Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 14.djvu/785

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TIBERIOPOLIS


717


TIBERIUS


and west at the north end, and in half an hour the surface of the lake tosses furiously. Half an hour again suffices to restore the lake to a mirror-like calm. To-day the shores are barren and desolate, with gloomy patches of volcanic soil to the north and west. There is scarcely a tree to be seen, nor even any ver- dure except where an overflowing torrent waters the north-western plain, nor any human habitation save the sombre houses of Tiberias to the west and a few straggling villages. But in the days of Christ nature and man united to render these shores singularly .ittractive. The vine and the fig flourished ten months in the year, and every variety of fruit ripened in the various seasons: thick woods surrounded the lake even down to the eighth century of the present era, and the plains yielded rich harvests twice in the year. Xine, perhaps ten, cities encircled the lake with an almost unbroken front of wharves and har-


Trajan. Its exact site is unknown, but it was situated in the region of Egri Gueuz, caza of Kutahia, vilayet of Brusa. Ancient Greek "Notitiae episcopatuum" mention it among the suffragans of Laodicea. In the eighth century it was attached to the metropohtan See of Hierapolis and as such appears in the "Notitiae episcopatuum" until the thirteenth century. Le Quien (Oriens christ., I, 797) mentions five of its bishops known by their presence at councils: Eusta- thius at Con.stantinople (5.36); Silas at Constanti- nople (553); Anastasius at Constantinople (692); Michael at Nicaea (787); Theoctistus at Constanti- nople (879).

Smith. Did. of Greek and Roman geog., s. v.; Ramsat, Asia .Minor (London, 1890), 147, 458.

S. Petrides.

Tiberius, the second Roman emperor {a. d. 14-37), b. 16 November, 42 b. c; d. 16 March, a. d. 37. He


bours. Ruins of theatres, hippodromes, temples, synagogues, baths, and villas witness to the presence of all the refinements of Grjeco-Roman culture. Fish- ing was an important industry (cf. Bclh Saida= "Fi.shing-House", and 7'(iric/i((r=" Pickling Facto- ries"), and the fishermen, though reputed generally pious by the Rabbis, were a force to be reckoned with in troubled times. The fish were exported to all parts of the Roman world. The standing population of the towns, of which the smallest had at lea.st 15,000 inhabitants, wa.s largely increased by multitudes of sick who flocked, especially in .summer, to the world- renomied .springs near Tiberias.

Be.aiflcs the Biblp Dictionaries, consult: Smith. Hist. Geog- raphy n/ the llolii Lnn// (London. 1909). 4.38-63: .Mebrii.l. Basf of Jordan. (Ixjndon. 1881); Gn^RIN, Desrriplion de la Palestine (Paris. I.S6S-S0). Pt. FII. GaliUe, 193-263: Necbacer. Geog- raphic du Talmud (Paris, 1868): BlEvER. Au hard du Imc de Tibrnaile in Con/erencei de Snint-Etienne (Paris. 1910). 109-142; (Paris. 1911). 261-.307 (a third lecture before the same audience in Januarv. 1912. has not vet been published): Buhl. Geagraphie dex alien PaUntina (Freiburi? and I.eipzig. 1896); Official Records of the PaUstiru Exploration Fund and Deutsche Patdslirui- Verein.

Jeremiah Hautican'.

Tiberiopolis, titular see in Phrygia Pacatiana. Tiberiopolis is mentioned by Ptolemy (V, 2, 25); S(]c- rates (Hi.st. eccl., VII, 46) ; and Herocles (Synec, 668, 9). It struck its own coins at least from the time of


was the son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia. By the marriage of his mother with Emperor Augus- tus he became the latter's stepson, and was adopted by Augustus in a. d. 4. In the year 10 he was appointed coregcnt with .\ugustus. Hard and .secretive bv na- ture and embittered by the neglect with which his step-father allowed him to be treated, he did not arou.se per.sonaI enthu.siasm, and until recently was described by historians as a bloody tyrant. It is only during the last sixty years th.at" he has been more fairly judged, and at present the opinion begins to prevail that he was a genuine Roman, a ruler f;iithful to his duties, just, wise, and self-contained. In his internal [xihcies especially he is one of the mo.st dis- tinguished of all Roman emperors. Like .Vugustus he reformed and improved every depart men I of the gov- ernment, and promoted in every direction the pro.s- perity of the empire of which .\ugusttis had laid the foundation. He developed imperial power by de- clining to have his authority renewed from time to time by the Senate, as ,\iigu,stus had done. The strong opposition which grew up against him w;is due to his taciturn and domineering disposition, and to the influence of the prefect of the gu.ard, JEVms Sejanus, who alone po.sse.ssed his confidence. The persecutions and executions for lese-majesty, which