Peltae (Peltæ) or Peltai ( grc, Πέλται) was a city and bishopric of
ancient Phrygia in
Asia Minor
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
, which remains a Catholic
titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...
.
History
Peltae was a considerable town of Phrygia, was situated, according to
Xenophon
Xenophon of Athens (; grc, wikt:Ξενοφῶν, Ξενοφῶν ; – probably 355 or 354 BC) was a Greek military leader, philosopher, and historian, born in Athens. At the age of 30, Xenophon was elected commander of one of the biggest Anci ...
, at a distance of 10
parasangs from
Celaenae, at the head of the river
Maeander. Xenophon describes it as a populous city, and states that the army of
Cyrus the Younger
Cyrus the Younger ( peo, 𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁 ''Kūruš''; grc-gre, Κῦρος ; died 401 BC) was an Achaemenid prince and general. He ruled as satrap of Lydia and Ionia from 408 to 401 BC. Son of Darius II and Parysatis, he died in 401 BC i ...
remained there three days, during which games and sacrifices were performed. The ''
Tabula Peutingeriana'', where the name is erroneously written Pella, places it, quite in accordance with Xenophon, 26 miles from
Apamea Cibotus, to the ''
conventus
In Ancient Rome territorial organization, a ''conventus iuridicus'' was the capital city of a subdivision of some Roman province, provinces (Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia, Hispania, Asia (Roman province), Asia) with functions of seat of a di ...
'' of which Peltae belonged.
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...
mentions Peltae among the smaller towns of Phrygia, and the ''
Notitiae Episcopatuum'' name it among the episcopal cities of the
Roman province of
Phrygia Pacatiana Prima to be a
suffragan
A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations.
In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...
of its capital
Laodicea in Phrygia
The Diocese of Laodicea in Phrygia, is an important Titular Christian Diocese, centered on the biblical city of Laodicea on the Lycus in modern Turkey.
The Church at Laodicea was a centre of Christianity from a very early point. The New Testamen ...
's metropolitan Archbishopric. The district in which the town was situated derived from it the name of the Peltaean plain (Πελτηνόν or Πελτινὸν πεδίον).
Location
Peltae's site is not known, and several scholars have offered opinions as to its location. It is probable that it is located southwest of
Eumeneia.
Titular see
The diocese was nominally restored in 1933 as
Titular bishopric under the names of Peltae (Latin), adjective Pelten(us) / Pelte (Curiate Italian).
It is vacant since decades, having only had the following incumbent(s), so far of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank :
* Stephen Stanislaus Woznicki (1937.12.13 – 1950.03.28) as
Auxiliary Bishop of
Detroit (USA) (1937.12.13 – 1950.03.28), later Bishop of
Saginaw (USA) (1950.03.28 – 1968.10.30), emeritate as Titular Bishop of
Thiava
Thiava was an ancient Roman-Berber civitas in Numidia, Africa Proconsulare and in the Vandal Kingdom. It was a Latin Catholic diocese.
History
It was located near Thagaste to the south of Hippo, in the high valley of the Medjerda, in the Ro ...
(1968.10.30 – death 1968.12.10).
References
External links
GCatholic - data for all sections
{{Byzantine-geo-stub
Populated places in Phrygia
Former populated places in Turkey
Roman towns and cities in Turkey
Populated places of the Byzantine Empire
Catholic titular sees in Asia
Lost ancient cities and towns