Yalvac (Antioch in Pisidia)
St. Paul
Site of his first recorded sermon (Acts 13, c. 47 CE)
Augustus Temple
Monumental imperial cult sanctuary with Res Gestae inscription
Colonial Status
Roman colony (Colonia Caesareia) under Augustus
Province
Isparta, Pisidian lake district of central Anatolia
“As the location of St.”
Antioch in Pisidia (modern Yalvac) was a major Roman colony where St. Paul delivered his first recorded sermon, with a monumental Augustus Temple and civic center.
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Yalvac — ancient Antioch in Pisidia — occupies a strategic position on the road connecting the Aegean coast to the Anatolian interior, near the beautiful lake district of Isparta province. Founded by the Seleucid dynasty in the 3rd century BCE and later established as a Roman colony by Augustus, the city became one of the most important urban centers of central Anatolia. The site holds particular significance for the history of Christianity. According to the Acts of the Apostles (chapters 13-14), St. Paul visited Antioch in Pisidia during his first missionary journey around 46-48 CE and delivered his first recorded sermon in the city's synagogue. This sermon, laying out the theological case for Christianity's fulfillment of Jewish prophecy, marks a pivotal moment in the spread of Christianity beyond the Jewish community. The monumental sanctuary of Augustus (the Imperial cult temple) dominates the upper city, featuring a propylaeum, temenos, and semicircular plaza. The Res Gestae — Augustus's account of his achievements — was inscribed on the temple walls, with fragments providing important textual evidence for this key Roman document. The civic center below includes a large theatre, bath complex, colonnaded streets, and an aqueduct. The Yalvac Museum houses an exceptional collection of artifacts from the site, including inscriptions, sculpture, and architectural elements that document the city's life across centuries.
why_it_matters
evidence
evidence_desc
confirmed
3- Fragments of the Res Gestae Divi Augusti were found inscribed on the Augustus Temple walls, providing important textual variants for this key Roman document.
- Inscriptions identify the city as Colonia Caesareia Antiocheia, confirming its status as a Roman colony with full colonial rights under Augustus.
- Acts 13:14-52 provides a detailed account of Paul's visit and sermon at Antioch in Pisidia, one of the most fully narrated episodes in Paul's missionary journeys.
inferred
1- The size of the synagogue mentioned in Acts and the city's cosmopolitan population suggest a significant Jewish community facilitating early Christian missionary work.
debated
1- Whether the Augustus Temple was built entirely under Augustus or incorporated an earlier Seleucid sanctuary is debated based on architectural analysis.
excavation
Ramsay and Callander excavations
led_by William Mitchell Ramsay
William Mitchell Ramsay conducted early excavations identifying the Augustus Temple and recovering fragments of the Res Gestae inscription.
Michigan expedition
University of Michigan team excavated the sanctuary of Augustus, recovering additional architectural elements and inscriptions.
Turkish university excavations
Suleyman Demirel University excavations focused on the lower city, revealing the colonnaded street, bath complex, and residential quarters with mosaics.
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sources
- St. Paul the Traveller and Roman Citizen — William Mitchell Ramsay (1895)
- Roman Antioch in Pisidia: The Res Gestae and the Augustus Temple — Adrian Ossi (2017)
- Wikipedia — Antioch of Pisidialink