Lystra

Lystra (Greek Λύστρα ) was an ancient city in Asia Minor landscape Lycaonia in Turkey today. She lay 30 km southwest of Iconium, the modern Konya, north of the village Hatunsaray and 15 kilometers north of the small town Akoren.

Lystra received under Augustus the title of a Roman colonia and the province of Galatia was attributed. Here the apostle Paul preached on his first missionary journey, AD 48, together with the Gospel of Barnabas, after both had fled from Iconium (Acts 14.8 EU). On his second missionary journey, Paul summoned here in the 51 Timotheos (Acts 16:1-3 EU; 2 Tim 3.11 EU). Around the year 370, the city became the province of Lycaonia. Ten years later, the first bishops are detectable. At the Council of Chalcedon in 451 the bishop of Lystra took part.