Difference between revisions of "Cappadocia"

== Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament <ref name="term_55393" /> ==

<p> (Καππαδοκία) </p> <p> [[Cappadocia]] was an elevated table-land, with ill-defined and varying boundaries, in the east centre of [[Asia]] Minor. It was drained chiefly by the Halys and its tributaries, and intersected by great mountains, the highest of which, Argaeus, is 13,000 feet above the sea. ‘Persons who ascend it (but they are not many) say that both the [[Euxine]] and the [[Sea]] of [[Issus]] may be seen from it in clear weather’ (Strabo, xii. ii. 7). Cappadocia was traversed by the great road of commerce from [[Ephesus]] to the Euphrates, by the pilgrims’ route from [[Constantinople]] to Jerusalem, and by roads from the Cilician [[Gates]] to the cities of the Euxine. It was an excellent country for corn and pasturage, and it had some important centres of commerce. [[Jews]] had found their way into the country before the Maccabaean period, and in 139 b.c. the [[Roman]] a [[Senate]] sent a letter to Ariarathes, King of Cappadocia, directing him ‘not to seek their hurt’ (1 [[Maccabees]] 15:19; 1 Maccabees 15:22). [[Philo]] ( <i> Leg. ad Gaium </i> , 36) also refers to Jews in Cappadocia. On the death of King [[Archelaus]] in a.d. 17, the country was formed into a Roman province (Tacitus, <i> Ann </i> . ii. 42). It was administered by a procurator until the time of Vespasian, who joined it to [[Armenia]] and placed it under a <i> legatus </i> . </p> <p> Jews of Cappadocia were sojourning in [[Jerusalem]] at the time of the first [[Christian]] [[Pentecost]] (Acts 2:9). The elect of the [[Dispersion]] in the province of Cappadocia are addressed in 1 Peter 1:1. [[Pagan]] Cappadocia was devoted chiefly to the cult of Ma, and the strength of its anti-Christian forces is indicated in Strabo’s description of two leading cities, Comana and Morimene. </p> <p> The priest of Comana ‘presides over the temple, and has authority over the hierodouli belonging to it, who, at, the time I was there, exceeded in number 6000 persons, including men and women. A large tract of land adjoins the temple, the revenue of which the priest enjoys. He is second in rank in Cappadocia after the king, and in general the priests are descended from the same family as the kings’ (xii. ii. 3). ‘In Morimene, among the Venasii, is a temple of Jupiter, with buildings capable of receiving nearly 3000 hierodouli. It has a tract of sacred land attached to it.… The priest is appointed for life like the priest of Comana, and is next to him in rank’ (xii. ii. 7). </p> <p> Yet [[Christianity]] made rapid progress in Cappadocia, and its triumph in Caesarea, the capital, so offended Julian the [[Apostate]] that he deprived the city of its freedom. Some of the other cities of Cappadocia-Nyssa, Nazianzus, Tyana, Samosata-are celebrated in [[Church]] history. </p> <p> Literature.-W. M. Ramsay, <i> The Church in the Roman [[Empire]] </i> , London, 1893, p. 445ff; Th. Mommsen, <i> Provinces of the Rom. Empire </i> 2, Eng. translation, do. 1909, i. 323f., 332f., ii. 19, 41, 63; E. Chantre, <i> [[Mission]] en Cappadocie </i> , Paris, 1898; G. Long, in <i> DGRG </i> [Note: GRG Dict. of [[Greek]] and Roman Geography.], i. 506ff.; article‘Cappadocia’ in <i> Hasting's Dictionary of the [[Bible]] (5 vols) </i> and <i> Encyclopaedia Biblica </i> . </p> <p> James Strahan. </p>

== Holman Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_39462" /> ==

Acts 2:91 Peter 1:1 <p> Although the extent of [[Cappadocia]] varied through the centuries depending on the currently dominant empire, it lay south of [[Pontus]] and stretched about 300 miles from [[Galatia]] eastward toward Armenia, with [[Cilicia]] and the [[Taurus]] Mountains to the south. Although mountainous country, its mostly rural population raised good crops, cattle, and horses. While in New [[Testament]] times its mines were still producing some minerals, a large number of tablets written in cuneiform script discovered in 1907 at Tanish, now known as Kultepe, revealed that [[Assyrians]] were mining and exporting silver ore from Cappadocia about 1900 B.C. </p> <p> From Acts 2:9 we know that [[Jews]] from Cappadocia were in [[Jerusalem]] when Peter preached at Pentecost. Those converted to [[Christianity]] that day must have given a good witness when they returned home because in 1 Peter 1:1 believers there are mentioned along with others in Pontus. The [[Christian]] message was probably carried to Pontus by way of the highway that went northward across Cappadocia from [[Tarsus]] through the narrow mountain pass known as the Cilician Gates. In the second century A.D. the famous historian [[Eusebius]] reported that the church at [[Rome]] sent financial aid to churches in the [[Near]] East, including Cappadocia. Two centuries later two sons of a prominent and wealthy Cappadocian family, [[Basil]] and Gregory, along with a close friend also named Gregory, took their Christian commitment quite seriously and became influential defenders and interpreters of the faith. </p> <p> Today the region of Cappadocia is in central Turkey, which is ninety-eight percent Muslim. </p>

