Cataonia (Ancient Greek:Kαταoνία) was one of the divisions of ancientCappadocia.
It is described byStrabo, who had visited it, as a level plain surrounded by mountain- on the south by theAmanus, and on the west by theAntitaurus, which branches off from theCilicianTaurus and contains deep narrow valleys (in one of which was situatedComana, a considerable city on the riverSarus, which flows through the gaps of the Taurus into Cilicia and theMediterranean). Through the plain of Cataonia flows the riverPyramus, which has its source in the middle of the plain, and also passes through the gaps of the Taurus into Cilicia. The plain is very productive, except that it has noevergreens. Strabo speaks of a temple ofZeus Dacius, where there is a salt-lake of the considerable extent with steep banks, so that the descent to it is like going down steps; it was said that the water never increased, and had no visible outlet.
The plain of Cataonia contained no cities, but it had strong forts on the hills, such as Azamora and Dastarcum, round which the Carmalas flowed, probably the modernZamantı River.[1] It also contained a temple of CataonianApollo, which was in great repute in all Cappadocia.Ptolemy[2] has a list of eleven places in his Cataonia, includingCabassus andHeraclea Cybistra, which is far beyond the limits of Strabo's Cataonia. In fact Ptolemy's Cataonia, if there is truth in it, must be a different division of the country. Cataonia also containsMut (Claudiopolis).Cucusus, mentioned in theAntonine Itinerary, is todayGöksun. The inhabitants of Cataonia were distinguished by the ancients from the other Cappadocians as a different people, but Strabo could observe no difference in manners or in language.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Cataonia".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
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