Mysia

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

(Μυσία)

Mysia was an ill-defined country in the N. W. of Asia Minor, having the aegean, the Hellespont, and the Propontis on the W. and N., Bithynia on the N. E., and the equally ill-defined regions of Phrygia and Mysia on the S. E. and S. The absence of landmarks between the land of the Mysians and that of the Phrygians gave rise to the saying, χωρὶς τὰ Μυσῶν καὶ Φρυγῶν ὁρίσματα. ‘The reason is this: strangers who came into the country were soldiers and barbarians; they had no fixed settlement in the country of which they obtained possession, but were, for the most part, wanderers, expelling others from their territory and being expelled themselves’ (Strabo, Xii. iv. 4). For the most part a mountainous country, Mysia was not so productive as Lydia and Caria. It was sometimes regarded as including the Troad in the W., sometimes as separated therefrom by the river aesepus. The river Caicus and Mount Temnos were usually taken as the southern limits, and the district of Phrygia Epictetus, which extends a considerable distance eastward-as far as Dorylaeum and Nakoleia-was at one time in the hands of the Mysians. The Romans, who showed little regard for ethnical distinctions, absorbed Mysia in the great province of Asia.

Mysia is referred to in an important but difficult passage of Acts ( Acts 16:7-8). St. Paul and Silas, having in the second missionary tour ‘come over against Mysia’ (ἐλθόντες κατὰ τὴν Μυσίαν), were restrained by the Spirit of Jesus from going into Bithynia; whereupon they turned westward, and ‘passing by Mysia (παρελθόντες τὴν Μυσίαν) they came down to Troas’ ( Acts 16:7-8). For a discussion of the vexed question as to the apostles’ movements before they came to the borders of Bithynia and over against Mysia see Phrygia and Galatia. Assuming that St. Paul and Silas were travelling from Pisidian Antioch northward through Phrygian Asia, Ramsay observes that they would be ‘over against Mysia’ when they reached such a point that a line drawn across the country at right angles to the general line of their route would touch Mysia ( The Church in the Roman Empire , 1893, p. 75 n.[Note: . note.]). This point would be the city of Dorylaeum. From there they turned due westward, and, ‘passing by,’ or neglecting, Mysia-this does not mean passing along its borders, but going straight through it without pausing to do any evangelistic work in it-they came down to the aegean. The other reading, διελθόντες, preferred by Blass despite its weak authority (D and Vulgate), seems in Acts and the Pauline Epistles invariably to designate a missionary tour, which is in this case out of the question, as the apostles have just been forbidden to preach in Asia ( Acts 16:6). The distance from Dorylaeum to Troas is about 240 miles. The route would lead through the valley of the Rhyndacus and the town of Apameia, where there is a local tradition of a Pauline visit ( Expository Times x. [1898-99] 495).

James Strahan.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Mysia was a district in the N.W. of Asia Minor, S. of the Propontis and Hellespont. It derived its name from the Mysi, a Thracian tribe who probably entered Asia with the Phrygians. At no period were its boundaries strictly denned. It formed part of the dominions of the Persians and of Alexander. From b.c. 280 it was part of the kingdom of Pergamus, and therefore fell to the Romans in b.c. 133, becoming part of the province of Asia. The only mention of it in the Bible is   Acts 16:7;   Acts 16:3 , where St. Paul passed through it on his second missionary journey. A tradition assigned the evangelization of part of Mysia to a certain Onesiphorus, who was martyred at Parium when Adrian was proconsul of Asia, a.d. 109 114. See Assos, Troas, Adramyttium, all of which places were reckoned to Mysia.

A. E. Hillard.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

a country of Asia Minor, having the Propontis on the north, Bithynia on the north-east and east, Phrygia on the south-east, Lydia (from which it was separated by the river Hermus) on the south, the AEgean Sea on the west, and the narrow strait, called the Hellespont, on the north- west. Mysia was visited by St. Paul in his circuit through Asia Minor; but he was not suffered by the Spirit to remain there, being directed to pass over into Macedonia,  Acts 16:7-10 . In this country stood the ancient city of Troy; as also that of Pergamus, one of the seven churches of Asia. Under the Romans it was made a province of the empire, and called Hellespontus; and its inhabitants are represented by Cicero as base and contemptible to a proverb.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Acts 16:7 Acts 27:2 Acts 20:13-14 Revelation 1:11 Revelation 2:12 Acts 16:8 16:11 Acts 20:5-6 2 Corinthians 2:12 2 Timothy 4:13 Acts 16:6-11 Acts 20:1  2 Corinthians 2:12

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

The region known as Mysia was originally occupied by one of the independent states of Asia Minor. It was taken over by the Greeks and later by the Romans, and incorporated into the Roman province of Asia. Politically Mysia no longer existed in New Testament times, but people still used the old name to refer to the north-west region of Asia Minor. Towns of this region that are mentioned in the New Testament are Troas, Assos and Adramyttium ( Acts 16:6-11;  Acts 20:6;  Acts 20:13-14;  Acts 27:2; for map see Asia).

