Chios

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

(ἡ Χίος; now ‘Scio’)

The name was given to a beautiful island in the aegean Sea, separated from the mainland of Asia Minor by a picturesque channel, 6 miles wide, which is studded with islets. Its capital was also called Chios. In the 5th cent. b.c. its inhabitants were said to be the wealthiest in Greece. It produced ‘the best of the Grecian wines’ (Strabo, xiv. i. 35). Under the Roman Empire it was a free city of the province of Asia, till the time of Vespasian, who included it in the Insularum Provincia.

St. Paul passed Chios in his last recorded aegean voyage ( Acts 20:15). Sailing in the morning from Mitylene in Lesbos, his ship, after a run of 50 miles, cast anchor at night near the Asian coast, opposite Chios (ἄντικρυς Χίου) and under the headland of Mimas. Next day she struck across the open sea (παρεβάλομεν) for Samos. Chios was one of the seven claimants to the honour of being the birth-place of Homer, and its pretensions received stronger support from tradition than those of any of its rivals. ‘The blind old bard of Chios’ rocky isle’ was familiar with the course pursued by St. Paul, for he represents Nestor as standing in his ship at the Lesbian Bay and doubting-

‘If to the right to urge the pilot’s toil …

Or the straight course to rocky Chios plough,

And anchor under Mimas’ shaggy brow’

( Od. iii. 168-172).

Josephus describes a voyage of Herod the Great in the opposite direction. ‘When he had sailed by Rhodes and Cos, he touched at Lesbos, as thinking he should have overtaken Agrippa there; but he was taken short here by a north wind, which hindered his ship from going to the shore, so he remained many days at Chios.… And when the high winds were laid he sailed to Mitylene, and thence to Byzantium’ ( Ant . xvi. ii. 2).

Literature.-Conybeare-Howson, St. Paul , new ed., London, 1877, ii. 262f.; W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul , do. 1895, p. 292f.; T. Bent, in Eng. Hist. Review , iv. [1889] pp. 467-480; Murray’s Guide to Asia Minor .

James Strahan.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

CHIOS . An island in the Ægean Sea opposite the Ionian peninsula in Asia Minor. In the 5th cent. b.c. the inhabitants were the richest of all the Greeks. The city was distinguished in literature also, and claimed to be the birth-place of Homer. Up to the time of Vespasian it was, under the Roman Empire, a free State. The chief city was also named Chios. St. Paul passed it on his last voyage in the Ægean Sea (  Acts 20:15 ).

A. Souter.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

 Acts 20:14-15;  Acts 20:21. Now Scio, an island of the Archipelago, near which Paul passed going from Mitylene, in Lesbos, to Samos, between which two islands it lay, 32 miles long, from 8 miles to 18 miles wide; mountainous, beautiful, and fertile. Its modern inhabitants suffered severely in the war of independence.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Chi'os. (snowy). An island of the Aegean Sea, 12 miles from Smyrna. It is separated from the mainland by a strait of only 5 miles. Its length is about 12 miles, and in breadth, it varies from 8 to 18. Paul passed it on his return voyage, from Troas to Caesarea.  Acts 20:15. It is now called Scio.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Chios (kî'os). An island of the Ægean Sea, five miles from the coast of Ionia, in Asia Minor. It is 32 miles long and from 8 to 18 miles wide, and noted for its wines. Paul passed by it.  Acts 20:14-15. Its modern name is Scio or Khio.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An island in the Archipelago, between Lesbos and Samos, on the coast of Asia Minor, now called Scio. It is thirty miles long and ten wide. Paul passed this way as he sailed southward from Mitylene to Samos,  Acts 20:15 .

