NICO´POLIS
NICO´POLIS (
Νικόπολις: Eth.
Νικοπολίτης), i. e. the “City of Victory.” I.
In Asia.
1.
A town of Bithynia, on the coast of the Bosporus, a few miles north of Chalcedon. (
Plin. Nat. 5.43;
Steph. B. sub voce
2.
A town in Cappadocia or Armenia Minor, founded by Pompey on the spot where he had gained his first decisive victory over Mithridates. (
Strab. xii. p.555; Appian,
App. Mith. 101,
105 ;
D. C. 35.33; Caes.
Bell. Alex. 36;
Plin. Nat. 6.10.)
It was situated in a valley of the river Lycus, a tributary of the Iris (
Acta Martyr. tom. iii. Jul. p. 46), at a distance of 100 miles to the north-west of Satala, and 98 to the north-east of Sebastia.
It was a populous town as early as the time of Strabo; but during the last period of the Empire it appears to have suffered much, and its decayed walls were restored by Justinian. (Procop.
de Aed. 3.4; comp.
Ptol. 5.7.
[p. 2.426]§ 3;
Itin. Ant. pp. 183, 207, 215; Hierocl. p. 703;
Steph. B. sub voce. Most travellers and antiquaries are agreed, that Nicopolis is represented by the modern Turkish town of
Devriki; but as this place is situated on a tributary of the Euphrates, the opinion is opposed to the statements of our authorities, especially the “Acta Martyrum.” Others are inclined to regard
Kara-hissar, on the Lycus,as marking the site of Nicopolis; but still the routes indicated in the Itineraries are in favour of
Devriki; whence D'Anville too identifies this place with Nicopolis, assuming that the error lies with the author of the “Acta Martyrum,” who expressly places Nicopolis on the river Lycus.
3.
An episcopal see of uncertain site, in Lydia or Ionia, mentioned by Hierocles (p. 660). [
L.S]
4.
A town in Cilicia. [Issus.]
5.
A town in Palestine. [
EMMAUS No. 2.]
