Antioch was an ancient Greek city on the east side of the Orontes River; it is now known as Antakya, which is located in Turkey's Hatay province. It was founded in 300 BC by Alexander the Great's general Seleucus, and it was named for his father Antiochus. Due to its location along the Silk Road and spice trade routes, it rivalled Alexandria as the chief city of the Levant, and it was the Seleucid capital until 63 BC, when the Roman Republic annexed the Macedonians. Antioch became the seat of a Roman governor, and it also became the seat of the Greek-Jewish community during the Second Temple period. It played an important role in the emergence of early Christianity, as it was where Paul the Apostle converted from Judaism to Christianity. Due to warfare, repeated earthquakes, and a change in trade routes, Antioch declined in importance during the Middle Ages and the Mongol conquests. The city of Antakya stands where Antioch once was.
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