Eleutheropolis

Vide Reland. Palæstin. 1. l. 2. c. 5. p. 422.ELEUTHEROPOLIS, a City in the Tribe of Judah, whereof there is no mention in the sacred writings; but it must have been very celebrated in the time of Eusebius and St. Jerom, since they generally take from hence the distance of the southern cities of Judah. It was an episcopal city of Palestine, as appears from the old ecclesiastical Registers. It is something singular, that it should be so hard to fix so remarkable a City in the map, which was the settled point from whence Eusebius and St. Jerom determined the distances and position of other cities. We know from Josephus, that it was twenty miles from Jerusalem. Antoninus, in his Itinerary, informs us, that it was four and twenty miles from Askelon, and eighteen miles from Lydda. Eusebius places it at five miles distance from Gath, six from Lachish, five and twenty from Gerar, twenty from Jattir, and eight from Keilah.

Read this article in its place on the printed pages