The article examines both the process and the reasons for the active development of Christianity on the territory of the province of Phrygia in Asia Minor at the time of its entry into the Byzantine state in the VI-VII century. The peculiarities of the development of this religion in the cities of these territories, their unevenness and their connection with the rest of the economic and political development of Phrygia are also noted.
Keywords: Phrygia, cities, development, Christianity, history.
The first mention of the bearers of the Christian faith in this region is the mention of the Jews exiled here, who later formed the Gerusia — the secular nobility who spoke on behalf of the people (I Macch., l, 25; 10, 52; 11, 23; 12, 35; II Macch., 14, 33.), and also the apparatus of the high priesthood (II Macch., 4, 44.), which allowed the creation of the primary autonomy of the Jewish people here under the rule of the Seleucids [2, p. 175].
The next historical period of Phrygia, which we will consider, will be the late Antique time. An analysis of the facts and trends of development suggests that it was largely an independent era, a very peculiar society. It was filled with contradictory events and processes originating from various material and spiritual sources [3, p. 7].
Further rates of development of Phrygia are caused by significant heterogeneity, which also affected the spread of Christianity — the further rule of the Seleucids in these territories is accompanied by an increase in the rate of Hellenization, as well as the cultural dependence of the southern territories on the culture of Lydian large cities, while the northern territories of Phrygia did not receive such a strong influence due to their primitive communal system after the capture of the Celts [6, p. 38]. Later, this will repeatedly be reflected in the heterogeneity of the image of Christianity in different parts of the region, the initiative in cultural development will be intercepted by the southern territories of the region and their cities: Hierapolis, Colossus, Laodicea on the Face, Kelena, etc.
The end of the Hellenistic era is marked by the transformation of the Roman world by Augustus, which is the most significant for the province of Asia and for the region of Phrygia we are studying. During the civil wars of the first and second triumvirate, Asia was the object of brutal plunder by various factions and was invaded by the Parthians. By 27, during the construction of the Senate's proconsular province of Asia, its resources were already depleted, and its lands were repeatedly ravaged. August was forced to cancel the debts of these lands. Only after the establishment of this long peace, these Territories were able to use their rich resources again in the new Roman conditions.
The next important stage in the development of Christianity in Phrygia, already as part of the Roman Empire, was played by the time of apostolic activity in the I century AD, which was reflected in the epistle to the Colossians of the apostle Paul. In the last chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians, there are references to the cities of Colossus, Laodicea and Hierapolis, where Christian communities existed, and it can be assumed that the epistle was addressed to them all, since the apostle ordered that it be read in the Laodicean churches (Col. 4:13–16) [1, p. 277]. The mentioned cities were located at a distance of several miles from each other in the Lycian Valley (vassal territory of Meander) in Phrygia, on the border with Lydia, and during the Roman rule belonged to the Proconsular province of Asia Minor. The reason for writing this epistle is Paul's possible visit to these lands (Acts. 16:6), as well as the appearance of the Colossian heresy. The Colossian heresy was an Essene and ascetic kind of Gnosticism; it borrowed ritual and practical elements from Judaism, and philosophical elements from paganism; the heretics preserved circumcision, observance of new moons and Saturdays, as well as certain rules concerning food and drink, but mixed all this with elements of Eastern mysticism and theosophy, with pagan ideas about the evil principle, with worship of lower spirits and the desire to get rid of material power through asceticism. The reason for the appearance of this trend of heresy could well be the peculiarity of the Phrygian people in mystifying their beliefs, how they differed from their neighbors.
In the Roman era of the empire period, these territories were initially severely ravaged during the first and second triumvirate, but later, under the rule of Augustus, they received support for the disclosure of the economic specialization of the regions, as well as further comprehensive development. The further course of Roman policy is aimed at strengthening the pace of Hellenization of the population through the structure of city-policies, as well as the integration of these areas with the central government of the Roman Empire through the creation of a privileged estate (Booleans). Equally important are the reforms of Diocletian, during which the lands previously selected by Galatia in the II century BC returned to Phrygia, and a division into two regions was established: Phrygia I and Phrygia II [5, p. 218–219].
Christian temples, churches and monasteries soon cover the entire area of cities. Previously, there was such a frequent phenomenon in which wealthy people from the city, for various reasons, financed the construction of various public buildings. But after that, the trend indicates a decrease in the number of such cases, which may have been justified by the formation of a negative view of such actions in the public. At the same time, the influence of religion on the consciousness and perception of people's things is growing, which is reflected in the change of the desire of the rich to give money for public needs for generous offerings to the church, allowing to erect more and more new religious buildings. The financing of public buildings will soon be taken over by government officials [7, p. 279–280].
Thus, despite the long process of economic and political development of Phrygia in the era of Hellenism and the rule of the Roman Empire, by the time of entry into Byzantium, this region had become one of the foremost in the development of Christian doctrine, which was caused by a whole range of cumulative causes and circumstances over a long historical period [4, p. 633]. The southern cities of the region underwent the most Christianization, which may indicate the connection between the economic, political and spiritual development of each of the cities.
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