In the northwest part of Asia Minor lies Bithynia. In approximately the center of this naturally blessed and very fertile area, and on the A shore of Lake Ascanius or Lake of Nicæa (Iznik Goelue), a city was founded in 316 BC by the general of Alexander the Great, Antigonus the One-Eyed or Cyclops, and was named Antigoneia.

In 301 BC, the city was captured by Lysimachus, the general of Alexander the Great and king of Thrace, who named it Nicaea, in honor of his deceased first wife. This name has been retained by the city until today (Turkish Iznik). The city was designed and built according to the so-called "Hippodamian system," which included large, straight, and wide avenues and streets. Spaces were allocated for public squares, public buildings, and recreational areas. Additionally, the city was fortified with strong walls, which remain in good condition to this day.

Nicaea was adorned with various public buildings, among which were included: temples, various gods' altars, a theater with a capacity of approximately 15,000 spectators, a stadium, a gymnasium, an aqueduct, public baths, etc.

Nicaea, like Constantinople, was located roughly at the center of the then-known world. It served as a crossroads of various peoples and cultures and experienced great prosperity. When in 74 BC Bithynia was incorporated into the Roman Empire, Nicaea became one of the most important cities of the Roman province of Asia and the capital of Bithynia.

In Nicaea, the First Ecumenical Council was convened by Emperor Constantine the Great in 325 AD, due to the Arian controversy. The city was favored by the Byzantine Emperors, of whom it was a retreat. The Seventh Ecumenical Council also met in Nicaea in 787 AD, prompted by the iconoclastic disputes.

When in 1204 AD Constantinople was captured by participants in the Fourth Crusade, the Emperor, the Government, the Patriarch, and all the leaders of Constantinople fled to Nicaea. Thus, the Empire of Nicaea was established (1204-1261 AD), which became the legitimate successor and continuator of the Byzantine Empire. There, the Byzantines managed to regroup their forces and successfully recaptured Constantinople in 1261.

In this way, it became possible for the life of the Byzantine Empire to continue for nearly another two centuries. Today, Nicaea is a city with a rich history and many monuments, which originate from the Greco-Roman period, the Byzantine era, and the times of the Ottoman Empire, attracting a large number of local and foreign visitors each year.

Dr. Ioannis H. Volanakis