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

On the frontier of the provinces Asia and Bithynia. W. of Bithynia, E. of the Aegean, S. of the sea Propontis or Marmora, N. of Lydia. The site of Troy was in it originally, but not in Paul's time for he had to pass by Mysia to reach the Troad ( Acts 16:7-8). On his second missionary journey he was not suffered by the Spirit to preach in Asia or Bithynia. He passed through Mysia, without staying, on to Macedonia. Assos and Adramyttium were in Mysia. The island Lesbos was opposite.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Mysia (mĭsh'i-ah ), or mĭzh-ĭ-ah, beech region? A province in the northwestern angle of Asia Minor, celebrated for its fertility.  Acts 16:7-8;  Acts 20:5.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Mys'ia. (land of beech trees).  Acts 16:7-8. Mysia was the region about the frontier of the provinces of Asia and Bithynia. The term is evidently used in an ethnological, not a political, sense.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A province in the northwest corner of Asia Minor bounded north by the Propontis, west by the Aegean Sea, south by Lydia, and east by Bithynia. Paul preached in this country on his first journey to Europe,  Acts 16:7-8 .

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

A province of Asia Minor. Here Paul preached. ( Acts 16:7-8.)

Morrish Bible Dictionary

District in the N.W. of Asia Minor. Paul visited it, but 'passed by' and went to Troas.  Acts 16:7,8 .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Acts 16:7,8

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Μυσία , according to some, from the abundance of the beech-tree, μυσίς, in the neighborhood: according to others, from the Celtic moese, a marsh, showing a connection with the Danubian marshy district of Moesia; comp. Eustath. Ad Dion. Per. 809; Schol Ad Apoleon. Rhod. 1:145) a province occupying the north-west angle of Asia Minor, and separated from Europe only by the Propontis and Hellespont; on the south it joined Eolis, and was separated on the east from Bithynia by the river in Esopus. Latterly AEolis was included in Mysia, which was then separated from Lydia and Ionia by the river Hermus, now Sarabad or Jedis (Strabo, 12:562; 13:628; Pliny, Iist. Nat. 6:32; Ptol. Geog. 5:2). It was usually divided into five parts: Mysia Minor, Mysia Major, Troas, Eolis, and Tenthrania. The greater part of Mysia was unprodutctive, being covered with mountains and marshes; but it was celebrated for the fine wheat of Assus, for quarries of the lapis Assius (which had the power of decomposing dead bodies), and for its oyster beds. It was inhabited by various tribes, mostly barbarous, until, as a part of the kingdom of Pergamus, it was ceded to the Romans, by whom it was eventually formed into a province. Paul passed through this province, and embarked at its chief port, Troas, on his first voyage to Europe ( Acts 16:7-8). "They had then come κατὰ τὴν Μυσίαν, and they were directed to Troas, παρελθόντες τὴν Μυσίαν ; which means either that they skirted its border, or that they passed through the district without staying there. In fact, the best description that can be given of Mysia at this time is that it was the region about the frontier of the provinces of Asia and Bithynia. The, term is evidently used in an ethnological, not a political sense." See generally Rosenmuller, Bibl. Geog. 3:32; Smith's Dict. of Class. Geogr. s.v.; Mannert, Geogr. 6:3, 403; Forbiger, Handb. 2:110; Richter, Wallfahrten, page 460; Cramer, Asia Minor, 1:30. (See Asia Minor).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mish´i - a ( Μυσία , Musı̄a ): A country in the northwestern part of Asia Minor, which formed an important part of the Roman province of Asia. Though its boundaries were always vague, it may be said to have extended on the North to the Sea of Marmora on the East to Bithynia and Phrygia, on the South to Lydia, and on the West to Hellespont. According to some authors it included the Troad. Its history is chiefly that of important cities, of which Assos, Troas, and Adramyttium on the border of Lydia, are mentioned in the New Testament. When Mysia became a part of the Roman province of Asia in 190 Bc, its old name fell into disuse, and it was then generally known as the Hellespontus. According to   Acts 16:7-8 , Paul passed through the country, but without stopping to preach, until he reached Troas on the coast, yet tradition says that he founded churches at Poketos and Cyzicus. Onesiphorus, who was martyred some time between 109 and 114 Ad, during the proconsulate of Adrian, is supposed to have evangelized this part of Asia. See The Expository Times , Ix, 495 f.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Mys´ia, a province occupying the north-west angle of Asia Minor, and separated from Europe only by the Propontis and Hellespont: on the south it joined Æolis, and was separated on the east from Bithynia by the river Æsopus. Latterly Æolis was included in Mysia, which was then separated from Lydia and Ionia by the river Hermus, now Sarabad or Djedis. In ancient times the province of Mysia was celebrated for its fertility in corn and wine, and although now but poorly tilled, it is still one of the finest tracts in Asia Minor. Paul passed through this province and embarked at its chief port, Troas, on his first voyage to Europe .