ANTARADO. - A city on ARAD (v.), of which it was the ancient colony; today it is Tartus, with 3,500 inhabitants. Rebuilt by the emperor Constantius under the name “Constantia” (346), it was called Tortosa in the Middle Ages, famous for its Marian sanctuary, a centre of pilgrimage from throughout the Latin East. It was the last stronghold of the Crusaders in Syria and was captured by Aramed-Din after a heroic defence by the Templars (3 Aug. 1291). The magnificent basilica became a mosque at the end of the 19th century.
It was an episcopal see, united with Arado in the 4th century and separated in the middle of the 5th century. Its known bishops are: Cimazio (praised by St Aranasio for his orthodoxy), Alessandro (at the Council of Chalcedon, 451), who is the first bishop clearly distinguished from that of Arado, and Theodoro (518). A. had at least six Latin bishops in the 13th century, the last of whom was Bartolomeo (from 1274 to 1295[?]), who took a very active, though not always commendable, part in the political events of his time. Around 1295, the see of A., or Tortosa, was united with Famagosta in Cyprus. Today it is a titular see.