BIKE CLASSICAL: Lystra: Paul the Apostle, New Testament, and False Gods

Photos by Jack A. Waldron

The road sign pictured above lists the ancient site of Lystra as being 2km further up the road (and Kilistra, another ancient city, as being 16km further on). Of course, I ended up going 3 kilometers past the site of Lystra before I realized I had missed it. But, what had I missed? I saw nothing that would indicate I had arrived at the ancient site mentioned several times in the New Testament, a place that Paul the Apostle had visited a number of times, so what was going on? I turned around and headed back in search of ancient Lystra.

Apparently, it was easier for travellers to locate ancient Lystra two thousand years ago, than it is today. That said, as I cycled slowly back from where I had come, I began to notice some odd stone blocks along the side of road. Then, I noticed a huge mound of dirt from a freshly dug pit, and getting off my bike to take a closer look, there it was. Sitting on the ground behind the dirt pile was a sculpted block from an ancient building, most likely Roman (pictured below).

Interestingly, in the photo above you can see a massive hill (Zordula Huyuk, not far from the village of Hatunsaray) in the distance, that is proposed to be the acropolis of ancient Lystra. If there is an ancient theater to be found, I suspect it will be found somewhere around this hill, as all the surrounding land is flat. Pictured below, a close up of the building member behind the dirt pile along the side of the road. Whether this block belonged to a tomb structure, a public building, or some other type of construction, the dentils (line of small square notches on the cornice closest to the building wall) identify this piece very clearly.

Though the photo below is not mine, I did shoot the antiquities at the Konya Archeological Museum, however I missed this dedicatory inscription. Somewhere in the world (I hope) or maybe even buried at ancient Lystra, is a statue of the Roman Emperor Augustus that was dedicated to him over two-thousand years ago. You can see the city's name 'LYSTRA' inscribed in the fourth line (pictured below). As translated by Mark Wilson, the dedication reads:

"The colony of Julia Felix Gemina Lystra consecrated (this statue) of the Deified Augustus by decree of the decurions".

A Roman 'decurion' or 'centurion' was the man in charge of cavalry soldiers (usually 30 members), and were responsible for training and leading their men into battle. This inscription may also indicate that a decurion or two plus decurions were the administrators of Lystra during this period. It has been speculated that Lystra was established as a military outpost to control the edge of the empire, and to guard the road between Antiochea Pisidia (modern day Yalvac), Iconium (modern day Konya), Lystra, Derbe, the Cilician Gates, and Tarsus. It was the Emperor Augustus who began to establish military colonies in the east in order to protect trade and those who lived and farmed here. Lystra fell under the protection of the 7th Legion, and was one of five military colonies established for such protective purposes.

My bike: Surly Disc Truckers are not equipped with a kickstand for a very good reason, because there is potentially so much weight in the panniers, that the chain stay frame tube could be crushed if the bike were fall over. So, whenever I want to get a shot of the bike standing upright, I simply find a big rock and prop the crank arm and pedal on top of it (pictured below).

In the photo, I am circumnavigating the high acropolis hill of ancient Lystra, however there were no antiquities above ground that I could see from the trail, and unfortunately I didn't have the time to investigate further. This site has yet to be excavated, so I am hopeful that magnificent discoveries will be found someday.

Based on the religious significance of the site, I would have thought that ancient Lystra would be of top priority as an excavation candidate. The Italian High Renaissance painter Raphael immortalized ancient Lystra in 1515 with his painting 'The Sacrifice at Lystra' (pictured below). Interestingly, Paul barely escapes death by stoning in Lystra, which had it occurred, we might not be talking about this story today.

Acts 14-14:20

New King James Version

At Iconium (modern day Konya)

14 Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. 3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

4 But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. 5 And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, 6 they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. 7 And they were preaching the gospel there.

Idolatry at Lystra

8 And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. 9 This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. 11 Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, 16 who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” 18 And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

Stoning, Escape to Derbe

19 Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. 20 However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

Pictured above, we have the 1636 Dutch Golden Age painting titled, 'Saint Paul and Saint Barnabus at Lystra' by Willem de Poorter. Again, dealing with question of sacrificial offerings to false gods, Lystra is the setting, and as we will further discover in the ancient city of Kilistra, just 14km from Lystra, Christianity would go on to establish a major following in this area early on in its formation.

Acts 16-16:5

New King James Version

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

2 Timothy 3:10-3:11

A Final Charge to Timothy

10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.

As a side note, while researching for this post I came across a few photos of finds from the area that are on display in the village of Hatunsaray. Unfortunately, I was not aware of this open air museum during my tour, so in order to include those photos (as well as a deeper exploration of the acropolis) in this post, I will add Hatunsaray to my list of future stops.