Abstract:

The name Olba had several meanings in ancient texts such as the large territory in Rough Kilikia, the administrative and religious capital of Olba region (OlbaDiocaesarea) or finally, the secular settlement Olba (Ura) located 4 km. east of Olba-Diocaesarea. Ancient written sources, coins, archaeological and epigraphical evidences reveal that there was no settlement in Olba before the Hellenistic period. The earliest authors mentioning Olba are Strabo and Ptolemaios. Early Christian monastic records refer to Olba as a bishopic center. The names of the bishops of Olba known to us are Eusebios who attended the 1st Concil of Konstantinopolis (Istanbul) in 381, Poplios to the 1st Concil of Ephesos (Efes) in 431, Diapherontios both to the 2nd Council in Ephesos (Efes) in 449 and Khalkedon (Kad›köy) in 451, Theodoros to the 3rd Council in 680-681. It was understood that the Church of Olba had accepted the Monophysist belief for a certain period of time in A.D. 6th century as well as many other eastern churches. Today, along with the remains of Roman secular buildings and monuments such as the aquaeduct, nyphaeum, theater; a monastery and several churches in Olba attest the importance of this settlement as a bishopic center during Christian times.

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