Tyana is an ancient town in southern Cappadocia, located in Turkey in the village of Kemerhisar (“castle of the aqueduct”), ten miles south of Nigde. The city has a rich history dating back to the Hittites in the 2nd millennium BC. It gained prominence during the Hellenistic Period and became part of the Roman Empire. In the 1st century AD, Tyana was associated with the celebrated philosopher Apollonius of Tyana. Later, the city fell under Byzantine rule, followed by Arab and Seljuk invasions, before declining in the medieval period.

Coordinates: 37°49’32.0″N 34°34’26.4″E

Tyana was one of the most important cities of Central Anatolia for centuries and was known by several names. It was first reported in the Hittite archives under the name of Tuwanuwa and Tawuna in the Assyrian sources. Xenophon, who visited the city and described it as a “worldwide, big and blessed city” (Anabasis 1.2.20), mentions it under the name of Dana.

The name Tyana was first reported on coins minted by the Cappadocian ruler Αriaramnes (c. 255-220 BC) when it became the second most important city of the Cappadocian Kingdom. According to Strabo, the town was later renamed “Eusebeia near the Taurus” by King Ariarathes IV in the 2nd century BC. The new name remained in use until the Cappadocian Kingdom became a Roman province in AD 17 when the former name of Tyana was restored and established.

Coin of Hadrian minted in Tyana with the club of Herakles on the reverse. AD 117-138.
Coin from the author’s collection.

Tyana gained prominence during the Hellenistic Period but experienced significant development and prosperity under Roman rule. Due to its location, the city controlled the route from central Anatolia to the Cilician Gates and the Mediterranean. Several Roman Emperors, whose benefactions contributed significantly to Tyana’s development, visited the city on their way to the East. Hadrian‘s visits to Tyana in AD 117 and 129 further highlighted the city’s importance (read here).

One notable figure associated with Tyana in the Roman period is the philosopher Apollonius of Tyana, who lived in the 1st century AD. His teachings and reputed supernatural abilities elevated Tyana’s status, and the city became a centre for philosophical and religious activity. Hadrian’s interest in Tyana and its philosopher underscored the cultural and intellectual significance of the town in the Roman world. In AD 213, Tyana was renamed Colonia (Aureliana) Antoniana Tyanorum when Caracalla made the city a Roman colony, perhaps due to the Emperor’s admiration for the native philosopher and orator.

Coin bearing the image of Apollonius of Tyana.

Tyana continued to thrive through the later Roman period. In AD 372, Emperor Valens split the province of Cappadocia in two, and Tyana became the capital and metropolis of Cappadocia Secunda. The first Christian bishop is attested in AD 325. Tyana became a frontier city after the Muslim conquest of Cilicia but lost much of its former importance and fell into decline in the 10th century AD.

Today, the ruins of Tyana are noteworthy, and the chief surviving monument is the Roman aqueduct, with many of its arches still standing. The aqueduct was built during the reign of the emperors Trajan and Hadrian. It brought fresh water to the city from a spring four miles east of Tyana. The site is currently being excavated, and public baths and an early Christian baptistery have been identified. In 2020, during excavations, a 1,600-year-old octagonal church and coins dated to the 4th century AD were discovered (see here).