Cappadocia was now annexed to the Roman empire, and its independence was for ever extinguished. When the neighbouring nations sunk into the same state of degradation, Paphlagonia and Pontus enlarged the bounds of this province, without adding to its fame, or enabling its enslaved inhabitants to recover their liberty. At a later period it was divided into ten prefectures ; but when Constantine the Great ascended the throne, he reduced it to its ancient extent, by forming the territories which had been annexed to it into separate provinces. When Alexis Commenus founded the empire of Tre bizond, in 1209, Cappadocia was subjected by his arms ; but when this empire was overthrown by the Turks, the subject of this narrative became a part of their domi nions, and under their power it still remains. It is now called Amasia, from the city of that name, which is situated in that province, and where the Turkish begler bey sometimes resides.
The annals of this country have not transmitted to us any particular account of its government ; but we have reason to conclude, that the will of the prince was, in most cases, the rule of his conduct ; and when this did not take place, the laws of Charondas, a celebrated legis lator of Greece, prevailed. Their religion seems to have been a mixture of Persian and Grecian superstitions ; which, instead of promoting the happiness of the state, by favouring useful employments, crowded in one tem ple, sacred to Jupiter, no less than 3000 ministers, to loll in luxurious apathy, or to plot in ambitious cabals ; and, instead of inciting its votaries to praise God by the practice of virtue, incited them to practise the most senseless penances—to lacerate their bodies in honour of lIclIona ; and, if we can credit antiquity, to offer human sacrifices to Diana, and some otter idols. The Cap
padocians proved that the religion of a country directs its morals, when their wickedness becomes so proverbial, that the neighbouring nations denominated every per son distinguished by his depravity, a Cappadocian, as a term of peculiar reproach.
This country was never remarkably distinguished for learning or science ; fait the writings of Strabo and Pausanius, of Basil, and Gregory Nazianzen, illumined the darkness of their horizon with a splendor which has continued to our day. In the later period of this king dom, its armies were numerous, its revenues large, and its commerce considerable ; but from the time that it became a province of Rome, its spirit in a great mea sure was broken, and its energies were paralised. See Diodor. Skid. lib. xviii. ; &rub°, lib. xi. xii.; Curt. lib. xii. ; Liv. Ilb. xxxvii. cap. 21, 37, 38, 39, 40; lib. xlii. cap. 19. (pit. 46, 47 ; Justin. lib. xxxv. cap. I. lib. xxxvii. cap. I. lib. xxxviii. cap. 1, 2 ; Cicero, Ebist. passing; Tacit. ?/stn. lih. ii. cap. 42, 56, Hi8/. lib. i. cap. 78 ; Joseph. Ant. lib. xvi. Cap. 8. Bell. lib. i. cap. 25, 35 ; Univers. (list. vol. iii. p. 761 ; Rollin's ?tc. Thst. vol. ii. p. 5, vol. vii. p. 13, vol. ix. p. 344 ; Prideaux's Con. vol. iii.
iv. passim. (s. N.)