Ancient City of Sebastopolis
The ancient city located in the Sulusaray district center was founded on a large mound whose history began in the early Bronze Age. The exact date of the foundation of the ancient city of Sebastopolis is not yet known. Some sources record that it was founded in the 1st century BC. During the time of the Roman Emperor Trajan (98 - 117 AD), it was separated from the Pontus Galaticus and Polemoniacus Provinces and included in the Cappadocia Province. The inscription regarding this issue was erected by the city's notables and people in the name of the Governor of Cappadocia Arrian. The word Sebastopolis is Latin. (Sebasto; large, great, magnificent, polis; city) It is called 'the great magnificent city'. In some sources, it is referred to as Herakleopolis. Herakleopolis means the City of Herakles. Herakles is a semi-divine being who symbolizes power and strength in Greek and Roman Mythology. With this name, it has the same meaning as Sebastopolis. When the data obtained as a result of the rescue and drilling excavations carried out by the Tokat Museum Directorate in 1987 and the previously unearthed architectural pieces are evaluated, it is understood that the city was an important settlement area in the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine Periods. The findings obtained as a result of the surface research carried out in Comana Pontica (Ancient Tokat) show great similarities with the findings of Sebastopolis. This reveals that the two cities in question are two contemporary settlement areas with close relations between them.
