Comana Pontica

Comana or Pontic Comana (Greek: Κόμανα Ποντική) was an ancient city of Pontus, said to have been colonized from Comana in Cappadocia.

It stood on the river Iris (the modern Yeşilırmak), and from its central position was, according to the ancient historian Strabo, a favorite emporium of Armenian and other merchants.^[1] The moon-goddess was worshipped in the city with a pomp and ceremony in all respects analogous to those employed in the Cappadocian city. The slaves attached to the temple alone numbered not less than 6000. St John Chrysostom died there on the way to Constantinople from his exile at Cocysus in the Anti-Taurus Mountains. Remains of Comana are still to be seen near a village called Gümenek on the Yeşil, 7 miles from Tokat, but they are of the slightest description. There is a mound, and a few inscriptions are built into a bridge, which here spans the river, carrying the road from Niksar to Tokat.

References

1. ^ M.A. Manandian, The Trade and Cities of Armenia in Relation to Ancient World Trade, tr. Nina Garsoïan. (Lisbon: Livraria Bertrand, 1965) 78-79.

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.