THE CILICIAN "GATES" as POINT of SACRED ENERGY that RULED THE WORLD

The CITY OF TARSUS was the capital of CILICIA in Asia Minor located on both sides of the CYDNUS RIVER, at 19 km (12 mi) inland from the Mediterranean Sea and 40 km (25 mi) South of the CILICIAN GATES, which for three millennia have been the only major PASS through the TAURUS Mountain Range between CILICIA and SYRIA.
CILICIA (name comes from Assyrian "Hil akku") is a relatively small and narrow region of the SE Asia Minor. On the South lay the Mediterranean Sea, to the West was Pamphylia, on the North the Taurus Mountain Range separated it from Lycaonia and Cappadocia, and to the East the Amanus Mountain Range (which forms a Southern Branch of the Taurus) divided it off from Syria.
Basically the region of Cilicia was divided into two natural sections: the Western, called Cilicia Tracheia (Cilicia the Rugged) and the Eastern, called Cilicia Pedias (Plain Cilicia).
Cilicia the Rugged, was a wild plateau region of the Taurus Mountains, rich in forest land. Its rugged sea coast, broken by rocky headlands, provided numerous sheltered harbors and inlets. This natural landscape, from early times, was a haven for robbers and for pirates, who preyed on the coastal shipping.
Plain Cilicia embraced the broad coastal plain, a well-watered, extremely fertile section. In Roman times this plain was dotted with some 16 semiautonomous cities, the most prominent of which was the City of Tarsus, the birthplace of the apostle Paul. Acts 21:39; 22: 3; 23:34.
The region of Cilicia occupied a strategic position, both militarily and commercially. The principal Trade Route from SYRIA passed through the SYRO-CILICIAN GATES, a high PASS through the Amanus Range about 32 km (20 mi) North of ANTIOCH, then traversed CILICIA to TARSUS and ascended the Taurus Mountains to the CILICIAN GATES, the sharp defiles or clefts that give access into Central and Western Asia.
The narrow PASSES provided a landscape of easily defensive borders. During its ancient history military forces of many nations marched over this route in search of power and authority.
Assyria and Persia successively dominated Cilicia, and in 333 BCE, Macedonian Alexander's forces passed through the Cilician Gates and defeated the Persian army at the Battle of Issus. Because of the fast journey of Alexander collecting all the power of their world, when he took a bath in the sacred waters of the Cydnus River he got a strange disease that ended his life.
Under the Romans, Cilicia did not became an organized province until 67 BCE, when Pompey subdued the pirates of Western Cilicia.
In 27 BCE, the province was divided, part of the Western portion being included in Cappadocia and part being turned over to the rule of local dynasties, while the Eastern part combined with Syria and Phoenicia as one province.
In 72 CE during the time of Vespasian, the Eastern and Western sections of Cilicia were reunited in a
single province.
During the early part of apostolic times there was an especially close relationship between Cilicia and Syria. Acts 15:23, 41 and Galatians 1: 21.
Acts 27: 5 states that Paul sailed "through the open sea along Cilicia and Pamphylia" on his way to be tried in Rome, "Cilicia" there included the entire region of Eastern and Western Cilicia.
Jews from Cilicia, were among those disputing with Stephen prior to his death (Acts 6 : 9). By about
49 CE. there were already congregations in Cilicia to whom the Christian council in Jerusalem sent a letter. Acts 15: 23. The route for Paul's second and third missionary journeys took him through Cilicia and the Cilician Gates.