Selene (SeX//)'?;, the morm), a goddess worshipped by the ancient Greeks, being the personification of the moon. She is called a daughter of Hyperitin and Theia, and, accordingly, a sister of Helios and Eos. She is also called P/iabe, as the sister of Thfebus, the god of the sun. In later times Selene was identified with .1 7-te- ?»».«, and the worship of the two became amalgamated. Among the Romans she was called Luna, and had a
temple on the Aventine at Rome. Selene is descrilicd as a very beautiful goddess, with long wings and a gold- en diadem, and ^Eschylus called her " the eye of niglit." See Smith, Diet, of Greek and Roman Mytholoyy, s. v.
Seletici'a [some wrongly Selen'cia'\ (^tKivKtui), a city of Syria, situated west of Antioch, on the sea- coast, near the mouth of the Orontes; sometimes called Seleucia Pieria, from the neighboring Mount Pierus; and also Seleucia ad Mure, in order to distinguish it from several other cities of the same name, all of them denominated from Seleucus Nicanor. Its ancient name was Rivers of Water ('YcnTog TroTajxou .Strabo, xvi, 2, 8). It is fully described by Polybius (5, 39). It was practically the seaport of Antioch (q. v.), as Ostia was of Rome, Neapolis of Philippi, Cenchreis of Corinth, aiul the Pira-us of Athens. Tlie river Orontes, after flowing past Antioch, entered the sea not far from Seleucia. The distance between tlie two towns was about sixteen miles, chiefly of broken groinid, with a large mountain called Coryphaeseum on the north near the sea. We are expressly told that Paul, in company with Barnabas, sailed from Seleucia at the beginning of his first mis- sionary circuit (Acts xiii, 4); and it is almost certain that he landed there on his return from it (xiv, 2G). The name of the place shows at once that its history was connected with tiiat line of Seleucida? who reigned at Antioch from the death of Alexander the Great to the close of tlie Roman repul)lic, antl whose dynasty had so intimate a connection with .Jewish annals (1 Mace, xi, 8 ; Josephus, Ant. xviii, 9, 8). See Sykia. This strong
Coin of Seleucia.
Oiv. Female head, turrekit, ri(rht. Rev. " Of Seleucia the sacred and i dependent," in Greek.
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fortress and convenient seaport was, in fact, constructed by the first Seleucus (died B.C. 280), and here he was buried. It was taken by Ptolemy Energetes on his expedition to Syria, but was recovered by Antiochus Epiphanes. It retained its importance in Roman times, and in Paul's day it had the privileges of a free city (Pliny, H. N. v, 18). The remains are numerous, the most considerable being an immense excavation ex- tending from the higher part of the city to the sea; but to us the most interesting are the two piers of the old harbor, which still bear the names of Paul and Bar- nabas. The masonry continues so good that the idea of clearing out and repairing the harbor was entertained, but not executed, by one Ali Pasha, of Aleppo. Ac- counts of Seleucia were first given by Pococke (Observa- tions in the East, xxii, 182), and afterwards in the nar- rative of the Euphrates Expedition l)y general Chesney, and in his papers in the Journal of the Royal Geograph- ical Society (viii, 228 sq.), and also in a paper by Dr. Yates in the Museum of Classical Antiquities. The harbor has still more lalelv been surveyed by captain Allen {Dead Sea, etc.). See also Conyl)eare and How- son, St. Paul, i, 137 ; Lewin, St. Paul, i, 116 sq. ; Smith, Diet, of Class. Geog. s. v.
SELEUCIA (in Chaldo'a), Council of, was held in 410, in order to re-establish ecclesiastical discipline in Per- sia and Mesopotamia. Tweiitj'-seven canons were made.
1. Orders prayers to be made for princes.
2. Coutaius a profession of faith at,'reeiug with that of Kic;e:i.
3. Orders that the consecration of a bishop be performed by three bishops at least.
5. Excludes from every ministration priests and deacons who do not observe strict continence.
6. Ordains the same thing with res|)ect to clerks guilty of usury.
". Excommunicates all who have dealings with en- chanters, etc.
10. Directs thnt priests and other clerks shall eat in a place distinct from the poor.
U. Oiders that their sleeping-rooms also shall be sepa- rate.
1.^ and 16. Ordnin that there shall be but one archdea- con in eiich diocese, who sliall act as the arm and tongue of the bishop to publish and ext^cnte his will.
21). Permits the archdeacon to celebrate the holy eucha- rist, ill the absence of the bishop, and gives Idui power to punish deacons under certain circumstances.
26. Forbids bishops to ordain priests aud deacons any- where save before the altar.
See Mansi, Supp, vol. i, col. 285. — Landon, Manual of Councils, s. V.
SELEUCIA (in Si/ria), CofNCii, of. This council was held iu the Church of St. Tecla, Sept. 27, 359, by
order of the emperor Constantius. One hundred and sixty bishops were pres- ent, of whom about onehundred andfive were Semi-Arians, fortyAnomceans.and thirteen Catholics ; among these was St. Hilary of Poi- tiers, who for four years had been ban- ished into Phrygia. Among the Semi- Arians were George of Laodicea, Silva- nus of Tarsus, Slace- donius of Constan- tinople, Basil of An- cyra, and Eustacbi- us of Sebaste. The Anomoeans formed ihe party of Acaci- iis of Cffisarea. The thirteen Catholic bishops, who proba- bly came from Egypt, alone maintained the consub- stantiality of the \\'ord. Leonas, the imperial quwstor, had orders to attend the deliberations of the assembly. The bishops forming the party of Acacius, anxious to avoid any inquiry into the several accusations and complaints which they were aware would be brought against them, insisted that, (irst of all, the questions re- lating to the faith should be examined, and after some discussion they gained their point. In the very first sitting, however, they openly renounced the Council and the Creed of Nicaja, and maintained that the Son was of a substance different from that of the Father. A discussion ensued between them and the Semi-Arians, which ended in the Acacians leaving the assembly, dis- gusted with its decision, viz. that the formulary drawa up at Antioch in 341 should be adhered to.