Niksar

Niksar /'niksar/ (Greek: Νεοκαισάρεια, Neokaisáreia) is a city in Tokat Province, Turkey. It was settled by many empires, being once the capital city of the province. Niksar is known as "Çukurova of the North-Anatolia" due to its production of many kinds of fruits and vegetables except citrus fruits.

History

Niksar has been ruled by the Hittite, Persian, Greek, Pontic, Roman, Byzantine, Danishmend, Seljuk and Ottoman Empires. It has always been an important place in Anatolia because of its location, climate and productive lands.

It was known as Cabira in the Hellenistic period (Κάβειρα in Greek). It was one of the favourite residences of Mithridates the Great, who built a palace there, and later of King Polemon I and his successors.

In 72 or 71 BC, the Battle of Cabira during the Third Mithridatic War took place at Niksar, and the city passed to the Romans. Niksar was called Diospolis, Sebaste, and Neokaisareia during the Roman period. Pompey made it a city and gave it the name of Diopolis, while Pythodoris, widow of Polemon, made it her capital and called it Sebaste. It is not known precisely when it assumed the name of Neokaisareia, mentioned for the first time in Pliny, "Hist. Nat.", VI, III, 1, but judging from its coins, one might suppose that it was during the reign of Tiberius. In 344 the city was completely destroyed by an earthquake (Hieronymus, "Chron.", anno 2362). Neokaisareia became part of the Eastern Roman Empire when the Roman Empire divided into two parts in AD 395. Another earthquake occurred in 499 (Theodorus Lector, II, 54). The town was later rule by the Byzantines.

Niksar (horse)

Niksar (1962–1980) was a French-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, best known for winning the classic 2000 Guineas in 1965. After failing to win as a two-year-old he won his first race of 1965 by six lengths before winning the Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse. He failed to win in his remaining five starts and was retired at the end of the season with a record of two wins and two places from ten starts. He had moderate success as a breeding stallion in Australia and Japan.

Background

Niksar was a chestnut horse with a narrow white blaze bred in France by the Marquis de Nicolay. As a yearling, Niksar was sent to the sales at Deauville where he was bought by representatives the British businessman Wilfred Harvey for 64,000 NF (approximately £4,650). Harvey sent the colt into training with Walter Nightingall, near Epsom Downs Racecourse. Nightinghall had been training at his South Hatch stable since 1919, and had his greatest success when Straight Deal won a wartime substitute Derby at Newmarket in 1943.