Samsun, historically known as Sampsounta and Amisos, is a city on the north coast of Turkey and a major Black Sea port. Over 700,000 peo…Samsun, historically known as Sampsounta and Amisos, is a city on the north coast of Turkey and a major Black Sea port. Over 700,000 people live in the city. The city is the capital of Samsun Province which has a population of over 1,350,000. The city is home to Ondokuz Mayıs University, several hospitals, three large shopping malls, Samsunspor football club, an opera house and a large and modern manufacturing district. A former Greek settlement, the city is best known as the place where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk began the Turkish War of Independence in 1919.