or Hitay, City (pop., 2000: 144,910), south-central Turkey. Founded in 300 bc by the Seleucid dynasty, Antioch was the centre of the Seleucid power until 64 bc, when it became the capital of the province of Syria under the Roman Republic and Empire. An early centre of Christianity, the city was the headquarters of St. Paul c. ad 47–55. Despite being briefly occupied by the Persians in the 6th and 7th centuries, it remained part of the Byzantine Empire until the Arab invasion of the 7th century. Thereafter it returned to Byzantine rule (969) and was seized by the Turkish Seljūq dynasty (1084) before being captured by the Crusaders in 1098. (See Crusades.) From 1268 it was ruled by the Mamlūk dynasty, and it was absorbed by the Ottoman Empire in 1517. The city remained under their control until after World War I (1914–18), when it was transferred to Syria. It was made part of the Republic of Turkey in 1939. The economy of the modern town is based on agriculture and light manufacturing.

Seleucid empire Summary

Seleucid empire, (312–64 bce), an ancient empire that at its greatest extent stretched from Thrace in Europe to the border of India. It was carved out of the remains of Alexander the Great’s Macedonian empire by its founder, Seleucus I Nicator. (See also Hellenistic Age.) Seleucus, one of

Seleucus I Nicator Summary

Seleucus I Nicator was a Macedonian army officer who founded the Seleucid kingdom. In the struggles following the death of Alexander the Great, he rose from governor of Babylon to king of an empire centering on Syria and Iran. Seleucus was the son of Antiochus, a general of Philip II of Macedonia,

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Europe, second smallest of the world’s continents, composed of the westward-projecting peninsulas of Eurasia (the great landmass that it shares with Asia) and occupying nearly one-fifteenth of the world’s total land area. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the west by the Atlantic

Turkey Summary

Turkey, country that occupies a unique geographic position, lying partly in Asia and partly in Europe. Throughout its history it has acted as both a barrier and a bridge between the two continents. Turkey is situated at the crossroads of the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East, and eastern