Tarsus, city, south-central Turkey. It is located on the Tarsus River, about 12 miles (20 km) from the Mediterranean Sea coast.
Tarsus is an ancient city on the alluvial plain of ancient Cilicia, the birthplace of St. Paul (Acts of the Apostles 22:3). Excavations by the American archaeologist Hetty Goldman before and immediately after World War II at Gözlükule, on the southwestern periphery of the modern town, show that, with some interruptions, settlements had existed there from Neolithic to Islamic times. Tarsus’s prosperity between the 5th century bce and the Arab invasions in the 7th century ce was based primarily on its fertile soil, its commanding position at the southern end of the Cilician Gates (the only major pass in the Taurus Mountains), and the excellent harbour of Rhegma, which enabled Tarsus to establish strong connections with the Levant.
The first historical record of Tarsus is its rebuilding by the Assyrian king Sennacherib (705/704–681 bce). Thereafter, Achaemenid and Seleucid rule alternated with periods of autonomy. In 67 bce Tarsus was absorbed into the new Roman province of Cilicia. A university was established that became known for its flourishing school of Greek philosophy. The famous first meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra took place there in 41 bce.
During the Roman and early Byzantine periods, Tarsus was one of the leading cities of the Eastern Empire, with an economy based on agriculture and an important linen industry. Modern Tarsus continues to be a prosperous agricultural and cotton-milling centre. Pop. (2000) 216,382; (2013 est.) 245,671.