Silandus
Silandus or Silandos (Ancient Greek: Σιλάνδος) was an episcopal city in the late Roman province of Lydia. It was near and gave its name to the present town of Selendi in Manisa Province, Turkey.
Historical diocese
The see of Silandus, a suffragan of the see of Sardis, is mentioned in the Greek Notitiae episcopatuum until the 13th century; the city is not mentioned by any ancient geographer or historian. Some of its coins survive, showing representations of the River Hermus. Some inscriptions but no ruins are now found there.
Residential Bishops
The list of bishops of Silandus given by Le Quien, Oriens christianus, I, 881, needs correction:
- Markus, present at the Council of Nicaea, 325;[1]
- Alcimedes at Chalcedon, 451;[2]
- Andreas, at the Council of Constantinople 680; Stephanus, at Constantinople, 787;
- Eustathius, at Constantinople, 879.[3]
The bishop mentioned as having taken part in the Council of Constantinople, 1351, belongs to the See of Synaus.[4]
Inscriptions
Two funerary inscriptions from the Roman Imperial period have been recorded from Karaselendi, the site of ancient Silandos. One is the left part of a marble pedimental stele, with all akroteria broken off. Decorative elements include two leaves in the lower corners and a rosette in the center of the pediment, as well as a wreath above the inscription.[5] The preserved text records that in 116/117 CE, Diomedes, son of Philippos, honored his wife, whose name ends in -pe.[5] A second inscription, from the lower piece of a marble stele also found at Karaselendi, is dated to 217/218 CE. The inscription states that Telesphoros and Apphias, the parents, honored Telesphoris mneias charin ("in memory").[5]
Titular bishopric
The bishopric was nominally revived in 1900 as a Latin titular see of the lowest (episcopal) rank, but is vacant since 1968, after only two incumbents:
- Bishop Próspero París (姚宗李), S.J. (1900.04.06 – 1931.05.13)
- Bishop James Albert Duffy (1931.05.07 – 1968.02.12)
Canonical status and jurisdiction
Silandus is a titular see of the Catholic Church.[6]
From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia
A titular see in Lydia, suffragan of Sardis. It is not mentioned by any ancient geographer or historian. We possess some of its coins representing the Hermus. It is the present village of Selendi, chief town of a nahia in the caza of Koula in the vilayet of Smyrna, situated on the banks of the Selendi Tchai or Ainé Tchai, an affluent of the Hernus (now Ghediz Tchai). Some inscriptions but no ruins are found there. The list of bishops of Silandus given by Le Quien, "Oriens christianus", I, 881, needs correction: Markus, present at the Council of Nicaea, 325 (less probably bishop of Blaundus, as suggested by Ramsay, "Asia Minor", 134), Alcimedes at Chalcedon, 451 (Anatolius, who signed the letter of the bishops of the province to Emperor Leo, 458, belongs rather to Sala, Ramsay, ibid., 122); Andreas, at the Council of Constantinople 680; Stephanus, at Constantinople, 787; Eustathius, at Constantinople, 879 (perhaps Bishop of Blaundus). The bishop mentioned as having taken part in the Council of Constantinople, 1351, belongs to the See of Synaus (Wächter, "Der Verfall des Griechentums in Kleinasien im XIV Jahrhundert", Leipzig, 1903, 63, n. 1). The See of Silandus is mentioned in the Greek "Notitiae episcopatuum" until the thirteenth century.
RAMSAY, Asia Minor (London, 1890), 122; TEXIER, Asie mineure (Paris, 1862), 276.
References
- Back to citation Less probably bishop of Blaundus, as suggested by Ramsay, Asia Minor, 134.
- Back to citation Anatolius, who signed the letter of the bishops of the province to Emperor Leo, 458, belongs rather to Sala, Ramsay, ibid., 122.
- Back to citation Perhaps Bishop of Blaundus.
- Back to citation Wächter, Der Verfall des Griechentums in Kleinasien im XIV Jahrhundert, Leipzig, 1903, 63, n. 1.
- Back to citation occurrence 5.0 Back to citation occurrence 5.1 Back to citation occurrence 5.2 Ricl, H. M. M. (2006). "Some funerary inscriptions from Lydia". Epigraphica Anatolica. 39: 57–58.
- Back to citation Wikidata item Q2285654
Bibliography
- William Mitchell Ramsay, Asia Minor (London, 1890), 122;
- Texier, Asie mineure (Paris, 1862), 276.