Overview:
Abila, also known as Abilene, is a region mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible. It is noted for its historical and geographical significance during the time of Jesus and the early Christian church. The area is associated with the governance of Lysanias, a tetrarch mentioned in the Gospel of Luke.

Biblical References:
The primary biblical reference to Abila is found in the Gospel of Luke. In Luke 3:1 , it states: "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene." This passage situates Abila within the broader political landscape of the Roman Empire during the early first century AD.

Historical Context:
Abila was part of the region known as Abilene, located in the vicinity of the Anti-Lebanon mountains, near the present-day border of Syria and Lebanon. The area was named after its chief city, Abila, which served as the administrative center. The mention of Lysanias as tetrarch of Abilene provides insight into the governance structure of the region under Roman rule. Lysanias is a somewhat obscure figure, and historical records about him are limited, but his mention in the Gospel of Luke helps to date the events described in the New Testament.

Geographical Significance:
The region of Abilene, including the city of Abila, was strategically located along trade routes that connected various parts of the Roman Empire. Its proximity to major cities such as Damascus and its location near the fertile plains of the Bekaa Valley made it an important area for agriculture and commerce. The geographical features of the region, including its mountainous terrain, also provided natural defenses against potential invaders.

Archaeological Findings:
Archaeological excavations in the area believed to be ancient Abila have uncovered remnants of Roman architecture, including roads, aqueducts, and public buildings. These findings provide evidence of the region's integration into the Roman Empire and its development during the first century AD. The archaeological record helps to corroborate the historical context provided by biblical and other ancient sources.

Cultural and Religious Influence:
While the Bible does not provide extensive details about the cultural or religious practices in Abila, the region's inclusion in the Gospel of Luke highlights its relevance to the early Christian narrative. The mention of Abilene in the context of John the Baptist's ministry suggests that the area was part of the broader religious landscape of the time, influenced by both Jewish and emerging Christian traditions.

Conclusion:
The entry for Abila in a Bible Encyclopedia or Topical Bible would provide a comprehensive overview of its biblical, historical, and geographical significance, drawing on scriptural references, historical records, and archaeological findings to paint a picture of this ancient region's role in the biblical narrative.Abila

[ABILENE]

ABILA

ab'-i-la. See ABILENE.

9. Abilene -- Abilene, territory northwest of Damascus
... Transliteration: Abilene Phonetic Spelling: (ab-ee-lay-nay') Short Definition: Abilene
Definition: the Abilenian territory, the territory of Abila (in Syria ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/9.htm - 6k

Nero Adds Four Cities to Agrippas Kingdom; but the Other Parts of ...
... Lesser Armenia upon Aristobulus, Herod's son, [17] and he added to Agrippa's kingdom
four cities, with the toparchies to them belonging; I mean Abila, and that ...
/.../chapter 13 nero adds four.htm

Priscillianus
... Priscillianus. Priscillianus, [2554] bishop of Abila, belonged to the party of Hydatius
and Ithacius, and was put to death at Tr??ves by the tyrant Maximus. ...
/.../jerome and gennadius lives of illustrious men /chapter cxxi priscillianus.htm

How Joshua, the Commander of the Hebrews, Made War with The
... would prepare themselves, and readily perform what they had promised; so he took
fifty thousand of them who followed him, and he marched from Abila to Jordan ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 how joshua the.htm

The Polity Settled by Moses; and How He Disappeared from among ...
... 1. When forty years were completed, within thirty days, Moses gathered the congregation
together near Jordan, where the city Abila now stands, a place full of ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 the polity settled.htm

Felix is Made Procurator of Judea; as Also Concerning Agrippa ...
... completed the twelfth year of his reign, he bestowed upon Agrippa the tetrarchy
of Philip and Batanea, and added thereto Trachonites, with Abila; which last ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 felix is made.htm

How Claudius Restored to Agrippa his Grandfathers Kingdoms and ...
... family. But for Abila [16] of Lysanias, and all that lay at Mount Libanus,
he bestowed them upon him, as out of his own territories. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how claudius restored.htm

John the Baptist's Person and Preaching.
... He probably was son of the first and father of the second] tetrarch of Abilene
[The city of Abila (which comes from the Hebrew word "abel," meaning "meadow ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xvii john the baptists person.htm

The Testament of Levi Concerning the Priesthood and Arrogance.
... when I came to my father I found a brazen shield; [70] wherefore also the name of
the mountain is Aspis, which is near Gebal, on the right side of Abila; and I ...
/.../iii the testament of levi concerning.htm

How the Kings of Asia Honored the Nation of the Jews and Made them ...
... of the Jews?" He also saith, in the same book, that "when Seopas was conquered by
Antiochus, Antiochus received Batanea, and Samaria, and Abila, and Gadara ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 3 how the kings.htm

Book 18 Footnotes
... Luke is in some measure confirmed, when he reforms us, ch.3:1, that Lysanias was
some time before tetrarch of Abilene, whose capital was Abila; as he is ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 18 footnotes.htm

Abila
Abila. Abi-keilah, Abila. Abilene . Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia ABILA.
ab'-i-la. See ABILENE. Abi-keilah, Abila. Abilene . Reference Bible.
/a/abila.htm - 6k

Abilene (1 Occurrence)
... A plain, a district lying on the east slope of the Anti-Lebanon range; so called
from its chief town, Abila (Luke 3:1), which stood in the Suk Wady Barada ...
/a/abilene.htm - 9k

Abel-shittim (1 Occurrence)
... In his time the name survived as Abila, a not very important town situated
there. He says that it was "sixty furlongs from Abila...
/a/abel-shittim.htm - 10k

Abelshittim (1 Occurrence)
... In his time the name survived as Abila, a not very important town situated
there. He says that it was "sixty furlongs from Abila...
/a/abelshittim.htm - 10k

Beeshterah (1 Occurrence)
... of Eusebius and Jerome, we learn from the Onomasticon, there were two forts of this
name 9 miles apart, lying between Adara (Der`ah) and Abila (Abil), while ...
/b/beeshterah.htm - 12k

Abi-keilah (1 Occurrence)
Abi-keilah. Abi'jam, Abi-keilah. Abila . Multi-Version Concordance Abi-keilah
(1 Occurrence). ... (YLT). Abi'jam, Abi-keilah. Abila . Reference Bible.
/a/abi-keilah.htm - 6k

Ashterothkarnaim
... of Eusebius and Jerome, we learn from the Onomasticon, there were two forts of this
name 9 miles apart, lying between Adara (Der`ah) and Abila (Abil), while ...
/a/ashterothkarnaim.htm - 11k

Ashteroth-karnaim (1 Occurrence)
... of Eusebius and Jerome, we learn from the Onomasticon, there were two forts of this
name 9 miles apart, lying between Adara (Der`ah) and Abila (Abil), while ...
/a/ashteroth-karnaim.htm - 12k

Abanah (1 Occurrence)
... A few miles southeast of Suk Wady Barada (the ancient Abila; see ABILENE) the volume
of the stream is more than doubled by a torrent of clear, cold water from ...
/a/abanah.htm - 8k

Ashtaroth (13 Occurrences)
... of Eusebius and Jerome, we learn from the Onomasticon, there were two forts of this
name 9 miles apart, lying between Adara (Der`ah) and Abila (Abil), while ...
/a/ashtaroth.htm - 17k

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