Comana | Ancient City, Temple, Ruins | Britannica (original) (raw)

Comana, ancient city of Cappadocia, on the upper course of the Seyhan (Sarus) River, in southern Turkey. Often called Chryse to distinguish it from Comana in Pontus, it was the place where the cult of Ma-Enyo, a variant of the great west Asian mother goddess, was celebrated with orgiastic rites. The service was carried on in an opulent temple by thousands of temple servants. The city, a mere appanage of the temple, was governed by the chief priest, usually a member of the reigning Cappadocian family, who ranked next to the king. Under the emperor Caracalla (reigned ad 211–217), Comana became a Roman colony, and it continued to receive honours until the official recognition of Christianity. It was also important for its position on the road from Caesarea Cappadociae (Kayseri) to Melitene (Malatya), converted by the emperor Septimius Severus into the chief military road to the empire’s eastern frontier.