 It is the historical capital city of the County of Nice ("Comté de Nice").The first known hominid settlements in the Nice area date back about 400,000 years; the "Terra Amata" archeological site shows one of the earliest uses of fire, construction of houses, and flint findings dated to around 230,000 years ago.Nice was probably founded around 350 BC by the Greeks Phoceans of Phocaea in Anatolia, and was given the name of "Nikaia" (Νίκαια) in honour of a victory over the neighbouring Ligurians (Italic peoples in north west of Italy, probably the Vediantii kingdom); Nike (Νίκη) was the Greek goddess of victory.