Amaseia

   Capital of the theme of Armeniakon (qq.v.), located on the Lykos River in Pontos (q.v.). The strength of the city lay in its naturally fortified citadel, which, except for a brief occupation in the early eighth century by the Arabs (q.v.) under caliph Walid I (q.v.), resisted foreign enemies until the Danishmendids (q.v.) occupied it in 1071 after the battle of Mantzikert (q.v.). The Arabs renamed it Amasya, the name it still bears.