ancient Iconium
City (pop., 1997: 623,333), central Turkey.
First settled in the 3rd millennium BC, it is one of the oldest urban centres in the world. Influenced by Greek culture from the 3rd century BC, Iconium came under Roman rule by 25 BC. It was taken by the Seljūq dynasty с 1072. Renamed Konya, it was a major cultural centre in the 13th century and was home to the Sufi brotherhood known as "whirling dervish es." Later ruled by the Mongols, it was annexed to the Ottoman Empire с 1467. It declined during Ottoman rule but revived after the Istanbul-Baghdad railway opened in 1896. An important industrial centre, it is also a trade centre for the agricultural area surrounding it.