The story of Derbe

Derbe stands out as the only city named in the New Testament whose people accepted the Gospel from the very beginning. This ancient Anatolian city belonged in turn to Galatia, Lycaonia, and later Isauria and Cappadocia. Cicero mentions it in his letters: his friend Antipater, ruler of Derbe, was killed by Amyntas of Galatia, who conquered the city.

The apostles Paul and Barnabas fled a disturbance in Iconium and came here, some 120 km away, escaping a stoning. Under Emperor Claudius the city received the special title Claudioderbe, seen on 2nd-century coins. Saint Timothy came from Derbe or Lystra, and four of its bishops are known, dated between 381 and 672. The name comes from the Persian "Darband", a closed gate, pointing to a narrow pass nearby.

In 1956, using an inscription from AD 157, Michael Ballance placed Derbe at Kerti Höyük, a mound near Ekinözü village, about 24 km northeast of Karaman.