This is a list of kings of

Bithynia Bithynia (; ) was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), adjoining the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus, and the Black Sea. It bordered Mysia to the southwest, Paphlagonia to the northeast a ...

, an ancient kingdom in northwestern

Anatolia Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...

. Before

Zipoetes I of Bithynia Zipoetes I, also Zipoites I or Ziboetes I, possibly Tiboetes I (Greek: Zιπoίτης or Zιβoίτης; lived c. 354 BC – 278 BC, ruled c. 326 BC – 278 BC) was a ruler of Bithynia. Life He succeeded his father Bas on the throne in about 326 ...

assumed the Greek title of ''

Basileus ''Basileus'' () is a Greek term and title that has signified various types of monarchs throughout history. In the English language, English-speaking world, it is perhaps most widely understood to mean , referring to either a or an . The title ...

'' ("king") in 297 BCE, the positions of him and his predecessors are variously described as "prince",
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 "chieftain", "ruler", and "king". One of the primary sources for the monarchs of Bithynia is ''About Hericlea'' () of

Memnon of Heraclea Memnon of Heraclea (; , ''gen''.: Μέμνονος; fl. c. 1st century) was a Greek historical writer, probably a native of Heraclea Pontica. He described the history of that city in a large work, known only through the ''Excerpta of '' ''Photius'' ...

List

* Doedalsus (). Memnon of Heraclea wrote about him: "

Astacus ''Astacus'' (from the Ancient Greek, Greek , ', meaning "lobster" or "crayfish") is a genus of crayfish found in Europe, comprising three Extant taxon, extant (living) species and three somewhat contested extinct species. These crayfish are foun ...

] achieved great glory and strength, when Dudalsos had the dominion of the Bithynians." (). Andrew Smith (2004) translated this as "when Doedalsus was the ruler of the Bithynians." The only other mention of this person is found in

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

's ''

Geographica The ''Geographica'' (, ''Geōgraphiká''; or , "Strabo's 17 Books on Geographical Topics") or ''Geography'', is an encyclopedia of geographical knowledge, consisting of 17 'books', written in Greek in the late 1st century BC, or early 1st cen ...

'' 12.4.2, where his name is spelt as ̇Δοιδαλσοῦ, but he is not identified with the Bithynians, only with the city of Astacus. Slavova (2015) called him a "Bithynian king". According to Olmstead (2022), he was "the first-known semi-independent king of Bithynia". * Boteiras d. 376 BCE. He is mentioned only by Memnon as a successor of Dudalsos. *

Bas Bas may refer to: People * Bas (name), a given name and a surname * Bas (rapper) (born 1987) Chemistry * Boron arsenide (BAs), a chemical compound * Barium sulfide (BaS), a chemical compound Other uses * ''bas'' (French for "low"), as in bas ...

376–326 BCE. Memnon wrote: "The life of this asbecame 71 years, of which he reigned as king 50." (. Smith (2004) translated this passage as: "He lived for 71 years, and was king for 50 years." * Zipoetes I 326–278 BCE. Memnon of Heraclea called him "Zipoites the

eparch Eparchy ( ''eparchía'' "overlordship") is an Ecclesiology, ecclesiastical unit in Eastern Christianity that is equivalent to a diocese in Western Christianity. An eparchy is governed by an ''eparch'', who is a bishop. Depending on the administra ...

of the Bithynians" (). Andrew Smith (2004) translated this as "Zipoetes, the ruler of the Bithynians". According to Williams (1990), Zipoetes was a "chieftain" before he assumed the Greek title of ''basileus'' ("king") in 297 BCE. Memnon of Heraclea appeared not to make such a distinction when he described Zipoetes' entire reign: "The life of this one ipoiteswas 76 years, and he ruled the dominion 48." (). Smith (2004) translated the passage as "Zipoetes lived for 76 years and ruled the kingdom for 48 years." Slavova (2015) called him a "Bithynian king". * Zipoetes II 278–276 BC *

Nicomedes I Nicomedes I (; lived c. 300 BC – c. 255 BC, reigned 278 BC – c. 255 BC), second king of Bithynia, was the eldest son of Zipoetes I, whom he succeeded on the throne in 278 BC. Life He began his reign by killing two of his brothers, but t ...

278–255 BC. Memnon described him as "...the Bithynians, whose ''basileus'' Nicomedes..." () and "the ''basileus'' of Bithynia Nicomedes" (); Smith (2004) rendered ''basileus'' as "king". * Etazeta (regent) 255–254 BC *

Ziaelas Ziaelas (; lived c. 265 BC – 228 BC, reigned c. 254 BC – 228 BC), third king of Bithynia, was a son of Nicomedes I and Ditizele. Life Following the death of Nicomedes I, his second wife Etazeta of Bithynia acted as regent on behalf of he ...

254–228 BC * Prusias I Cholus 228–182 BC * Prusias II Cynegus 182–149 BC *

Nicomedes II Epiphanes Nicomedes II Epiphanes (Greek: Νικομήδης ὁ Ἐπιφανής "Nicomedes God-Manifest") was the king of Bithynia from 149 to c. 127 BC. He was fourth in descent from Nicomedes I. Nicomedes II was the son and successor of Prusias II and ...

149–127 BC * Nicomedes III Euergetes 127–94 BC * Nicomedes IV Philopator 94–74 BC *

Socrates Chrestus Socrates Chrestus (; ''Chrestus'' (The Good) died 90–88 BC) was the second son of Nicomedes III of Bithynia. He usurped the Bithynian throne by deposing his elder brother or half brother, Nicomedes IV of Bithynia. Life There is very little info ...

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.Asia Minor Coins - regal Bithynian coins
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List

Family tree of kings of Bithynia

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography