Ancient Sources

Places of Ascalon, Gaza, Negev, Sinai

127. Raphia - (Rafah)

ORIGINAL TEXTS

De Gaza usque ad Rafia milia XXIIII.
(Theodosius, De situ Terrae Sanctae, 3)

ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Theodosius, De situ Terrae Sanctae, 3 (ca. 530 A.D.)
From Gaza it is twenty four miles to Raphia.

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND
Deut. 2:23 The settlement of the 'Sea People' near Gaza
As for the Avvim, who had lived in settlements in the vicinity of Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and settled in their place.

MORE ANCIENT SOURCES
Strabo, Geographia 16,31 (1st cent. B.C.)
After Gaza one comes to Raphia, where battle was fought between Ptolemaeus the Fourth an Antiochus the Great.

Josephus, War 4.11.5 (1st cent. A.D.)
(662) After this he [Titus] rested at Rhinocolura, and from thence he went Raphia, which was his fourth station. This city is the beginning of Syria. For his fifth station, he pitched his camp at Gaza.

Targum Neophyti, Deut 2:23 (3th cent. A.D.)
And those dwelling in the villages of Raphia as far as Gaza.

BYZANTINE ADMINISTRATIVE LISTS

Hierocles, Synecdemos, 721:1-11 (7th cent. A.D.)
Province of Palaestina Prima, 22 cities under a consularis: Cesarea, Dora, Antipatris, Diospolis, Azotos on the sea, Azotos inland, Eleuteropolis, Aelia which is also Jerusalem, Neapolis, [Livias], Sebaste, Anthedon, Diocletianopolis, Sycamazon, Ono, Sozousa, Ioppe, Gaza, Raphia, Ascalon, Gazaris, Betylion.

Georgius Cyprius, 997-1027 (7th cent. A.D.)
Province of Palaestina Prima, Aelia-Jerusalem, Caesarea, Dora, Antipatris, Diospolis wich is also Georgiopolis, Iamnia, Nicopolis, Ono, Sozousa, Ioppe, Ascalon, Gaza, Raphia, Anthedon, Diocletianopolis, Eleutheropolis, Neapolis, Sebaste, region of Amathous, region of Jericho, region of Livias, region of Gadara, Azotos Paralos, Azotos, Sycomazon, Bitylion, Tricomias, Toxos, Canstantiniac Salton, Geraritic Salton wich is also Barsamon.

EPISCOPAL CITY

Bishops' list
Romanus (A.D. 431)
Epiphanius (A.D. 518, 536)
Stephanus (A.D. 553)

Map Section 9 Place Discussion

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127. Raphia - (Rafah)

ORIGINAL TEXTS De Gaza usque ad Rafia milia XXIIII. (Theodosius, De situ Terrae Sanctae, 3)	ENGLISH TRANSLATION *Theodosius, De situ Terrae Sanctae,* 3 (ca. 530 A.D.)** From Gaza it is twenty four miles to Raphia.
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND Deut. 2:23 The settlement of the 'Sea People' near Gaza As for the Avvim, who had lived in settlements in the vicinity of Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and settled in their place.
MORE ANCIENT SOURCES *Strabo, Geographia* 16,31 (1st cent. B.C.) After Gaza one comes to Raphia, where battle was fought between Ptolemaeus the Fourth an Antiochus the Great. Josephus, War 4.11.5 (1st cent. A.D.) (662) After this he [Titus] rested at Rhinocolura, and from thence he went Raphia, which was his fourth station. This city is the beginning of Syria. For his fifth station, he pitched his camp at Gaza. Targum Neophyti, Deut 2:23 (3th cent. A.D.) And those dwelling in the villages of Raphia as far as Gaza. BYZANTINE ADMINISTRATIVE LISTS Hierocles, Synecdemos, 721:1-11 (7th cent. A.D.)** Province of Palaestina Prima, 22 cities under a consularis: Cesarea, Dora, Antipatris, Diospolis, Azotos on the sea, Azotos inland, Eleuteropolis, Aelia which is also Jerusalem, Neapolis, [Livias], Sebaste, Anthedon, Diocletianopolis, Sycamazon, Ono, Sozousa, Ioppe, Gaza, Raphia, Ascalon, Gazaris, Betylion. Georgius Cyprius, 997-1027 (7th cent. A.D.) Province of Palaestina Prima, Aelia-Jerusalem, Caesarea, Dora, Antipatris, Diospolis wich is also Georgiopolis, Iamnia, Nicopolis, Ono, Sozousa, Ioppe, Ascalon, Gaza, Raphia, Anthedon, Diocletianopolis, Eleutheropolis, Neapolis, Sebaste, region of Amathous, region of Jericho, region of Livias, region of Gadara, Azotos Paralos, Azotos, Sycomazon, Bitylion, Tricomias, Toxos, Canstantiniac Salton, Geraritic Salton wich is also Barsamon. EPISCOPAL CITY Bishops' list Romanus (A.D. 431) Epiphanius (A.D. 518, 536) Stephanus (A.D. 553)