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Island in the Aegean Sea, passed by Paul in his voyage from Troas to Caesarea,  Acts 20:15 : now named Scio .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Acts 20:15

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Acts 20:15

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Χίος, according to some, from χίων , snow, with which its mountains are perpetually covered; according to others, from a Syrian word for mastic, with which its forests abounded), one of the principal islands of the Ionian Archipelago, mentioned in  Acts 20:15, and famous as one of the reputed birthplaces of the poet Homer. It belonged to Ionia (Mela, 2:7), and lay between the islands Lesbos and Samos, and distant eight miles from the nearest promontory (Arennum Pr.) of Asia Minor. The position of this island in reference to the neighboring islands and coasts could hardly be better described than in the detailed account of the apostle Paul's return voyage from Troas to Caesarea (Acts 20, 21). Having come from Assos to Mitylene in Lesbos ( Acts 20:14), he arrived the next day over against Chios ( Acts 20:15), the next day at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium (ib.); and the following day at Miletus (ib.); thence he went by Cos and Rhodes to Patara ( Acts 20:1). (See Mitylene); (See Samos).

In the account of Herod's voyage to join Marcus Agrippa in the Black Sea, we are told (Josephus, Ant. 16:2, 2) that, after passing by Rhodes and Cos, he was detained some time by north winds at Chios, and sailed on to Mitylene when the winds became more favorable. It appears that during this stay at Chios Herod gave very liberal sums towards the restoration of some public works which had suffered in the Mithridatic war. This island does not appear to have any other association with the Jews, nor is it specially mentioned in connection with the first spread of Christianity by the apostles. When Paul was there, on the occasion referred to, he did not land, but only passed the night at anchor (Conyheare and Howson, St. Paul, 2:211). At that time Chios enjoyed the privilege of freedom (Plin. 5. 38; comnp. 16:6), and it is not certain that it ever was politically a part of the Roman proconsular Asia. No record exists of its connection with Christianity in apostolic tines; but after the lapse of ages we read of a bishop of Chios, showing that the Gospel had obtained a footing on the shores. Its length is about 32 miles, and in breadth it varies from 8 to 18 (having a periphery of 900 stadia, Strabo, 14:645, or 120 Italian miles, Tournefort, Voy. 2:84). Its outline is mountainous and bold, and it has always been celebrated for its beauty and fruitfulness (Arvieux, Voy. 6:169; Schubert, Reis. 1:414). It is very fertile in cotton, silk, and fruit, and was anciently celebrated for its wine (Pliny, 14:9; 17:34, 22; Strabo, 14:637; Horace, Od. 3:19, 5; Virg. Eel. 5:7; Athen. 4:167; 1:32) and mastic (Pliny, 12:36; 24:74; Dioscor. 1:90). The principal town was also called Chios, and had the advantage of a good harbor (Strabo, 14, p. 645). The island is now called by the Greeks Khio, and by the Italians Scio (Hamilton, Researches, 2:5; Thevenot, Travels, 1:93; Chandler, Asia Minor, 100:16; Clarke, Trav. 3:296; Sonnini, Trav. 100:37; Olivier, Voy. 2:103). The wholesale massacre and enslavement of the inhabitants by the Turks in 1822 forms one of the most shocking incidents of the Greek war of independence (Hughes, Tract on Gr. Revolution, Lond. 1822). See also Malte Brun, Geography, 2:86 sq.; Mannert. Geogr. VI, 3:323 sq.; Hassel, Erdbeschr. 13:161 sq.; Cellarii Notit. 2:19; Smith's Dict. of Class. Geogr. s.v.; M'Culloch's Gazetteer, s, v. Scio. (See Asia Minor).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kē´os , kı̄´os ( Χίος , Chı́os ): An island belonging to Turkey in the Aegean Sea, South of Lesbos, and very near the mainland of Asia Minor. Paul's vessel passed it on his last voyage to Jerusalem ( Acts 20:15 ). The channel here is very picturesque. From Luke's expression, "we came the following day over against Chios," it has been conjectured that they were becalmed; more probably it simply means that, because of the dark moon, they lay at anchor for the night on the Asian coast opposite the island (Hastings Dictionary of the Bible , under the word). Herod, when on his way to Agrippa at the Bosphorus, "continued many days at Chios" and conferred many royal benefactions upon the inhabitants (Josephus, Ant , Xvi , ii, 2).

