Epigraphic Evidence for the Impact of Paul in Central Asia Minor (Prof. Breytenbach)

Introduction

There are several overviews of the early iconographic depiction of Paul in the Catacombs of Thecla and the complex history of the grave of Paul in the basilica named after him outside the walls of Rome (Jens Schröter, “Archäologische und ikonographische Zeugnisse der frühen Paulusverehrung,” in Paulus Handbuch, 568–574; David Eastman, Paul the Martyr. The Cult of the Apostle in the Latin West; Giorgio Filippi, “La tomba dell’Apostolo Paolo. nuovi dati dai recenti scavi. Notizie storiche e archeologiche,” in Paulo apostolo martyri. L’apostolo San Paolo nella storia, nell’arte e nell’archeologia, 97–118). A section of the fresco showing Paul and Thecla from the cave of Paul and Thecla in Ephesus is on the program of this conference (Renate Pillinger, “The Grotto of St. Paul,” in Wall Painting in Ephesos from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine Period, 174–181 and 217; idem., “VIII. Thekla in der Paulusgrotte von Ephesos,” in Thecla. Paul’s Disciple and Saint in the East and West, 205–218).

Paul’s founding visits

The activity of Paul and Thecla according to the Acts of Paul and Thecla is reminiscent of Pauls’ work along the main road and presupposes devotion to Paul and Thecla in the region around Iconium, but the Acts do not add anything of historical value to Paul’s life.

The first clear evidence of Paul’s impact on this region is the extraordinary high frequencyof the name Παῦλος. One example should suffice. An inscription for the martyr Paul was found east of Aydoğmuş. The name Paulus clearly became popular where the apostle Paul had exerted influence in the 1st century.