Cappadocia
Cappado'cia. (province of good horses). Act_2:3;
1Pe_1:1. The largest province in
ancient Asia Minor. Cappadocia is an elevated table-land, intersected by
mountain chains. It seems always to have been deficient in wood, but it was a
good grain country, and particularly famous for grazing. Its Roman metropolis
was Caesarea. The native Cappadocians seem to have originally belonged
to the Syrian stock.
Source:
Smith’s Bible Dictionary
Cappadocia
kap-a-dō´shi-a (ἡ
Καππαδοκία, hē
Kappadokía): An extensive province in eastern Asia Minor, bounded by
the Taurus mountains on the South, the Anti-Taurus and the Euphrates on the
East, and, less definitely, by Pontus and Galatia on the North and West.
Highest mountain, Argaeus, over 13,000 ft. above sea-level; chief rivers, the
Pyramus now Jihan, Sarus now Sihon, and Halys now the Kuzul; most important
cities, Caesarea Mazaca, Comana, Miletene now Malatia, and Tyana now Bor. At
Malatia the country unrolls itself as a fertile plain; elsewhere the province
is for the most part composed of billowy and rather barren uplands, and bleak
mountain peaks and pastures.
The Greek geographers called Cappodax the son of Ninyas, thereby tracing
the origin of Cappadocian culture to Assyria. Cuneiform tablets from Kul Tepe
(Kara Eyuk), deciphered by Professors Pinches and Sayce, show that in the era
of KH̬ammurabi (see H}AMMURABI) this extensive ruin on the ox-bow of the
Halys and near Caesarea Mazaca, was an outpost of the Assyr-Bah Empire. A
Hittite civilization followed, from about 2000 bc onward. Malatia, Gurun, Tyana
and other old sites contain important and undoubted Hittite remains, while
sporadic examples of Hittite art, architecture and inscriptions are found in
many places, and the number is being steadily increased by fresh discovery.
After the Hittites fade from sight, following the fall of Carchemish, about 718
bc, Cappadocia emerges as a satrapy of Persia. At the time of Alexander the
Great it received a top-dressing of Greek culture, and a line of native kings
established an independent throne, which lasted until Cappadocia was
incorporated in the Roman Empire, 17 ad. Nine rulers bore the name of
Ariarathes (the Revised Version (British and American) Arathes) the founder of
the dynasty, and two were named Ariobarzanes. One of these kings is referred to
in 1 Macc 15:22. The history of this Cappadocian kingdom is involved, obscure
and bloody.
Pagan religion had a deep hold upon the population prior to the advent
of Christianity. Comana was famous for its worship of the great goddess Ma, who
was served, according to Strabo, by 6,000 priestesses, and only second to this
was the worship paid to Zeus at Venasa.
Representatives from Cappadocia were present at Pentecost (Act_2:9), and Peter includes the converts in
this province in the address of his letter (1Pe_1:1).
Caesarea became one of the most important early centers of Christianity. Here
the Armenian youth of noble blood, Krikore, or Gregory the Illuminator, was
instructed in the faith to which he afterward won the formal assent of his
whole nation. Here Basil governed the churches of his wide diocese and
organized monasticism. His brother, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory Nazianzen,
lived and labored not far away. Cappadocia passed with the rest of Asia Minor
into the Byzantine Empire, but from its exposed position early fell under the
domination of the Turks, having been conquered by the Seljukians in 1074.
Source:
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Cappadocia
The easternmost and the largest province of Asia Minor. Christianity
very early penetrated into this country (1Pe_1:1).
On the day of Pentecost there were Cappadocians at Jerusalem (Act_2:9).
Source:
Easton’s Bible Dictionary