Major mint: Caesarea; also a series of royal coinage.

A landlocked, mountainous region in the interior of Asia Minor, it was known for its production of livestock and minerals. In 585 the Achaemenid Persians conquered Cappadocia and set up a satrapy at Mazaca, later renamed Caesarea. Alexander conquered the area in 322 BC; the satrap Ariarathes escaped, and returned in 301. He was a nominal subject of the Seleukids; but one of his successors, Ariarathes III, declared himself king. This kingdom remained independent until the Romans established themselves in the area from 189 BC; thereafter the kings of Cappadocia were client kings, and remained clients until the kingdom was annexed by Rome in AD 17. The coinage of the kings provides a fine series of portraits of these otherwise obscure monarchs.

The capital, described by Strabo as essentially a fortified camp, was situated at the foot of Mt. Argaeus, the highest mountain in the vicinity. It was considered unhealthy due to the swamps in the area. The city was renamed Caesarea sometime around 10 BC, in honor of Augustus; after absorption into the Roman Empire it issued coinage approximately corresponding to the standard Roman issues.