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Niksar | |
|---|---|
 Niksar view from the city center | |
| Country | Turkey |
| Province | Tokat |
| District | Niksar |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Semih Tepebaşı (AKP) |
| Population (2022)[1] | 37,017 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (TRT) |
| Postal code | 60600 |
| Area code | 0356 |
| Website | www |
Niksar, historically known asNeocaesarea (Νεοκαισάρεια), is a city inTokat Province,Turkey. It is the seat ofNiksar District.[2] Its population is 37,017 (2022).[1] It was settled by many empires. Niksar is known as "Çukurova of North-Anatolia" due to its production of many kinds of fruits and vegetables. On May 2, 2018, Niksar was included in theWorld Heritage tentative list.[3]
Niksar has been ruled by theHittite,Persian,Greek,Pontic,Roman,Byzantine,Danishmend,Seljuk andOttoman Empires. It has always been an important place inAnatolia because of its location, climate and productive farmland.[clarification needed]
It was known asCabira in theHellenistic period (Κάβειρα inGreek).[4] It was one of the favourite residences ofMithridates VI, who built a palace there, and later of KingPolemon I and his successors.[5]
In 72 or 71 BCE, theBattle of Cabira during theThird Mithridatic War took place at Cabira, and the city passed to the Romans. Niksar was calledDiospolis,Sebaste, andNeokaisareia during the Roman period.Pompey made it a city and gave it the name of Diopolis, whilePythodoris, widow of Polemon, made it her capital and called it Sebaste.[4] It is not known precisely when it assumed the name of Neocaesarea, mentioned for the first time inPliny, "Hist. Nat.", VI, III, 1, but judging from its coins, one might suppose that it was during the reign ofTiberius.[5] In 344 the city was completely destroyed by an earthquake[6] Neocaesarea became part of theEastern Roman Empire when theRoman Empiredivided into two parts in AD 395. Another earthquake occurred in 499, the499 Nicopolis earthquake.[7]
During the Middle Ages, the Muslims and Christians disputed the possession of Neocaesarea, and in 1068 aSeljuk general,Melik-Ghazi, whose tomb is still visible, captured and pillaged it. When theSeljuqs raidedAnatolia in 1067, Neocaesarea was conquered byAfşın Bey, one of the commanders ofAlp Arslan. The Byzantines retook the area in 1068. Conquered byArtuk Bey after theBattle of Manzikert, Neocæsarea once again returned to Byzantium in 1073. The city became part of the domain ofRoussel de Bailleul, aNorman mercenary who had rebelled against the Byzantine empire, and who held the town until 1075.[8] Melik Gümüştekin Ahmet Gazi (better known asDanishmend Gazi), founder of theDanishmend, was the next conqueror of Neocaesarea. After the conquest the Gazi made it his capital city, and, under the name Niksar, became a center of science and culture. The Danishmend Gazi's mausoleum stands in a large cemetery just outside the town.
In 1100, Bohemond I of Taranto was held prisoner in Niksar castle until 1103.[citation needed]
By 1175, during the reign ofKılıç Arslan II, Niksar was dependent on theSeljuks of Rum. After theMongol invasion of the 13th century, Niksar was governed by theEretnids and then theBeylik of Tacettin, abeylik and became the center of the latter principality. AfterKadı Burhanettin (who conquered Niksar in 1387) was killed in battle, the people of Niksar sought aid from theOttoman SultanBayezid I. The Sultan's son,Süleyman Çelebi, took Niksar for the Ottomans. In the later Ottoman period, Niksar became part ofTokat Province.Fatih Mehmet launched a raid onTrabzon from Niksar, andSelim I andSuleiman the Magnificent raided the east from there. The town was predominantly Muslim in the mid 17th century.[9]
Neocaesarea was an episcopal see in the late Roman province ofPontus Polemoniacus. At first called Cabira, it became the civil and religious metropolis of Pontus. In around 315, theSynod of Neo-Caesarea was held there. It is now one of the bishoprics listed in theAnnuario Pontificio astitular sees and is referred to as Neocaesarea in Ponto to distinguish it from Neocaesarea in Syria.[10]
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Noted bishops include Saints Gregory Thaumaturgus, Paul of Neocaesarea, and Thomas, a 9th-century martyr.
Gregory of Nyssa claimed that about 240, whenGregory Thaumaturgus was consecrated bishop of his native city, Neocæsarea had only seventeen Christians and that at his death (270) it counted only seventeen pagans.[11] In 315 a great council was held there, the acts of which are still extant. In the early church baptism was generally by immersion. Baptism by perfusion, that is by pouring the water over the candidate, was permitted in the case of the seriously ill and where sufficient water for immersion was unobtainable or impractical, as in, for example, prisons. The Council of Neocaesarea ruled that individuals baptized by perfusion were disqualified from being presbyters. This became an issue in the case ofNovatian, who had received baptism by perfusion when dangerously ill.[12]
Being early placed at the head of an ecclesiastical province, Neocæsarea had four suffragan sees about 640 ("Ecthesis" of pseudo-Epiphanius, ed.Heinrich Gelzer, 539), retaining them until the tenth century, whenTrebizond obtained its independence and, by degrees, the other three suffragans were suppressed. In 1391 the Archdiocese of Neocaesarea was confided to the metropolitan of Trebizond (Miklosich and Müller, "Acta", II, 154). About 1400 there was, however, a regular metropolitan (op. cit., II, 312), residing atOrdu. Among the twenty-seven bishops of this city mentioned byLe Quien, the most noted are Saints Gregory Thaumaturgus,Paul of Neocaesarea, and Thomas, a 9th-century martyr.
Niksar is approximately 9,555 km2 (3,689 sq mi). It is located at 40°35' north latitude and 36°58' east longitude. Its average altitude is 350 m above sea level. It is surrounded byErbaa on the northwest, Tokat on the southwest,Almus on the south,Başçiftlik on the southeast andAkkuş on the north. It is one of the five largest counties of Tokat.[citation needed] TheCanik Mountains are to the north,Dönek Mountain to the south, and the Niksar Lowland is situated between these mountains. The Niksar Lowland is one of the most important lowlands of theBlack Sea Region.[citation needed] The Canik Mountains are covered with plateaus that lie parallel to the Black Sea.Çamiçi High Plateau is one of the most important ones.[why?]
Niksar lands are irrigated by large and small tributaries of theKelkit River. Forests cover 53% of the plateau, and pasture 12%; 32% of the land is devoted to agriculture, and only 3% is unsuitable for farming. Beech, pine, horn beech, and spruce trees can be found in the higher altitudes to the north of Niksar. In the lowlands there are poplar and willow trees, and fruit trees in the valleys. Polecats, rabbits, wolves, foxes, lynxes, bears, and pigs are the main hunting animals that live in the mountains and forests. Partridges, quail and ducks are among the more important game birds found here. Niksar has a transitionaloceanic climate andcontinental climate. It is generally cold and snowy in winter, and hot and moderately dry in summer.
The most remarkable feature of traditionalTokat-Niksar houses is the kitchen. CalledAşevi orAşgana in the local dialect, the kitchen is usually the largest room of the house and serves as a sort of lounge for the family. The typical kitchen has a fireplace on one side used for cooking or washing and a storeroom on the other in which dried foods, preserves, sauces, cheese and grape leaves are kept. Beside the storeroom is a wooden granary with partitions for storing cereals and legumes. In Turkey, it is common to eat meals around a low table.
The famous local foods of Niksar are walnut, tomato paste and grape leaves which is a main ingredient ofdolma, a very popular dish in Turkey.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Neocæsarea (2)".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. The entry cites:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Cabira".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
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