Acts 13:13 Paul and Barnabas sail from Paphos to Perga on the coast of Pamphylia (on the southern coast of modern-day Turkey) (see 3 on Map 23). Here John Mark (who was brought up in Jerusalem and was therefore unfamiliar with foreign Gentile and Greek culture) decides to return to Jerusalem.
Colonnaded street with central cascading pools, Perga (Acts 13:13)
Perga
Perga was the Roman cultural and religious capital of Pamphylia (see Map 23). It was located 12 miles / 20 km inland along the River Cestrus, which provided a safe harbour and good shelter from the winter storms that lashed in across the Mediterranean. Its many pagan temples included the spectacular Temple of Artemis and the Temple of Tyche, the Greek goddess of luck (known to the Romans as ‘Fortuna’).
Modern-day visitors to Perge (Perga), 11 miles / 18 km north east of Antalya in Turkey, can explore an extensive archaeological site enclosing much of the Roman city. Remains visible today include the impressive twin towers of the Hellenistic Gate, an amphitheatre, Roman baths, a large stadium, and a wide colonnaded street lined with shops. On the acropolis, looking down across an elaborate Nymphaeum (fountain), stand the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, the fertility goddess with whose followers Paul was to clash at Ephesus on a later journey (see Acts 19:23-41).
Caldarium (hot pool) at the Southern Baths, Perga (Acts 13:13)