Famous people from Apamea

Posidonius meaning "of Poseidon "of Apamea" or "of Rhodes" was born in Apamea in Syria  (135 BC - 51 BC), was a Greek Stoic philosopher, politician, astronomer, geographer, historian and teacher native to Apamea, Syria. He was acclaimed as the greatest polymath (a person of great and varied learning) of his age. None of his vast body of work can be read in its entirety today, as it exists only in fragments.

 Sopater of Apamea feigned a conversion to Christianity in 325, soon after his arrival at the court of Constantine I, in order to advance his career there. His plan succeeded so well, that the praetorian prefect Ablabius felt threatened by him. He brought a charge of magic against him because he knew that it would play well to suspicions concerning the authenticity of such high profile and advantageous conversions to Christianity. He was killed and the conviction of Sopater upon this charge of magic then sufficed to erase almost all memory of his feigned con especially in the pagan tradition which welcomed the creation of a pagan 'martyr'.

St. Julian of Apamea was a Bishop of Apamea, Syria.  He was a tough opponent of Montanism which was an early Christian movement of the late 2nd century not unlike todays Pentecostalism and Charismatic movement. 

His feast day is December 9th and he died in the third century. St. Julian of Apamea is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a family, person, place, nation, activity, or clan.

 Lucius Julius Agrippa lived and became a citizen in Apamea. He was born in Italy from royalty. Little is known on his early life. In his career, Agrippa served as a Gymnasiarch which was a public official responsible for sports or games held at public festivals. This official directed Ancient Greek Gymnasiums and supervised competitors. 

 Agrippa also served as a Pontifex Maximus who was the high priest of the College of Pontiffs whose members were the highest-ranking priests of the state religion which encompassed the practices and beliefs of the ancient Romans as well as the many cults imported to Rome. It was usually an honour offered to members of politically powerful or wealthy families.

In 115, Apamea had suffered a serious earthquake. During this crisis, Agrippa served as the city’s ambassador to Rome. Agrippa at his own expense had made various generous public benefactions to his community. He frequently at his own expense undertook embassies to the Roman Emperor and the Roman Senate.

For six months, Agrippa paid and distributed (supra) expensive olive oil for anointing and corn for public use in Apamea. Agrippa with his wealth assisted in the reconstruction of Apamea in the following ways:

He financed the construction for an extension for the city’s aqueduct

In 116/117, Agrippa brought sufficient land to finance the construction for the Baths, an Adjacent Large Hall and the Stoa. The Large Hall and Stoa had lavish decorations. The Large Hall was used for concerts or competitions in music or oratory.

The Baths in Apamea was a magnificent complex. Agrippa had commissioned a number of bronze statues to be created of Theseus  and the Minotaur, the Ancient Greek God Apollo with the satyr Marsyas. These statues were placed in the baths.