Sebaste
/səˈbæsti/noun
An ancient city in Samaria, also known in modern usage as Sebastia.
Did you know?Sebaste was named by Herod the Great in honor of Augustus Caesar, using the Greek title sebastos, meaning “venerable” or “revered.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*seǵʰ-?
“A proposed root associated with awe or reverence; the deeper pre-Greek origin is uncertain.”
Classical Greek
Greek
σέβομαι (sébomai)
“To feel awe, reverence, or worship.”
Classical Greek
Greek
σεβαστός (sebastós)
“Revered, venerable, or august.”
27 BCE
Greek
Σεβαστή (Sebastḗ)
“The feminine form of sebastós, “the revered one”; used in place names honoring Augustus.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Greek
Σεβάστη (Sebástē)
“The name given to the city of Samaria after Herod the Great rebuilt and dedicated it to Augustus.”
Modern English
English
Sebaste
“An ancient city in Samaria, generally identified with modern Sebastia in the West Bank.”
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