KO'NIEH, ko'n'f-e, or KONIAH, The capital of the vilayet of the sante name in Asiatic Turkey, situated on the western edge of the plain of Lyeaonia, at an altitude of over 3300 feet, about 150 miles south of An gora (Map: Turkey in Asia, E 4). The town has little to attract in its appearance except its irri gated gardens. It possesses several tine mosques and a famous monastery of the Mawlawi ((lane ing)dervishes, with the tomb of the founder of the order. It produces carpets and leather and car ries on a considerable trade, being connected by raitway with Smyrna and Skutari (Constanti nople). Its population is estimated at 44,000, chiefly Turks, Armenians, and Greeks. Konie11 is the ancient leonium. Its situation was such as to make it a place of importance at an early date. Under the Persian Empire it was considered the frontier city of Phrygia (cf.Xenophon, Anabasis, i. 2, 19). The Romans joined it to Lyeaonia and made it the centre of that district. It was one of
the most important points of the Roman road system in Asia Minor. Paul and Barnabas preached there, and at that time it seems to have had a considerable Jewish population (Acts xiii. 51 sqq.; ef.1I. Tim, iii. 11). It became the centre whence Christianity spread throughout South Galatia, and numerous early Christian inscrip tions have been found there and near by. In By zantine times it was the seat of the Archbishop of Lyeaonia. A Church council was held there in 235. The Seljuk Turks captured the city about 1075, and under them it became the capital of the Sultanate of Iconium, or Brun. which lasted for two centuries. The most important remains of Seljuk architecture are found there. The city was captured by Frederick Barharossa in 1190. It fell into the hands of the Ottoman Turks under Mohammed 11. in 1466.