Troas

The northwestern promontory of Asia Minor around Troy is the area of Troas or the Troad. Its southeastern border is Mt. Ida (Kaz Dağı).

The chief Greek towns were Ilium or Troy, Assus, and Alexandria Troas, now all in ruins. Troas is often included In the area of Mysia.

Troas was a city of Mysia, a region of northwest Asia Minor (today, Turkey). Reportedly founded by Antigonus, one of the successors of Alexander the Great (see Ancient Empires – Greece and Alexander The Great In Prophecy), it was named after the famous ancient Greek city of Troy which was located a few miles to the north. Later, when Rome began its prophesied (i.e. see Daniel’s Statue) rise to world power (see also Ancient Empires – Rome) Roman emperor Caesar Augustus (who is best known to students of the Bible for his ordering the census that resulted in Jesus Christ being born in Bethlehem, i.e. Luke 2:1) transformed Troas into a Roman colony where it served as an important seaport for those traveling on The Aegean Sea between Asia Minor and Macedonia. The apostle Paul was in Troas a number of times during his first and second missionary journeys (see Paul’s Second Missionary Journey and Paul’s Third Missionary Journey)

Troas In Bible History

It was from Troas (which is in Asia) that “the Spirit of Jesus” and a vision from a man in Macedonia directed Paul to take the Gospel across the Aegean Sea to Europe (i.e. Macedonia is in Europe):

And when they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.”

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing beseeching him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony.” (Acts 16:7-12 RSV)

Paul passed through Troas on the return voyage of his third missionary journey:

These went on and were waiting for us at Troas, but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.” (Acts 20:5-6 RSV)

Paul mentioned his visits to Troas in his Epistles, including to the Corinthians (see Corinth) and to Timothy:

When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, a door was opened for me in the Lord; but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. (2 Corinthians 2:12-13 RSV)

When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.  (2 Timothy 4:13 RSV)

What was the name of the young man of Troas who was killed after falling from a upper-floor window in Troas? What did the apostle Paul do, by means of the Holy Spirit, for the young man who was killed? (Acts 20:5-12)