The secular history of this city is unknown. In the 6th century AD it is mentioned by
Hierocles (Synecdemus 660, 4). It is found in the Notitiae Episcopatuum as late as the 13th century, among the suffragan sees of Ephesus.
Le Quien (Oriens christianusI:729) mentions seven bishops of this city known by their presence at councils: Rhodon at
Ephesus, 431; Basilicus at
Chalcedon, 451; Eusebius at Constantinople, 536; George at
Constantinople, 692; Gregory at
Nicaea, 787; Peter at
Constantinople, 869; Julian at
Constantinople, 879.
Titular see
No longer a residential see, the bishopric is included in the
Catholic Church's list of
titular sees[2] since its nominal restoration in the 18th century as Paleopolis, renamed Palaeopolis in 1925, and finally in 1933 renamed Palæopolis in Asia, avoiding confusion with its Pamphylian namesake.
It is vacant since decades, having had the following incumbents of the lowest (episcopal) rank :
Teodor Machciński (1730.02.08 – ?), no office recorded
Giovanni Pietro Martino Pellegrini (1786.04.03 – death 1830.02.18), no office recorded
Antal Fetser (1906.03.08 – 1915.01.22), as Auxiliary Bishop of
Oradea Mare (Romania) (1906.03.08 – 1915.01.22); later Bishop of
Győr (Hungary) (1915.01.22 –death 1933.10.06)
Carlo Sica (1917.12.20 – 1921.11.21), former Bishop of
Foligno (Italy) (1915.01.22 – 1917.12.20), later Titular Metropolitan Archbishop of Damascus (1921.11.21 – 1939.12.02)
Bishop-elect Guglielmo Piani,
Salesians (S.D.B.) (1921.12.16 – 1922.02.17) as Auxiliary Bishop of
Puebla de los Angeles (Mexico) (1921.12.16 – 1922.02.17); later Titular Archbishop of
Velicia (1922.02.17 – 1934.04.21) &
Apostolic Delegate (papal diplomatic envoy) to Philippines (1922.02.17 – 1948.10.05), Titular Metropolitan Archbishop of Nicosia (1934.04.21 – 1956.09.27) & Auxiliary Bishop of
México (Mexico) (1951.04.13 – 1956.09.27)
Ernesto Coppo, S.D.B. (1922.12.01 – death 1948.12.28), Apostolic Vicar of
Kimberley in Western Australia (Australia) (1922.12.01 – retired 1928)
Emmanuel-Karim Delly (1962.12.26 – 1967.05.06) as Auxiliary Eparch of the Patriarchate
Babylon of the Chaldeans (Iraq) ([1962.12.07] 1962.12.26 – 1997), later Titular Archbishop of
Kaškar of the Chaldeans (1967.05.06 – 2003.12.03) &
Bishop of Curia of the Chaldeans (1997 – 2002.10.24), elected
Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans (Iraq) ([2003.12.03] 2003.12.03 – death 2012.12.19) as
Emmanuel III Delly, also President of Synod of the Chaldean Church (2003.12.03 – 2012.12.19), President of Assembly of the Catholic Bishops of Iraq (2003.12.03 – 2012.12.19), created
Cardinal-Patriarch (2007.11.24 – 2014.04.08, without titular church in Rome)