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salamis Summary and Overview

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salamis in Easton's Bible Dictionary

a city on the south-east coast of Cyprus (Acts 13:5), where Saul and Barnabas, on their first missionary journey, preached the word in one of the Jewish synagogues, of which there seem to have been several in that place. It is now called Famagusta.

salamis in Smith's Bible Dictionary

(suit), a city at the east end of the island of Cyprus, and the first place visited by Paul and Barnabas, on the first missionary journey, after leaving the mainland at Seleucia. Here alone, among all the Greek cities visited by St. Paul, we read expressly of "synagogues" in the plural, #Ac 13:5| hence we conclude that there were many Jews in Cyprus. And this is in harmony with what we read elsewhere. Salamis was not far from the modern Famagousta, it was situated near a river called the Pediaeus, on low ground, which is in fact a continuation of the plain running up into the interior toward the place where Nicosia, the present capital of Cyprus, stands.

salamis in Schaff's Bible Dictionary

SAL'AMIS (peaceful, or beaten), a seaport-town with a good harbor, on the eastern coast of Cyprus. It was visited by Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. Acts 13:5. The city was once the capital of Cyprus, and stood on the north side of the river Pediaeus. The land is low in this region, and this river is the only true one in the island, the other streams being merely winter-torrents. We read of "synagogues," from which it is evident that the Jewish population in the city was numerous. The island was productive, and its trade in fruit, wine, flax, and honey, and the farming out of the copper-mines by Augustus to Herod, would naturally attract many Jews to this city. In the time of Trajan and Hadrian, there were great insurrections of the Jews; Salamis was partially destroyed, and its demolition completed by an earthquake, but it was rebuilt by a Christian emperor and named Constantia. Its site is now traced by broken cisterns and columns and the foundations of ancient buildings. The ruins are known as Old Famugusta.

salamis in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

A city on a commodious harbour in the E. of Cyprus, the first place Paul and Barnabas visited after leaving the mainland at Seleucia, on their first missionary tour. The "synagogues" (implying the presence of many Jews) account for their going there first. Moreover Cyprus was Barnabas' birthplace (Acts 13:4-5). Herod the Great farmed the Cyprian copper mines, this would bring many Jews there (Josephus, Ant. 14:4, section 5). Salamis was near the river Pediaeus, on low ground. Constantine or his successor rebuilt it, and named it Constantia.