Nice
or NICEA, in ancient geography, a city of Bithynia, in Asia Minor, on the E. shore of Lake Ascania. Antigonus rebuilt it 316 B. c., and named it Antigonea; but Lysimachus, having conquered this part of Asia, changed its name to Nicæa, in honor of his wife. It became a city of great importance. The celebrated Council of Nicea, the first general council, was convened there A. D. 325, by the Emperor Constantine, in order to settle differences that had arisen in respect to the doctrines of Arius.
This council was attended by upward of 300 bishops, of whom a great majority came from the East, besides presbyters, deacons, and others from all parts of the Christian world. The chief question was the Arian heresy; and the council decreed the excommunication of Arius (see ARIAN). The confession of faith adopted by this council is known as the NICENE CREED (q. v.). The 2d council of Nice, recognized ecumenic council of the Roman Catholics, assembled in 786 under the authority of Pope Adrian I. by the desire of Empress Irene. The bishops declared the veneration of images and the cross to be agreeable to sacred NICENE CREED Scripture and reason, and to the teachings of the Church. NICE (Italian Nizza), capital of the department of Alpes Maritimes, France, on the coast, 140 miles E. by N. of Marseilles and 110 S. W. of Genoa. On the N. of the city the hills rise in terraces and shield it from the cold winds. On the S. it faces the sea, which tempers the heat in summer. Owing to the advantages of its situation, Nice has for many long years been celebrated as a winter resort for invalids; the number of visitors is estimated from 15,000 to 40,000. 40,000.
The mean temperature of winter is 49° F., of summer 72°. Frost occurs but seldom. The city consists of three parts-the New Town on the W., the Old Town, and the Port on the E.
The first of these is the part frequented by foreigners. Beautiful promenades stretch along the seashore, and are overlooked by villas and hotels. The most famous of these is the Promenade des Anglais. Numerous bridges across the little river Paglione (Paillon) connect the New Town with the Old or Upper Town. This part, with narrow streets, clusters at the foot of a rocky height, the Castle Hill; on the other (E.) side of this hill is the harbor, called Lympia.
The Castle Hill is an isolated mass of limestone 318 feet high, formerly crowned by a strong castle, now in ruins, and is laid out in public gardens.
The chief public buildings are the cathethe natural history museum, art gallery dral, the Gothic church of Notre Dame , library, observatory, casino, etc. The people manufacture artistic pottery, perfumery, and Italian pastes, grow flowers and fruits, the last of which they preserve, and produce inlay work in olive wood, in some of which a considerable export trade is carried on. The annual flower carnival attracts pleasure seekers from all parts of the world.
The ancient Ligurian town of Nicæa, founded by a colony of Phocæans from Massalia (Marseilles), became subject to Rome in the 2d century B. C. It was in the hands of the Saracens during the greater part of the 10th century. Then, after existing as an independent city, it acknowledged the supremacy of the Counts of Provence and the House of Savoy (1388). From 1600 onward it was repeatedly taken by the French; and they kept possession of it from 1792 to 1814. In 1860 it was ceded to France by Sardinia (Savoy). Masséna was born about 150,000. near the city, and Garibaldi in it. Pop.