Nicaea, Ancient city in İznik, Turkey
Nicaea was a major fortified city in ancient Bithynia, strategically positioned on Lake Ascania with extensive defensive walls and a planned street grid that reflected centuries of construction.
The city hosted the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, where Emperor Constantine the Great gathered church leaders to formulate the Nicene Creed and establish foundational Christian doctrine.
Nicaea served as the first capital of the Empire of Nicaea from 1204 to 1261, preserving Byzantine culture and administration during the Latin occupation of Constantinople.
Visitors can explore well-preserved ruins including a Roman theater, Byzantine city walls dating from the 3rd century, and the remains of several early Christian basilicas throughout the archaeological site.
The city was the birthplace of Cassius Dio, the renowned Roman senator and historian who documented significant events of the Roman Empire in his extensive historical writings.
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