'''Anazarbus''' (med. '''Ain Zarba'''; mod. [[Anavarza]]) was an ancient [[Cilicia]]n city, situated in [[Anatolia]] in modern [[Turkey]], in the [[Aleian plain]] about 10 miles west of the main stream of the [[Pyramus river]] (Jihun) and near its tributary the [[Sempas Su]].

A lofty isolated ridge formed its [[acropolis]]. Though some of the masonry in the ruins is certainly pre-Roman, the [[Suda]]'s identification of it with [[Cyinda]], famous as a treasure city in the wars of [[Eumenes of Cardia]], cannot be accepted in the face of [[Strabo]]'s express location of Cyinda in western Cilicia.

Under the early [[Roman empire]] the place was known as '''Caesarea''', and was the metropolis of [[Cilicia Secunda]]. Rebuilt by the emperor [[Justin I]] after an [[earthquake]], it became '''Justinopolis''' ([[525]]); but the old native name persisted, and when [[Thoros I of Armenia|Thoros I]], king of [[Lesser Armenia]], made it his capital early in the [[12th century]], it was known as '''Anazarva'''.

Its great natural strength and situation, not far from the mouth of the [[Sis pass]], and near the great road which [[debouches|debouched]] from the [[Cilician Gates]], made Anazarbus play a considerable part in the struggles between the [[Byzantine Empire]] and the early [[Muslim]] invaders. It had been rebuilt by [[Harun al-Rashid]] in [[796]], refortified at great expense by [[Saif ad-Daula]], the [[Hamdanid]] (10th century) and sacked, and ruined by the crusaders.

The present wall of the lower city is of late construction, probably Armenian. It encloses a mass of ruins conspicuous in which are a fine [[triumphal arch]], the colonnades of two streets, a [[gymnasium (ancient Greece)|gymnasium]], etc. A stadium and a theatre lie outside on the south. The remains of the acropolis fortifications are very interesting, including roads and ditches hewn in the rock; but beyond ruins of two churches and a fine tower built by Thoros I. There are no notable structures in the upper town. For picturesqueness the site is not equalled in Cilicia, and it is worthwhile to trace the three fine [[aqueduct]]s to their sources.

A visit in December, 2002 showed that the three aqueducts mentioned above have been nearly completely destroyed. Only small, isolated sections are left standing with the largest portion lying in a pile of rubble that stretches the length of where the aqueducts once stood. A powerful earthquake that struck the area in 1945 is thought to be responsible for the destruction.

== Notable people ==
*[[Pedanius Dioscorides]] ([[1st century]]) Greek physician, pharmacologist and botanist

==References==
* {{1911}}
* {{Suda}}

[[Category:Anatolia]]
[[Category:Ancient Near East]]
[[Category:Cilicia]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek sites in Turkey]]
[[Category:Roman sites in Turkey]]

[[ca:Anazarbe]]
[[de:Anazarba]]
[[fr:Anazarbe]]
[[pl:Anazarbus]]
[[fi:Anazarba]]
[[tr:Anavarza Kalesi]]