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Ancient Greek Coins of Apameia ad Maeandrum (Apameia Cibotus), Phrygia
Apameia ad Meandrum (or Apamea, Apamea Cibotus, or Apamea Kibotos) was founded in the 3rd century B.C. by Antiochus I Soter, who named it after his mother Apama, and transplanted many Jews there. (Josephus, Ant. xii. 3, § 4). It became a seat of Seleucid power and a center of Graeco-Roman and Graeco-Hebrew civilization. After Antiochus' departure for the East, Apamea lapsed to the Pergamene kingdom and thence to Rome in 133 B.C., but it was sold to Mithridates V of Pontus, who held it till 120 B.C. After the Mithridatic Wars it became and remained a great center for trade, largely carried on by resident Italians and by Jews. On the great road to Cappadocia, and at the center of other roads, Apamea was a place of trade next in importance to Ephesus in the Roman province of Asia. By order of Flaccus, a large amount of Jewish money – nearly 45 kilograms of gold – intended for the Temple in Jerusalem was confiscated in Apamea in the year 62 B.C. Apamea is mentioned in the Talmud (Ber. 62a, Niddah, 30b and Yeb. 115b). Saint Paul probably visited the place when he went throughout Phrygia and Christianity was likely established early. The mid 3d century coins of Apamea with scenes of Noah and his ark are among the earliest biblical scenes in Roman art. Apameia's decline began with the local disorganization of the empire in the 3rd century and when trade routes were diverted to Constantinople. Although a bishopric, it was not important in Byzantine times. Its ruin was completed by an earthquake.