Τραχωνῖτις
Trachōnîtis
G5139 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Trachonitis; a proper noun referring to a specific rough or stony district northeast of the Sea of Galilee, recognized as a geopolitical region in Roman Syria during the early first century CE. The term specifically designates the territory known for its rugged, basaltic landscape and its historical significance within regional administration and boundaries. Though it is a place name, its derivation underscores the area's physical geography.
Semantic Range
Trachonitis (specific region in Syria), rough or rocky district, proper name of a Roman administrative region
Root / Etymology
From the Greek root τραχ- (as in τραχύς, 'rugged, rough'), with the suffix -ωνῖτις forming an adjective or toponym indicating a place characterized by roughness. The toponym designates an actual known region, not a generic rough place; its exact formation likely involves an intermediary noun (e.g., Τραχών, 'the Rough [Region]') plus the adjectival -ῖτις ending.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term Τραχωνῖτις appears primarily in Greek and Roman geographical literature to refer to a rocky, uneven district situated on the border of the Roman provinces of Syria and Palestine, northeast of the Sea of Galilee and adjacent to Bashan and Ituraea. In the New Testament (Luke 3:1), Trachonitis is listed among the tetrarchies governed during the time of John the Baptist, specifically under Herod Philip. The name echoes the Hebrew ארץ החרשים (eretz ha-Charashim, 'land of stoniness'), which was rendered in Greek as Τραχωνῖτις in Hellenistic and Roman sources. Classical use references the region for its inhospitable, volcanic terrain, and its susceptibility to banditry—factors which made it distinct from surrounding settled lands. English translations preserve the place name but often provide no sense of its geographical connotation. The semantic value thus depends on ancient regional context, not a general qualitative description.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a derivative of τραχύς; rough district; Trachonitis, a region of Syria:--Trachonitis.
Root Family
Τραχωνῖτις (Trachōnitis) — rough, rugged, stony; rocky district; Trachonitis
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5139-01 |
Τραχωνίτιδος | trachonitidos | ADJ.A GEN F SG |
Trachonitis's | of Trachonitis | Trachonitis | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5139-01 |
Luke 3:1 | Τραχωνίτιδος | trachonitidos | ADJ.A GEN F SG |
Trachonitis's | of Trachonitis | Trachonitis |