CAESAREA CAPPADOCIAE
(Kayseri) Turkey.
Known formerly as Mazaca, it was capital of the kingdom of Cappadocia, situated in the strategia of Cilicia
immediately N of the holy mountain Argaeus (Erciyes
Dağ), which appeared on many of its coins. Renamed
Eusebeia by Argaeus in honor of the Hellenizing king
Ariarathes V Eusebes Philopater, 163-130 B.C., it became
Caesarea under Archelaus 12-9 B.C. The city was reputed
to be marshy and unsuitable as a capital. It was sacked
by Tigranes in 77 B.C. and the inhabitants were deported
to Tigranocerta until freed by Lucullus in 69 B.C. (
Strab.
12.2.7-9). It was eventually rebuilt by Pompey. Under
Tiberius it became capital of the newly formed province
of Cappadocia in A.D. 17. By the reforms of Diocletian
the E parts of the province became part of Armenia
Minor. Valens in A.D. 371-72 cut off the W cities and
Caesarea remained capital of Cappadocia Prima, being
the only city amid the vast imperial estates administered
by the comes domorum per Cappadociam. With the decline in its importance there was apparently a decline in
population, for Justinian found it necessary to replace
the walls with a shorter circuit (Procop.,
Buildings 5.4.
7-14). Little of the ancient city remained visible, but it is
now being excavated. The citadel is Turkish and other
surviving walls perhaps originally Justinianic. On the N
side, towards Argaeus, is a ruin field with lumps of perhaps a gymnasium or baths. Chance finds are displayed
in the
Kayseri Museum. R. P. HARPER
