Cappadocia

Ancient kingdom, province, and region of indefinite size north of the Taurus Mountains in what is now eastern central Turkey; held by Hittites; colonized by Assyria; satrapy of Persia in the 6th century BCE; independent kingdom 3rd century BCE; was an important ally and client of Rome; annexed as a Roman province in 17 CE; remained a bulwark of the Byzantine Empire until the 11th century.