Minor, which the apostle Paul twice visited. It was separated from Phrygia, and created into a Roman province, by Augustus, and was bounded north by Galatia, east by Cappadocia, south by Cilicia, and west by Pisidia and Phrygia. Its chief towns were Iconium, Derbe and Lystra. It is now a part of Caramania, and subject to the Turks. The speech of this province, (Acts xiv. 11,) is supposed to have been either the old Assyrian language, or a corruption of the Greek.
Miletus, or Miletum. A seaport of Caria, in Lesser Asia, and the capital of both Caria and Ionia. It stood about 36 miles south-west of Ephesus, and is said to have been built by Miletus, the son of the god Apollo, whose temple here was exceedingly magnificent. Here were four harbors, sufficient to hold all the Persian fleet. Here Thales and Anaximenes, the philosophers, and Timotheus, the musician, were born.
Mesech, (Ps. cxx. 5,) or Mesech, (Ezek. xxxii. 26.) A country in the north-eastern angle of Asia Minor, supposed to have been settled by the posterity of Mesech, the son of Japheth. They had considerable commerce with Tyre.—(Ezek. xxvii. 13.) Some suppose the Muscovites were of this race. The terms Mesech and Kedar, in the above passage from Psalms, is supposed to denote northern and southern barbarians generally.
Mysia. (Acts xvi. 7) A province of Asia Minor, and at this day a beautiful and fertile country. It has the sea of Propontis on the north, Lydia on the south, Bithynia on the east. In the northern section of Mysia was the province in which the ancient city of Troy was situated, and not far distant was the Troas mentioned by Paul.—(Acts xvi. 8; xx.6; 2 Cor. ii. 12; 2 Tim. iv. 13.)
Philadelphia. (Rev. iii. 7 — 13.) A city of the province of Lydia, about 70 miles east of Smyrna. Its modern name is Allah-shehr, or Alah-sher, [city of God.] It contains a population of about 15,000, one twelfth of whom are nominal Christians. This church was highly commended; more than any of the seven churches of Asia, and while her sister cities have fallen into decay, she still survives, with the remains of her Christian temples and worship. Her population is said to be the purest in Asia Minor. Even Gibbon says of her:
