Raphanea

Raphanea or Raphaneae (Ancient Greek: Ῥαφάνεια;[1] Arabic: الرفنية, romanized: al-Rafaniyya; colloquial: Rafniye) was a city of the late Roman province of Syria Secunda. Its bishopric was a suffragan of Apamea.

Raphanea
الرفنية
1936 aerial view of Raphanea
Raphanea is located in Syria
Raphanea
Shown within Syria
LocationSyria
RegionHama Governorate
Coordinates34°56′03″N 36°23′48″E

History

Josephus mentions Raphanea in connection with a river Σαββατικον, referred now to as Sambatiyon that flowed only every seventh days (probably an intermittent spring now called Fuwar ed-Deir) and that was viewed by Titus on his way northward from Berytus after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.[2]

Near Emesa, Raphanea was the fortified headquarters of the Legio III Gallica from which was launched the successful bid of 14-year-old Elagabalus to become Roman Emperor in 218.[3]

Raphanea issued coins under Elagabalus,[4] and many of its coins are extant.[5][6][7]

Hierocles[8] and Georgius Cyprius[9] mention Raphanea among the towns of Syria Secunda. The crusaders passed through it at the end of 1099; it was taken by Baldwin I and was given to the Count of Tripoli.[10] It was then known as Rafania.[11]

Episcopal see

The only bishops of Raphanea known are:[11][12]

  • Bassianus, present at the Nicaea, 325;
  • Gerontius at Philippopolis, 344;
  • Basil at Constantinople, 381;
  • Lampadius at Chalcedon, 451;
  • Zoilus about 518;
  • Nonnus, 536.

The see is mentioned as late as the 10th century in the Notitia episcopatuum of Antioch.[11][13]

References

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