Tarsus (; Hittite: 𒋫𒅈𒊭 ; ; ; ) is a historic city in south-central Turkey, inland from the Mediterranean. It is part of the Adana-Mersin metropolitan area, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Turkey with a population of 300 thousand people. Tarsus forms an administrative district in the eastern part of Mersin province and lies at the heart of the region. With a history going back over 6,000 years, Tarsus has long been an important stop for traders and a focal point of many civilisations. During the Roman Empire, it was the capital of the province of Cilicia. It was the scene of the first meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and the birthplace of St Paul the Apostle. Tarsus is home to one of Turkey's most famous high schools, the Tarsus American College (TAC). Tarsus is served by Adana Şakirpaşa Airport and is connected by TCDD trains to both Adana and Mersin. Etymology The ancient name Tarsos is derived from , the original name given to the city by the Hittites, who were among the earliest settlers of the region. That in turn was possibly derived from the name of the storm god Tarḫunz. During the Hellenistic era Tarsus was known as Antiochia on the Cydnus (, ), to distinguish it from Syrian Antioch. The Romans knew it as , while it was in Western Armenian and in Eastern Armenian. According to the Suda, the city was founded by Perseus after he fought the Isaurians and the Cilicians. An oracle told him to found a city in the place where the flat (ταρσός) of his foot would touch the earth while he was dismounting from his horse after the victory. Geography Located on the mouth of the Berdan River (Cydnus in antiquity), which empties into the Mediterranean, Tarsus sits at a junction where land and sea routes connecting the Cilician plain (today called Çukurova), central Anatolia and the Mediterranean Sea meet. The climate is typical of the Mediterranean region, with very hot, humid summers and chilly, damp winters. Tarsus has a long history of commerce, and is still a commercial centre today, trading in the produce of the fertile Çukurova plain. Tarsus is also a thriving industrial centre for refining and processing for export. Industries include agricultural machinery, spare parts, textiles, fruit-processing, brick-making and ceramics. Agriculture is an important source of income with half the local land area farmland ()