{"def":{"lit":"a flat basket","short":"Tarsus, a place in Asia Minor","long":["a major city in Cilicia and the birthplace and early home of Paul (see Acts 9:11; 21:39; 22:3)"]},"deriv":"perhaps the same as ταρσός (a flat basket)","pronun":{"ipa":"tɑrˈsos","ipa_mod":"tɑrˈsows","sbl":"tarsos","dic":"tahr-SOSE","dic_mod":"tahr-SOSE"},"comment":"Even in the flourishing period of Greek history, it was an important city. In the Roman civil wars, it sided with Caesar and on the occasion of a visit from him, its name changed to Juliopolis. Augustus made it a free city. It was renowned as a place of education under the early Roman emperors. Strabo compares it in this respect to Athens and Alexandria. Tarsus also was a place of much commerce. It was situated in a wild and fertile plain on the banks of the Cydnus. No ruins of any importance remain."}