Isaura Palaea (Ancient Greek:Ἴσαυρα Παλαιά,romanized: Isaura Palaia), inLatinIsaura Vetus, both meaningOld Isaura, and perhaps identical toIsauropolis (Ancient Greek:Ἰσαυρόπολις),[1][2] was aRoman andByzantine era town in southernTurkey.[3] In antiquity the city was inIsauria (Ἰσαυρία) district[4] ofLycaonia in today's southernTurkey (modernKonya Province). Its site is identified as nearBozkır.[2][5]
Possibly also known asIsaura Vetus, the city was in the Anatolian countryside of what wasLycaonia in today's southern Turkey and may have been the chief town of Isauria (Ἰσαυρία) district.[6] The town was mentioned bySozomen,[7]Ptolemy,[8] andHeirocles.[9] About 450Maximinus entered the town in his war withZeno.[10] Its location is not known, but suggestions includeSiristat orTris Maden, about 13 mi (21 km) west ofIsaura, orIsaura Vetus. It must have been nearIsaura Nova with which it was joined.
The city has been identified with modernZengibar Kalesi,Bozkır,Konya Province.
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Before theRomans the town was a strongly fortified city of theIsaurians, located at the foot ofMt. Taurus. It was besieged byPerdiccas, theMacedonian regent afterAlexander the Great's death, the Isaurians set the place alight and let it perish in flames rather than submit to capture.[11] Large quantities of molten gold were found afterwards by the Macedonians among the ashes and ruins.[12] The town was rebuilt, but was destroyed a second time by the Roman,Servilius Isauricus (c. 75 BCE), and thenceforth it remained a heap of ruins.Strabo states that the place was ceded by the Romans toAmyntas of Galatia.[13] It was rebuilt by Amyntas at a new location and calledIsaura Nea ('New Isaura').
From 492-496 the area was fought over between emperorAnastasius I and the local rebels, in what was to become known as theIsaurian War.
TheSeljuq Turks managed to take control of the area in the late 11th century, after theBattle of Manzikert.
The city was also the site of an ancientbishopric[14] which dates from theearly Christian era. Bishops from here attended bothCouncil of Nicea andChalcedon. There is no mention of Isauropolis in anyNotitiae episcopatuum, so Ramsay supposes that the Diocese was joined with that ofLeontopolis which is mentioned in all the "Notitiae".[15] Thesee was resurrected in 1925[16] as atitular see of theRoman Catholic Church.[17]
Ancient bishopric
Titular see
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Isaura".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
37°11′24″N32°14′42″E / 37.190126°N 32.24503°E /37.190126; 32.24503