Maximianopolis (Palestine)
Maximianopolis was an ancient city in Palaestina Secunda, within the Byzantine Empire. The name Maximianopolis (City of Maximian) was given to it by Diocletian, in honour of his co-emperor Maximian. The modern name of the town in Israel is Rummanah, a resumption of its ancient name of Rimmon.
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).[1]
Episcopal see
The ancient episcopal see is now included, under the name Maximianopolis in Palaestina, in the list of titular sees given in the Annuario Pontificio.[2]
In the time of the so-called Pilgrim of Bordeaux and of Jerome,[3] the town already bore the name of Maximianopolis. Three of its ancient bishops are known:
- Paul, in 325
- Megas, in 518
- Domnus, in 536[4]
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.[5]
See also
- Megiddo church
- Maximianopolis (disambiguation page)
References
- ^ Holman Bible Dictionary, "Hadad-Rimmon"
- ^ Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 925
- ^ "Comment. in Zachar.", ad cap. xii, 11; "Comment. In Oz.", 5.
- ^
Vailhé, Siméon (1913). "Maximianopolis". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^ Vailhé, Siméon (1913). "Legio". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.