The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-11-02

<Prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington, ID. c.
The statement, made in print many
times lately, that the great calamlties
in Tokyo and Yokohama were second
only to that of Antioch" has brought
out Of Obscurity a city that once was
a rival to Rome itself: Antioch the
Glorious" "The Eye Of the Orient" 1t
vas the gate to the East and through
1t flowed eastward the great tide Of
Greek art and civilization and Roman
law. And it was a center for another
great world influence, for, as the New
Testament says, it was 'in Antioch
that the disciples were first called
Christians"
The city was founded by Seleucus
Nicator, favorite Of Alexander the
Great and heir TO much of his power,
and for nearly three centuries was the
capital Of the Seleucid empire that at
times stretched from India to the
Aegean sea. 1t was built on rising
ground between the Orontes river and
Mt. SilplOus in northern Syria In a
strategic location at the crossroads
between east and west, north and
south.
To the north Of the original site
there Is a broad bend in the Orontes
inclosing an island. The geOgrapher
Strabo says that the city came TO have
four parts: the original city Of Seleu-
Gus; the city or the island, built by
AntiOchus /; the portion between the
first city and the mountain, built by
Antiochus III; and the most beautiful
portion to the east. built by Anti
.Ochus Epiphanes. During the Seleu-
cid era the city covered a space four
miles long by two miles wide. In adj
dition, there were %populous suburbs
such as Heraclea and Daphne.
The general plan adopted in build
ing was one much admired at that
time. There was one long main street,
in general parallel with the river. All
other streets were either parallel with
this main street or at right angles
to 1t. This "checker-bOard" plan was
typical Of Greek cities.
Bridges spanned the river both to
the island and to the northern bank.
Ike points Of the mountain were
crowned with temples, shrines and Il
citadel.
The whole city was surrounded by
a great wall which is said to have
been 70 to so feet high, to have been
protected by 800 towers, AMI to have
been so broad that a team Of four
horses could drive abreast on the top
OF it.
Its Magnificent Main Street.
The most magnificent splendor Of
Antioch was it's great street. This
ran straight through the city from
east to west. At each end there was
an impressive gate. The eastern gate
was later known as the Gate Of st.
Paul" 1t was still standing forty
years ago, almost complete; but nov
even the foundations have been re-
moved for buildings in the modern
city. The western, or Daphnean gate,
was called the "Gate OF the Cheru-
bim," for over this gate Titus placed
the golden cherubim he had taken
from the temple in Jerusalem.
These two gates were about four
miles apart. Between them was a
grand boulevard.
On each side Of the street was a
double row Of columns. The outside
aisle in each case was rooted over,
furnishing a shady walk In summer
and a dry and sheltered way during
the winter storms. Between the in
ner rows of columns was a broad high
way for chariots and hOrsemen. 1t
has been estimated that IL these col
umns were the same distance from
each other as those still standing in
the street Of Palmyra, there would
have been $500 in all.
This street vas lined with magnif-
cent public buildings, temples. shrines
and palaces of the mobiles.
Imagine, then, this grand highway,
with its long vista Of granite, marble
and porphyry columns. It's covered
promenade rich In statues and carv-
ings, its marble %pavements, its beau
tiful Grecian architecture, and termi-
mating all, the golden decorations Of
the western gate blazing in the light
OF the setting sun.
Fill this street with its busy throngs
of men and women; here a religious
procession, the priests clad in the
maay-colored vestments of their Of