<p> The most eastern province of [[Asia]] Minor. [[Jews]] resident in it were among Peter's hearers at his memorable Pentecostal sermon (Acts 2:9). To them accordingly, among others, he addressed his First [[Epistle]] (1 Peter 1:1). [[Judaism]] there paved the way for Christianity. [[Seleucus]] first introduced [[Jewish]] colonists into Asia Minor (Josephus, Ant. 12:3, section 4). Rome, by the civilization and improved roads which it carried with it every where, facilitated the spread first of Judaism, then of Christianity. </p> <p> The approach to [[Cappadocia]] from [[Palestine]] and [[Syria]] was by the pass called "the Cilician gates," leading up through the [[Taurus]] range from the low region of Cilicia. Once Cappadocia reached to the [[Euxine]] Sea; but [[Rome]] made two provinces of the ancient Cappadocia, [[Pontus]] on the N. along the sea, and Cappadocia on the S. [[Tiberius]] it was who reduced the Cappadocian Archclaus' kingdom to a province (A.D. 17), of which [[Caesarea]] was the capital, afterward the birthplace and see of Basil. Its cities, Nyssa, Nazianzus, Samosata, and Tyana, were noted in church history. </p>

== American Tract Society Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_15761" /> ==

<p> The largest ancient province of [[Asia]] Minor; having [[Pontus]] on the north, mount Taurus, separating it from [[Cilicia]] and Syria, on the south, [[Galatia]] on the west, and the [[Euphrates]] and [[Armenia]] on the east. It was watered by the river Halys, and was noted for its fine pastures and its excellent breed of horses, asses, and sheep. There were many [[Jews]] residing in it, Acts 2:9 . [[Christianity]] was early introduced there, 1 Peter 1:1 , among a people proverbial for dullness, faithlessness, and vice. See [[Crete]] . [[Several]] celebrated [[Christian]] fathers flourished in this province, as [[Basil]] and the three Gregories; and their churches may be traced as late as the tenth century. </p>

<p> '''''kap''''' -'''''a''''' -'''''dō´shi''''' -'''''a''''' ( ἡ Καππαδοκία , <i> '''''hē Kappadokı́a''''' </i> ): 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. </p> <p> 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 K'''''H̬ammurabi''''' (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 H ittite 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. </p> <p> [[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. </p> <p> Representatives from Cappadocia were present at [[Pentecost]] (Acts 2:9 ), and Peter includes the converts in this province in the address of his letter (1 Peter 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. </p>

<p> Cappado´cia, an ancient province of [[Asia]] Minor, bounded on the north by Pontus, on the east by the [[Euphrates]] and [[Armenia]] Minor, on the south by Mount [[Taurus]] (beyond which are [[Cilicia]] and Syria), and on the east by [[Phrygia]] and Galatia. The country is mountainous and abounds in water, and was celebrated for the production of wheat, for its fine pastures, and for its excellent breed of horses, asses, and sheep. The inhabitants were notorious for their dullness and vice. [[Cappadocia]] was subjugated by the [[Persians]] under Cyrus; but after the time of [[Alexander]] the Great it had kings of its own, who bore the common name of Ariarathes. It continued to be governed by tributary kings under the Romans till A.D. 17, when [[Tiberius]] made it a [[Roman]] province. [[Christianity]] was very early propagated in Cappadocia, for St. Peter names it in addressing the [[Christian]] churches in Asia Minor (). [[Cappadocians]] were present at [[Jerusalem]] on the day of [[Pentecost]] (). </p>

<ref name="term_55393"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-new-testament/cappadocia Cappadocia from Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament]</ref>

<ref name="term_39462"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/holman-bible-dictionary/cappadocia Cappadocia from Holman Bible Dictionary]</ref>

<ref name="term_15761"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/american-tract-society-bible-dictionary/cappadocia Cappadocia from American Tract Society Bible Dictionary]</ref>