Colossae or Colosse, a city of Phrygia, on the Lycus, which is a tributary of the Maeander. It was about 12 miles above Laodicea, and near the great road from Ephesus to the Euphrates, and was consequently of some mercantile importance.

In 396, during the Persian Wars, the Persian satrap Tissaphernes was lured to Colossae and slain by an agent of the party of Cyrus.

It does not appear that Paul had visited this city when he wrote his letter to the church there (Col. 1:2). He expresses in his letter to Philemon (ver. 1:22) his hope to visit it on being delivered from his imprisonment. From Col. 1:7; 4:12 it has been concluded that Epaphras was the founder of the Colossian church . This town afterwards fell into decay, and the modern town of Chonas or Chonum occupies a site near its ruins.

Initial text from Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897 -- Please update as needed