Docimium
Encyclopedia
Docimium, Docimia or Docimeium (Greek
: and ) was an ancient city of Phrygia
, Asia Minor
where there were famous marble quarries. It remains a Roman Catholic
titular see
.
ians, may have been founded by Antigonos Dokimos. The city's name in Greek is Romanized as Dokimeion, Dokimia Kome, Dokimaion, and later Dokimion.
Strabo
places Docimium somewhere about Synnada
: he calls it a village, and says that there is there a quarry of Synnadic stone, as the Romans
call it, but the people of the country call it Docimites and Docimaea; the quarry at first yielded only small pieces of the stone, but owing to the later efforts of the Romans large columns of one piece are taken out, which in variety come near the Alabastrites, so that, though the transport to the sea of such weights is troublesome, still both columns and slabs were brought to Rome of wondrous size and beauty. The red colors which streaked the white marble taken from the city's holy mountain were attributed to the drops of blood from the dying god Attis. The word Docimaea in this passage of Strabo appears to be corrupt. It should be either or .
Strabo says that the plain of Synnada is about 60 stadia long, and beyond it is Docimium. We may, however, infer that he supposed Docimium to be not far from the limit of the plain. The Table makes it 32 M. P. between Synnada and Docimium, and Docimium is on the road from Synnada to Dorylaeum
; but the number is certainly erroneous. The exact site of Docimium was a matter of some dispute until recently; it is now fixed at the modern Turkish
town İscehisar
, in Afyonkarahisar Province
.
On this site have been found many Christian inscriptions, later than Constantine.
Docimium was a suffragan of Synnada
in Phrygia Salutaris.
Six or seven bishops are known, from 344 to 879 (Lequien, Oriens Christianus, I, 853); another bishop is mentioned in an inscription.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: and ) was an ancient city of Phrygia
Phrygia
In antiquity, Phrygia was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. The Phrygians initially lived in the southern Balkans; according to Herodotus, under the name of Bryges , changing it to Phruges after their final migration to Anatolia, via the...
, Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
where there were famous marble quarries. It remains a Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
titular see
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
.
History
This city, as appears from its coins – which bear the epigraph or – where the inhabitants are called MacedonMacedon
Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....
ians, may have been founded by Antigonos Dokimos. The city's name in Greek is Romanized as Dokimeion, Dokimia Kome, Dokimaion, and later Dokimion.
Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
places Docimium somewhere about Synnada
Synnada
Synnada was an ancient town of Phrygia Salutaris in Asia Minor. Its site is now occupied by the modern Turkish town of Şuhut, in Afyonkarahisar Province...
: he calls it a village, and says that there is there a quarry of Synnadic stone, as the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
call it, but the people of the country call it Docimites and Docimaea; the quarry at first yielded only small pieces of the stone, but owing to the later efforts of the Romans large columns of one piece are taken out, which in variety come near the Alabastrites, so that, though the transport to the sea of such weights is troublesome, still both columns and slabs were brought to Rome of wondrous size and beauty. The red colors which streaked the white marble taken from the city's holy mountain were attributed to the drops of blood from the dying god Attis. The word Docimaea in this passage of Strabo appears to be corrupt. It should be either or .
Strabo says that the plain of Synnada is about 60 stadia long, and beyond it is Docimium. We may, however, infer that he supposed Docimium to be not far from the limit of the plain. The Table makes it 32 M. P. between Synnada and Docimium, and Docimium is on the road from Synnada to Dorylaeum
Dorylaeum
Dorylaeum or Dorylaion was an ancient city in Anatolia. It is now in ruins near the city of Eskişehir, Turkey.The city existed under the Phrygians but may have been much older. It was a Roman trading post. It also was probably a key city of the route the Apostle Paul took on his Second Missonary...
; but the number is certainly erroneous. The exact site of Docimium was a matter of some dispute until recently; it is now fixed at the modern Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
town İscehisar
Iscehisar
İscehisar is a town and district of Afyonkarahisar Province in the Aegean region of Turkey, on the road between the city of Afyon and Ankara. The mayor is İsmail Bayram .-Economy:...
, in Afyonkarahisar Province
Afyonkarahisar
Afyonkarahisar is a city in western Turkey, the capital of Afyon Province. Afyon is in mountainous countryside inland from the Aegean coast, south-west of Ankara along the Akarçay River. Elevation...
.
On this site have been found many Christian inscriptions, later than Constantine.
Docimium was a suffragan of Synnada
Synnada
Synnada was an ancient town of Phrygia Salutaris in Asia Minor. Its site is now occupied by the modern Turkish town of Şuhut, in Afyonkarahisar Province...
in Phrygia Salutaris.
Six or seven bishops are known, from 344 to 879 (Lequien, Oriens Christianus, I, 853); another bishop is mentioned in an inscription.