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Paul's Letter to the Galatians - Galatian History and Culture
- Galatai: Greek word for Celts from beyond the Rhine who invaded Macedonia, Greece, and Asia Minor
between 280-275 BC. Ultimately controlled area about 200 x 100 miles, centred on Anchora, in the
centre of what is now Turkey. Confined by the king of Pergamum between Bithynia and Pontus, NW and
NE along the Black Sea coast, Cappodocia to East, Lycaonia and Phrygia to the South. Gradually
Hellenised, and expanded south and east.
- c. 210 BC Seleucid King of Syria, Antiochus III moved about 2,000 Jewish families from Mesopotamia
to the main towns of Phrygia and Lydia to help quell revolts in this region, giving them considerable
legal protection and independence. From here they gradually infiltrated north into Galatia.
- 189 BC: Galatia under Rome.
- 25BC: joined to southern provinces as Roman province. Greek used widely, Celtic spoken to 4C AD.
- Thus "Galatia" = either whole Roman Province south to Mediterranean, or just original ethnic area
around modern Anchora. Varied opinions about destination of letter.
- Hence culturally Galatians mixture of Celt, Greek, and Jew, overlaid with Rome. Roman culture imposed
a fatalistic acceptance of class/gender/slave hierarchy, and worship of pagan Roman gods or emperors.
Greece gave philosophies such as Stoicism, etc, and eastern cults also abounded. Above all communal
values dominated, rather than the individualism and social mobility of C20 Atlantic culture. Causes of
events were sought by asking "who" rather than "what". Social goods were seen as limited, so that if your
success or fame increased there was less for me. Honour was important and would be defended and
slights avenged aggressively. We also make introspective use of conscience to a much greater extent.
- Different again would be the mind-set of Jews and so-called god-fearers, who accepted many Jewish
beliefs and practices without actually converting. Central for Jews was belief in one God, who had
chosen the Jews and entered into a unique relationship with them: they were to be a holy people in a
corrupt world, their lives structured around Covenant, Temple and Torah, with a strict moral code, no
intermarriage and no worship of idols.
