Caria

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Caria (S.W. of Asia Minor) is mentioned only in 1Ma 15:23 as one of the districts to which the Roman Senate sent a letter in favour of the Jews in b.c. 139 138. It was free at that date, with its inland States federated. The more important States, Rhodes, etc., are separately named.

A. Souter.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Ca'ria. The southern part of the region which, in the New Testament, is called Asia , and the southwestern part of the peninsula of Asia Minor.  Acts 20:15;  Acts 27:7.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( Καρία ), the south-western district of Asia Minor (q.v.), washed on the S. by the Mediterranean and on the W. by the AEgean Sea, and indented by many bays and creeks. On the N. lay Lydia, eastward were Phrygia and Lycia, here separated by mountainous landmarks, yet without any fixed boundary, which continually fluctuated on the N., where the river Mmeander formed not so much the political as the natural border (Strabo, 12:577, 578; comp. 13:628). The S.W. angle of this region, having been settled by Dorian colonies, was sometimes distinguished from Caria by the name of Doris (Pliny, 5:29). Mountain ranges stretched through its entire territory, jutting out into promontories at the sea; yet considerable plains intervened, which were well watered, and fruitful in grain, oil, wine, etc. The inhabitants, composed of various mixed races (among which were some of Shemitic stock, Bertheau, Isr. Gesch. p. 193 sq.), were engaged, at least on the shore, in navigation and piracy (Herod. 2:152; Thucyd. 1:4, 8; Strabo, 14:662). A Jewish colony is referred to in the Apocrypha ( 1 Maccabees 15:22;  1 Maccabees 15:33) as being favorably addressed by the Romans in a decree which names the principal towns Halicarnassus (the birthplace of the historian Herodotus), Cnidus (mentioned in  Acts 27:7), to which may be added Miletus (comp.  Acts 20:15-28); and the same passage alludes to the fact that the Carians were then (B.C. 139) endowed with the privilege of Roman citizenship (Livy, 49:15), after having been for some time subject to Rhodes (comp. Ptolemy, 5:2; Mela, 1:16; Forbiger, Alte Geogr. 2:204 sq.; Heeren, Ideen, I, 1:158 sq.). Somewhat later (B.C. 130) Caria became a province of the Roman empire (see Smith's Dict. Of Class. Geogr. s.v.). Some antiquarians (see Verbrugge, De Num. Plur. Hebr, p. 68) have discovered the Carians in the O.T. under the name Karim ( כָּרַים ,  2 Kings 11:4;  2 Kings 11:19), mentioned in connection with the Ratsim ( רָצַים ,  2 Samuel 20:23) as the life-guards of the Jewish kings; but these terms are rather to be taken as appellatives, Executioners and Couriers (Gesenius, Thesaur. p. 671). (See Cherethite And Pelethite).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kā´ri - a ( Καρία , Karı́a ): A country in the Southwest of Asia Minor which extended on the North to Lydia, on the East to Phrygia, on the South to Lycia, and the West to the Aegean Sea. Its borders, however, like those of most of the ancient countries of Asia Minor, were never definitely fixed; hence, the difficulty presented by the study of the political divisions. The general surface of the country is rugged, consisting of mountainous ridges running across it, and terminating as promontories jutting into the sea. Its history consists chiefly of that of its practically independent cities of which Miletus ( Acts 20:15-20 ) and Cnidus ( Acts 27:7 ) are the chief. For some time previous to 168 bc it had lost its independence, and belonged to the island of Rhodes, but in that year Rome made it again free. According to 1 Macc 15:23, Caria was one of several places to which the Roman senate in 139-138 bc sent letters in favor of the Jews, a fact showing that its population was mixed. Its coast cities, however, were peopled chiefly by Greeks. In 129 bc Caria became a part of the Roman province of Asia, and from that date its history coincides with that of the province. Though Paul and others of the apostles traversed Caria in their missionary journeys, only its cities are mentioned by name in that connection.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Car´ia, a country lying at the south-western extremity of Asia Minor, to which, among others, the Romans wrote in favor of the Jews (). Its principal towns were Halicarnassus, Cnidus, and Myndus, which are all mentioned in the rescript of the Roman senate, to which we refer. Halicarnassus was the birthplace of Herodotus; Cnidus is mentioned in , as having been passed by St. Paul on his voyage to Rome.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

A SW. country in Asia Minor, bordering on the Archipelago, of which the Mæander is the chief river.