You can find detailed information about the history of Cappadocia in our article. Brief information is given about the most important history of Cappadocia, which includes natural events and periods from past to present. Cappadocia is very important in terms of historical places. Many Cappadocia historical artifacts have come from this region.

 History and Presentation of Cappadocia

The first history of Cappadocia, which was located in Cappadocia millions of years ago, started in the ages when human beings first set foot after the lava that dispersed to the region with the eruption of Erciyes in the east and Hasan Mountains in the west cooled down. It is seen that the Hittite State was established. This powerful state, whose capital was Hattusha, was founded in BC. It reigns until 1200 BC. Invasions started in Anatolia and the Hittite State was burned down and destroyed in BC. It was abolished around 1200. Later, the state of principalities was established in Anatolia and remained unclaimed for a long time.

In the 2th century, the famous Phrygians took over the management of horse breeding in central Anatolia. Phrygians are also called "Brgyler" or "Brygesler". After the Phrygians, Cappadocia passed into the hands of the Medes for a while, but BC. VI century In the middle of the middle, the Med empire collapsed suddenly and BC. In 547, Anatolia passed into the hands of the Persians. The Persians were ruled by the valleys called "Khşatrapa" in their countries and "Satrapes" by the ancient Greeks, in a provincial way. The name the Persians gave to Cappadocia was "Katpatuka". Katpatuka means "Land of Beautiful Horses" in Persian.

B.C. In 333, Alexander the Great captured the southern part of Cappadocia, appointing a Persian named Sabiktas as Satrap and continued south for his great expedition. About a year later, I. Ariarethes, who received the support of the people, crossed the borders of Cappadocia from the north to the Black Sea. Although he expanded it to the Euphrates River in the east, Perdikkas, who was Alexander's stepson, took over again by walking to Cappadocia. When Alexander the Great died without an heir to replace him, the great empire he had established began to shake. The commanders, who went down in history as the Diadokhs, were supposed to rule the established great empire in unity, while the struggles of the small kingdoms founded by the Diadokhs lasted for about 300 years, BC. In 30 BC, the last Hellenistic kingdom was abolished by the Romans.

B.C. Returning again in 301, Alexander the Great liberated southern Cappadocia, which he had occupied, and provided unity and solidarity. With the death of V. Ariarethes, Cappadocia lost power and gradually began to come under the influence of Rome. After that, Cappadocia changed hands frequently between Rome and the Pontus kingdom. Cappadocia suffered a lot from these wars.

B.C. Cesar, who declared war on Pontos Kingdom in 47 BC, took Southern Pontus. Later, by placing his army in Mazaka, he changed the name to "Caiseria" and Kayseri, BC. It became a full Roman province in 17 BC.

H.Z. Jesus was 30 years old when he proclaimed Christianity in Palestine. When Rome's governor of Jerusalem, Ponce Pilate, accused Jesus of "establishing a new state in Palestine," Jesus was crucified. However, his apostles left Palestine and started to spread Christianity by explaining it to various regions.

During the time of Saint Gregorios of Nazianzos (Nenezili) and Saint Basileios of Nyssa, among the most important clergy born in the Cappadocia region, Christianity developed rapidly in Central Anatolia and the construction of churches and monasteries was emphasized. These places of worship were usually built in valleys, stream beds, or in hard-to-find places. Because Christianity had not yet been liberated. In the 310s, there were disturbances and uprisings in Rome, and Constantine suppressed these uprisings and became the Roman Emperor. When Constantine became Emperor, he liberated Christianity in 313 and later moved the capital of Rome to Byzantion (Istanbul). After the liberalization of Christianity, religion developed rapidly in Cappadocia, and the construction of churches, monasteries and monasteries continued and entered the religious influence of the Patriarch of Istanbul.

VII. YY. In this period, the Byzantine Empire was the scene of important events both at home and abroad. The religion of Islam was born in Arabia, and by expanding it began to push the borders of Byzantium. Inside, the monks' tendency to worship idols to the degree of idolatry was causing a reaction. In 726, III. With a law enacted by Leon, the Iconoclastic period began and continued for more than 100 years, breaking the power of the church and monastery. During this period, religious pictures were banned, churches and monasteries were closed. This situation continued until the Empress Thedora released the icons again in 843. With the freedom of the icons, new churches were built in Göreme, Ihlara and Soğanlı valleys. These were frescoed with the subjects mentioned in the Bible. The most beautiful churches and frescoes of the Byzantine period began to be built after this time. Church constructions in Cappadocia XIII. It continued until the twentieth century.

In 1071, with the rapid seizure of Anatolia by the Seljuks, the religious beliefs of the Byzantines were left intact. Churches and mosques built in the same place and at the same time in this region symbolize how tolerant both communities look at each other. It is possible to see examples of this in Zelve Ruins. There are so many churches, chapels and monk houses built in Cappadocia that it is not possible to give the exact number of them, but it is estimated that more than 400 were built. Most of the paintings in the churches were made after the Iconoclastic Period.

Although these caves were used as shelters against both the Islamic raids and the Seljuks who entered Anatolia in 1071, these underground caves and secret places of worship, which were given religious freedom to Christians, lost their importance after the Seljuks Turkified Anatolia. After the disintegration of the Seljuks, the period of principalities began in Anatolia. The cities of Cappadocia changed hands between these principalities from time to time. After the Ottomans grew and became stronger, they became a powerful giant by owning all of Anatolia. During the Ottoman period, the religious beliefs of Christians were not touched, but Christians could not show effective religious development in this period.

After the proclamation of the Republic, after the population exchange in 1924, the Christian community came to an end in Cappadocia.