CAPPADOCIA, Icap-pa-do'shl-a, in an tiquity, one of the most important provinces in Asia, once a famous kingdom; in its widest extent bounded west by Lycaonia, south by Cilicia and Syria, east by Armenia and north by the Pontus Euxinus. In the period of the Persian government Cappadocia comprehended all the country between the Halys and Eu phrates. By the former river it was separated from Phrygia and Paphlagonia; by the latter, from Armenia: therefore the region afterward. called Pontus was comprehended in this terri tory. The Persians divided it, according to Strabo, into two satrapies, which bore the name of Cappadocia Magna, afterward Cappadocia Proper, and Cappadocia Minor, afterward Pon tus. This division, however, was not always strictly observed. The Persian satraps gov erned, at a later time, under the title of kings, and sometimes made themselves independent. At the time of the famous retreat of the 10,000 Greeks, both the Cappadocias seem to have been under the rule of Mithridates I. who had participated in the conspiracy of Cyrus the Younger, but retained his government and be came, after the defeat of Cyrus, again depend ent upon the kings of Persia. Alexander the Great received tribute from Ariarathes, but the latter's son did not recognize Alexander's suc cessors. It changed sides frequently during
the civil struggles of C.vsar and Pompey, Oc tavian and Antony and became a Roman prov ince in 17 A.D. Cappadocia Magna was a good grazing country, and also well adapted for the cultivation of grain, especially wheat; but wood was scarce. Mazaca, afterward Caesarea, now Kaisariyeh, was the residence of the kings of Cappadocia. The name of Leukosyri (White Syrians) is said by Strabo to have been applied to the Cappadocians, as if to distinguish them from the dark Syrians who dwelt on the east of Mount Amanus. The ancient population is at present represented by a few mountain tribes called Taktadji. Some anthropologists connect them with the Hittites. However, there is considerable difference of opinion in regard to their ethnic origin. Consult Chantre, (Recherches anthropologiques dans l'Asie occi dentale' (Lyons 1895) ; Grothe, cMeine Vor derasienexpeditionen' (Leipzig 1911); Von Luschan and Petersen's (Reisen in Lykien' (Vienna 1889); Von Luschan,