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CAPPADOCIA

(Gk. Kappadokía)

A rough, mountainous district in east central Asia Minor. Located N of Cilicia and the Tarsus Mountains, E of Phrygia and Galatia, and W of the Euphrates River, Cappadocia was renowned for raising horses, growing wheat, and producing wines. Because of its strategic mountain pass overlooks, it was often the object of foreign conquest, making it difficult to locate its shifting borders in antiquity. From 1700 until 1400 b.c.e., Cappadocia was a center of Hittite culture, known for its art of smelting iron and for its silver mines.

Originally the district included all the northeast territory of Asia Minor, but the northern part was segregated (probably under the Persians) and came to be known as Cappadocia on the Pontus (later, simply Pontus) and the southern region was called Great Cappadocia. Unlike the coastal regions of Asia Minor which came under strong Greek influence, this region deep within the rugged Anatolian territory perpetuated its Persian tendencies until the Romans made an alliance with King Ariarathes (164; cf. 1 Macc. 15:22). Mark Antony gave Cappadocia to Archelaus to rule as king (36 b.c.e.), a concession perpetuated by Augustus. When Tiberius succeeded Augustus, he called Archelaus to Rome and stripped him of his crown (14 c.e.). Cappadocia became a Roman province (17), administered as 10 districts since there were so few towns in the province.

Cappadocians were present at Pentecost (Acts 2:9), and were among the addressees of 1 Pet. 1:1. Their district was not visited by Paul, possibly because of its difficult geographical setting. Cappadocia became famous for the 4th-century theologians it produced: Basil (later of Caesarea), Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa.

Richard A. Spencer

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

CAPPADOCIA

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)