List of rulers of Bithynia
Appearance
This is a list of kings of Bithynia, an ancient kingdom in northwestern Anatolia.
Before Zipoetes I of Bithynia assumed the Greek title of Basileus ("king") in 297 BCE,[1] the positions of him and his predecessors are variously described as "prince",[2] "chieftain",[1] "ruler",[3] and "king".[4] One of the primary sources for the monarchs of Bithynia is About Hericlea (Ancient Greek: Περί Ηρακλείας, romanized: Peri Herakleias) of Memnon of Heraclea.[3]
List
[edit]- Doedalsus (Ancient Greek: Δοιδαλσοῦ or Δυδαλσοῦ). Memnon of Heraclea wrote about him: "[Astacus] achieved great glory and strength, when Dudalsos had the dominion of the Bithynians." (Ancient Greek: Δυδαλσοῦ τηνικαῦ
τ α τ ὴν Β ι θ υ ν ῶν ἀρ χ ὴν ἔχοντος·). Andrew Smith (2004) translated this as "when Doedalsus was the ruler of the Bithynians."[3] The only other mention of this person is found in Strabo's Geographica 12.4.2,[5] where his name is spelt as ̇Δοιδαλσοῦ, but he is not identified with the Bithynians, only with the city of Astacus.[5] Slavova (2015) called him a "Bithynian king".[5] According to Olmstead (2022), he was "the first-known semi-independent king of Bithynia".[4] - Boteiras d. c. 376 BCE. He is mentioned only by Memnon as a successor of Dudalsos.[3]
- Bas c. 376–326 BCE. Memnon wrote: "The life of this [Bas] became 71 years, of which he reigned as king[a] 50." (Ancient Greek: Τούτου βίος
μ ὲν ἐγεγόνει ἐτ ῶν α ʹκ α ὶο ʹ, ὧν ἐβασίλευσεν ʹ.. Smith (2004) translated this passage as: "He lived for 71 years, and was king for 50 years."[3] - Zipoetes I c. 326–278 BCE. Memnon of Heraclea called him "Zipoites the eparch of the Bithynians" (Ancient Greek: Ζιποίτης
δ ὲ ὁ Βιθυνῶν ἐπάρχων). Andrew Smith (2004) translated this as "Zipoetes, the ruler of the Bithynians".[3] According to Williams (1990), Zipoetes was a "chieftain" before he assumed the Greek title of basileus ("king") in 297 BCE.[1] Memnon of Heraclea appeared not to make such a distinction when he described Zipoetes' entire reign: "The life of this one [Zipoites] was 76 years, and he ruled the dominion[b] 48." (Ancient Greek:Ο ὗτοςβ ι ο ὺςμ ὲν ἔτ η Ϛʹκ α ὶο ʹ, κρατήσαςδ ὲτ ῆς ἀρ χ ῆςη ʹκ α ὶμ ,). Smith (2004) translated the passage as "Zipoetes lived for 76 years and ruled the kingdom for 48 years."[3] Slavova (2015) called him a "Bithynian king".[5] - Zipoetes II 278–276 BC
- Nicomedes I 278–255 BC. Memnon described him as "...the Bithynians, whose basileus Nicomedes..." (Ancient Greek: ...Βιθυνῶ
ν , ὁ τούτων βασιλεὺς Νικομήδης...) and "the basileus of Bithynia Nicomedes" (Ancient Greek: ὁτ ῆς Βιθυνίας βασιλεὺς Νικομήδης); Smith (2004) rendered basileus as "king".[3] - Etazeta (regent) 255–254 BC
- Ziaelas 254–228 BC
- Prusias I Cholus 228–182 BC
- Prusias II Cynegus 182–149 BC
- Nicomedes II Epiphanes 149–127 BC
- Nicomedes III Euergetes 127–94 BC
- Nicomedes IV Philopator 94–74 BC
- Socrates Chrestus who ruled briefly in about 90 BC
The coinage of these kings shows their regal portraits, which tend to be engraved in an extremely accomplished Hellenistic style.[6]
Family tree of kings of Bithynia
[edit]Boteiras | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bas king of Bithynia c. 376–326 BC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Zipoetes I king of Bithynia c. 326–276 BC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nicomedes I king of Bithynia c. 276–255 BC | Zipoetes II king of Bithynia c. 279–276 BC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ziaelas king of Bithynia c. 254–228 BC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Philip V king of Macedonia | Apama III Antigonids | Prusias I the Lame king of Bithynia c. 228–182 BC | daughter ∞ Antiochus Hierax Seleucids | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Apame IV | Prusias II the Hunter king of Bithynia c. 182–149 BC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nicomedes II Epiphanes king of Bithynia c. 149–127 BC | Apama ∞ Dyegilos son of Cotys IV of Thrace | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nyssa of Cappadocia daughter of Ariarathes VI of Cappadocia | Nicomedes III Euergetes king of Bithynia c. 127–94 BC | Laodice daughter of Mithridates V of Pontus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nicomedes IV Philopator king of Bithynia c. 94–74 BC | Socrates Chrestus usurper | Nyssa of Bithynia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Williams 1990, p. 10.
- ^ The Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge: Bassantin - Bloemaart, Volume 4 Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge Knight, 1835 p. 470
- ^ a b c d e f g h Smith 2004, Chapters 1–21.
- ^ a b Olmstead 2022, p. 344.
- ^ a b c d Slavova, Mirena (2015). "The Thracian Diphthong /oi/ Revisited". Studia classica Serdicensia: 144–145. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- ^ Asia Minor Coins - regal Bithynian coins
Bibliography
[edit]- Williams, Wynne, ed. (1990). Correspondence with Trajan from Bythinia (Epistles X, 15–121). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 159. ISBN 9780856684081. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- Olmstead, A. T. (2022). History of the Persian Empire. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 600. ISBN 9780226826332. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- "Memnon: History of Heracleia". attalus.org. Translated by Smith, Andrew. 2004. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
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