The soil is sterile (though well cultivated), the climate mild. Earthquakes are frequent. In the mountains (highest 4,000 ft.) beautiful blue marble with white veins, and excellent potter's clay, were quarried in antiquity. In modern times large quantities of ochre are mined. The chief industry is the culture of the silkworm, the cocoons being sent to Lyons. Oranges, lemons, almonds, brandy, anise, mastich and leather are also exported. The inhabitants, who are almost entirely Greeks, number about 60,000. The capital, Castro, has a population of 15,000. The place where Homer is said to have collected his pupils around him is still pointed out to the traveler at the foot of Mt. Epos, near the coast. It is in reality (probably) a very old sanctuary of Cybele, the Mother of the Gods. The tragic poet Ion, the historian Theopompus and the sophist Theocritus were natives of Chios. The Chians were especially famous for their skill in telling stories, and for their levity. A familiar proverb says that "it is easier to find a green horse than a sober-minded Sciot" (Conybeare and Howson, XX, 549).

The oldest inhabitants of the island were Leleges, Cretans and Carians, who were conquered by the Ionians. The latter made Chios one of the most flourishing states in Ionia. When the Persians overran Asia Minor and oppressed the Greek colonies, the Chians showed a Pan-Hellenic spirit. They surrendered, however, to Cyrus in 546 bc. Nevertheless, 46 years later they joined in the rebellion of Aristagoras against the Persians. In the naval engagement off the island Lade they fought with 100 ships and displayed great bravery. Again they fell into the power of Persia; but after the battle of Mycale (479) the Chians joined the Athenian confederacy. In 412 they sided with the Peloponnesians, in the 19th year of the war which Athens had been waging against Sparta and her allies. For this act of treason the Athenians devastated the island. At the end of the war the Chians revolted from Sparta and, after the battle of Naxos (376), became an ally of Athens once more. Oppressed now by Athens, as she had been by Sparta, Chios made an alliance with Thebes in 363 and defended herself successfully against the Athenian general, Chares; and in 355 Athens was forced to recognize the island's independence. Later the Chians became friends of the Romans and in the war with Mithridates were obliged to surrender their ships to the Pontic king and in addition pay him 2,000 talents.

In 1307 ad Turkish pirates subjugated and laid waste the island. The Turks themselves became masters of Chios in 1566. In the war of the Greek revolution the Chians joined the Greeks (February 1821) but were overpowered by the Turks. The Pasha decreed that the island should be utterly devastated; 23,000 Chians were massacred and 47,000 sold into slavery. Only 5,000 escaped. A second attempt to regain their freedom was made in 1827, but met with failure. When the kingdom of Greece was established two years later, Chios was not included. On April 3, 1881, the island was visited by a terrible earthquake, the city of Castro being almost entirely destroyed.

Literature

Conybeare and Howson, The Life and Epistles of Paul  ; W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveler  ; G. H. Gilbert, The Student's Life of Paul (chiefly concerned with the chronology and order of events in Paul's life); Eckenbrecher, Die Insel Chios (1845); Pauli, same person (in the Mitteilungen der Geogr. Gesellschaft in Hamburg , 1880-81).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Chi´os, one of the principal islands of the Ionian Archipelago, mentioned in . It belonged to Ionia, and lay between the islands Lesbos and Samos, and distant eight miles from the nearest promontory of Asia Minor. It is thirty miles long from N. to S., and its greatest breadth ten miles. It is very fertile in cotton, silk, and fruit, and was anciently celebrated for its wine. The principal town was also called Chios, and had the advantage of a good harbor. The island is now called by the Greeks Khio, and by the Italians Scio. The wholesale massacre and enslavement of the inhabitants by the Turks in 1822 forms one of the most shocking incidents of the Greek war.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

Or '

small island belonging to Turkey, in the Grecian Archipelago; subject to earthquakes; yields oranges and lemons in great quantities; claims to have been the birthplace of Homer.