Anatolian Civilizations and Historical Sites - TEDA

ANATOLIAN CIVILIZATIONS:10x19 antik kentler 8/1/11 10:52 AM Sayfa
Cappadocia
In ancient times, the region called Cappadocia was a mountainous
district of eastern Asia Minor (central modern Turkey), falling
roughly within a triangle formed by Nevflehir, Ni¤de and Kayseri.
Geologically, it is one of the most amazing places on earth. Volcanic
activity in this region continued at least until the Pleistocene Era
and possibly later. The detritus from volcanic eruptions formed
‘tuff,’ a soft, porous rock easily eroded by the elements. This erosion
has produced the marvelous 'fairy chimneys' and other remarkable
formations of the Cappadocian landscape and the easily carving and
chipping of the rock has made possible the elaborate underground
tunnel systems that can be seen today.
Cappadocia appears to have been settled during the Early Bronze,
Hittite and Phrygian Periods. Its original name was Katpatuka. St.
Peter refers to Christians (Peter 1:1) dwelling in Cappadocia as
early as the 1 st century AD and it is known that there were groups in
Caesarea who had accepted Christianity during the 2 nd century.
Cappadocia was the home of a number of famous theologians during
the 4 th century, such as Gregory of Nyssa, whose sermons and
writings were very influential in the region, causing it to become a
center of anchorites and communities of monks and nuns. In the 5 th -
6 th centuries, Cappadocia suffered incursions and raids by the Huns
and by 605 the Sassanids had gained control. Subsequently, it was
ruled by the Byzantines, though it frequently changed hands during
the two centuries of war with the Arabs. Stability was not restored
until the reign of Leon VI (886-912). The following years were a time
of peace and prosperity.
In 1071, the Seljuk Turks, under Alparslan, defeated and captured
the Byzantine emperor Romanus IV Diogenes at Manzikert, now
Malazgirt, about 25 km. north west of Lake Van. This effectively
crushed Byzantine power in the Anatolian peninsula and opened it
up to Turkish settlement. Just nine years later, the Seljuks took
Iconium (now Konya) and made it the capital of their empire.
However, even under Seljuk rule the Christians of Cappadocia
continued to live in peace, for the Seljuks did not interfere in their
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