Maximianopolis (Ancient Greek: Μαξιμιανόπολις) was an ancient city in Palaestina Secunda, within the Byzantine Empire.[1] The name Maximianopolis (City of Maximian) was given to it by Diocletian, in honour of his co-emperor Maximian. It was located 17 M.P. from Caesarea and 10 M.P. from Jezreel.[2] The town earlier bore the names Legio and Caporcotani.[3][dubious – discuss]

Its site is near Lejjun, Israel.[3][4]

History

Bible reference

Jerome identified Maximianopolis with the Hadad-rimmon of Zechariah 12:11 –

On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo

The mention of the Hadad-rimmon mourning may be a reference to pagan worship ceremonies or to an event such as the death of Josiah, mortally wounded in the Battle of Megiddo (609 BC).[5]

Episcopal see

Maximianopolis in Palaestina[6] was also a seat of a Bishop in the province of Palestina II.

In the time of the so-called Pilgrim of Bordeaux and of Jerome,[7] the town already bore the name of Maximianopolis.

The camp of the Legio VI Ferrata was within the same Catholic see, at a place that was known as Legio. In the Latin version of an episcopal Notitia Episcopatuum, probably of the 11th century, the name "Legionum" is given to what in the original Greek text is Maximianopolis. Legio became Lajjun, currently the site of Kibbutz Meggido, closer than Maximianopolis to Megiddo.[8]

Only three of its residential bishops are known:

Titular see

The ancient episcopal see is now included, under the name Maximianopolis in Palaestina, in the list of titular sees of the Roman Catholic Church given in the Annuario Pontificio.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Meyers, E., J. Brown (10 September 2017). "Places: 678266 (Legio/Caporcotani/Maximianopolis)". Pleiades. Retrieved February 19, 2018.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Jerusalem Itinerary; Public Domain Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Maximianopolis". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
  3. ^ a b Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 51, and directory notes accompanying.
  4. ^ Lund University. Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.
  5. ^ "Holman Bible Dictionary - Bible Dictionary". StudyLight.org. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
  6. ^ Maximianopolis in Palaestina Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine at catholic-hierarchy.org.
  7. ^ "Comment. in Zachar.", ad cap. xii, 11; "Comment. In Oz.", 5.
  8. ^ Public Domain Vailhé, Siméon (1913). "Legio". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  9. ^ Public Domain Vailhé, Siméon (1913). "Maximianopolis". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  10. ^ Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 925

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Maximianopolis". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.

32°35′06″N 35°11′04″E / 32.58505°N 35.18452°E / 32.58505; 35.18452

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