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Πέργη

Pérgē

G4011 noun

SILEX Entry

Root Πέργ- a fortified place, citadel, fortress (etymologically); as a proper noun, a city name

Definition

Perga, a city in the region of Pamphylia in southern Asia Minor, primarily used as a proper place name referring to this specific urban center. The word itself carries no additional lexical meaning beyond designating this location.

Semantic Range

Perga (city in Pamphylia, Asia Minor)

Root / Etymology

From the same root as Πέργαμος (Pergamos), likely related to the term πέργη meaning 'fortress' or 'tower.' The origin of the name is probably pre-Greek (Anatolian or Luwian), as names of the form 'Perg-' appear frequently in Asia Minor, but this is uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Πέργη appears as a toponym in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 13:13; 14:25), designating a major coastal city in Pamphylia between the rivers Kestros and Katarrhaktes. In the Greco-Roman period, Perga was renowned for its temple to Artemis and was an important regional center. The name does not function as a common noun but solely as a geographic designation in Greek literature of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Septuagint and earlier Greek literature do not attest it outside this geographic sense. The apparent connection to 'tower' or 'fortress' is etymological and not contextually relevant to the New Testament usage. English Bible versions routinely transliterate this as 'Perga,' adequately reflecting its original reference. There is no connotation of ethnicity, religion, or other categories inherent in the name Πέργη; it is a neutral place name and should not be confused with similar-sounding personal or ethnic terms.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably from the same as Πέργαμος; a tower; Perga, a place in Asia Minor:--Perga.

Root Family

Πέργη (Pergē) — fortified place, citadel, fortress; city name

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G4011-02 Πέργην pergen N ACC F SG Perga Perga 1
G4011-03 Πέργης perges N GEN F SG Perga of Perga 1
G4011-01 Πέργῃ perge N DAT F SG Perga to Perga 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G4011-02 Acts 13:13 Πέργην pergen N ACC F SG Perga Perga
G4011-03 Acts 13:14 Πέργης perges N GEN F SG Perga of Perga
G4011-01 Acts 14:25 Πέργῃ perge N DAT F SG Perga to Perga
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