Zile

Zile
District
Zile City Center at night
Zile Location of Zile
Coordinates: 40°18′N 35°53′E / 40.300°N 35.883°E / 40.300; 35.883Coordinates: 40°18′N 35°53′E / 40.300°N 35.883°E / 40.300; 35.883
Country	Turkey
Region	Black Sea
Province	Tokat
Government
• Mayor	Lütfi Vidinel (AKP)
• Governor	Mehmet Eriş
Area
• District	1,560.65 km2 (602.57 sq mi)
Elevation	710 m (2,330 ft)
Population (2012)
• Urban	34,442
• District	61,765
• District density	40/km2 (100/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	60400
Area code(s)	0356
Licence plate	60
Website	Official website

Zile, anciently known as Zela, is a city and a district of Tokat Province, Turkey. Zile lies to the south of Amasya and the west of Tokat in north-central Turkey. The city has a long history, including being the site of the Battle of Zela, which prompted the phrase "Veni, vidi, vici." Today the city is a center for agricultural marketing and tourism.

Historically, Zile has been known as Zela, Zelitis (Ζηλίτις in Ancient Greek), Zelid, Anzila, Gırgırıye (Karkariye), Zīleh, Zilleli, Zeyli, and Silas. Zile castle, the only solid castle in Anatolia, was built by Roman commander Lucius Cornelius Sulla. The castle contains the Amanos temple, and is called silla, meaning "respected". In Semra Meral's Her Yönüyle Zile, she claims that the name "Zile" came from "Zela", stemming from "Silla".

According to recent archaeological research, there is evidence of human habitation since Neolithic times in Zile. In his book Geographica, Strabo claimed that Zela was founded by Semiramis, a legendary Assyrian queen. By 548 BC, Zela and greater Anatolia were under the rule of Achaemenid Persian Empire. Persian rule saw construction of a portion of the Royal Road in the area, and of temples to the Persian gods Anahita, Vohu-Mano, and Anadates in the city itself.Darius I of Persia divided the largest Anatolian state of that time, Cappadocia, into two, with Zela remaining in Pontus Cappadocia, the northern region.