Editing Bithynia

{{short description|Region in Anatolia}}
{{for|the genus of snails|Bithynia (gastropod)}}
{{Infobox
| bodyclass        = geography
| abovestyle       = background:#DEB887;
| subheader        = Ancient Region of Anatolia
| above            = Bithynia (Βιθυνία)
| image            = [[Image:Roman Empire - Bythinia et Pontus (125 AD).svg|300px]]
| caption          = Bithynia and Pontus as a province of the Roman Empire, 125 AD
| label1           = Location
| data1            = Northern [[Anatolia]], present-day [[Turkey]]
| label2           = State existed
| data2            = 297–74 BC
| label3           = Nation
| data3            = [[Greeks]], [[Bithyni]], [[Thyni]]
| label4           = Historical capitals
| data4            = [[Nicomedia]] ([[İzmit]]), [[Nicaea]] ([[İznik]])
| label5           = [[Roman provinces|Roman province]]
| data5            = Bithynia
| data8            = [[File:Asia Minor in the Greco-Roman period - general map - regions and main settlements.jpg|thumb|300px|Location of Bithynia within [[Asia Minor]]/[[Anatolia]]]]
}}
'''Bithynia''' ({{IPAc-en|b|ᵻ|ˈ|θ|ɪ|n|i|ə}}; {{langx|grc-x-koine|Βιθυνία|Bithynía}}) 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 along the [[Pontus (region)|Pontic]] coast, and [[Phrygia]] to the southeast towards the interior of Asia Minor.

[[Hellenistic period|Hellenistic]] [[Kingdom of Bithynia|Bithynia]] was an independent kingdom from the 4th century BC. Its capital [[Nicomedia]] was rebuilt on the site of ancient [[Astacus in Bithynia|Astacus]] in 264 BC by [[Nicomedes I of Bithynia]]. Bithynia was bequeathed to the [[Roman Republic]] in 74 BC, and became united with the Pontus region as the province of [[Bithynia and Pontus]]. In the 7th century it was incorporated into the Byzantine [[Opsikion]] [[Theme (Byzantine district)|theme]].
It became a border region to the [[Seljuk Empire]] in the 13th century, and was eventually conquered by the [[Rise of the Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Turks]] [[Siege of Nicomedia|between 1325 and 1333]].

==Description==
Several major cities sat on the fertile shores of the Propontis (which is now known as [[Sea of Marmara]]): [[Nicomedia]], [[Chalcedon]], [[Cius]] and [[Apamea (Bithynia)|Apamea]]. Bithynia also contained [[Nicaea]], noted for being the birthplace of the [[Nicene Creed]].

According to [[Strabo]], Bithynia was bounded on the east by the river Sangarius (modern [[Sakarya River|Sakarya river]]), but the more commonly received division extended it to the [[Bartın River|Parthenius]], which separated it from [[Paphlagonia]], thus comprising the district inhabited by the [[Mariandyni]]. On the west and southwest it was separated from [[Mysia]] by the [[river Rhyndacus]] and on the south it adjoined [[Phrygia]] and [[Galatia]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=12}}

It is occupied by mountains and forests, but has valleys and coastal districts of great fertility. The most important mountain range is the (so-called) [[Uludağ|"Mysian" Olympus]] ({{convert|8000|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=comma}}), which towers above [[Bursa, Turkey|Bursa]] and is clearly visible as far away as [[Istanbul]] ({{convert|70|mi|km|disp=comma}}). Its summits are covered with snow for a great part of the year.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=12}}

East of this the range extends for more than {{convert|100|mi|km}}, from the [[Sakarya River|Sakarya]] to [[Paphlagonia]]. Both of these ranges are part of the border of mountains which bound the great tableland of [[Anatolia]], [[Turkey]]. The broad tract which projects towards the west as far as the shores of the Bosporus, though hilly and covered with forests—the [[Turkey|Turkish]] ''Ağaç Denizi'', or "The sea of Trees"—is not traversed by any mountain chain. The west coast is indented by two deep inlets, the northernmost, the [[Gulf of İzmit]] (ancient Gulf of Astacus), penetrating between {{convert|40|and|50|mi|km}} into the interior as far as [[İzmit]] (ancient [[Nicomedia]]), separated by an [[isthmus]] of only about {{convert|25|mi|km}} from the [[Black Sea]]; and the [[Gulf of Mudania|Gulf of Mudanya]] or [[Gemlik]] (Gulf of Cius), about {{convert|25|mi|km}} long. At its extremity is situated the small town of Gemlik (ancient [[Kios|Cius]]) at the mouth of a valley, communicating with the lake of Iznik, on which was situated [[İznik|Nicaea]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=12}}

The principal rivers are the [[Sakarya River|Sangarios]] which traverses the province from south to north; the [[Rhyndacus]], which separated it from Mysia; and the [[Billaeus]] (Filyos), which rises in the Aladağ, about {{convert|50|mi|km}} from the sea, and after flowing by modern [[Bolu]] (ancient Bithynion-Claudiopolis) falls into the Euxine, close to the ruins of the ancient [[Tium]], about {{convert|40|mi|km}} northeast of [[Heraclea Pontica]] (the modern [[Karadeniz Ereğli]]), having a course of more than {{convert|100|mi|km}}. The Parthenius (modern [[Bartın]]), the eastern boundary of the province, is a much less considerable stream.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=12}}

The valleys towards the Black Sea abound in fruit trees of all kinds, such as oranges, while the valley of the Sangarius and the plains near Bursa and Iznik (Nicaea) are fertile and well cultivated. Extensive plantations of [[mulberry|mulberry trees]] supply the silk for which Bursa has long been celebrated, and which is manufactured there on a large scale.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=12}}

==History==
[[Image:15th century map of Turkey region.jpg|thumb|right|A 15th-century map showing Bithynia]]

===Iron Age===
Bithynia is named for the [[Thracians|Thracian]] tribe of the ''[[Bithyni]]'', mentioned by [[Herodotus]] (VII.75) alongside the ''[[Thyni]]''. The "[[Thraco-Phrygian]]" migration from the Balkans to Asia Minor would have taken place at some point following the [[Bronze Age collapse]] or during the early Iron Age. The Thyni and Bithyni appear to have settled simultaneously in the adjoining parts of Asia, where they expelled or subdued the [[Mysians]], [[Caucones]] and other minor tribes, the [[Mariandyni]] maintaining themselves in the northeast. Herodotus mentions the Thyni and Bithyni as settling side by side.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=12}}  No trace of their original language has been preserved, but Herodotus describes them as related to the tribes of Thracian extraction.

Later the [[Ancient Greece|Greeks]] established on the coast the colonies of Cius (modern Gemlik); [[Chalcedon]] (modern [[Kadıköy]]), at the entrance of the Bosporus, nearly opposite [[Byzantium]] (modern [[Istanbul]]) and [[Heraclea Pontica]] (modern Karadeniz Ereğli), on the Euxine, about {{convert|120|mi|km}} east of the Bosporus.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=13}}

The Bithynians were incorporated by king [[Croesus]] within the [[Lydia]]n monarchy, with which they fell under the dominion of [[Persian Empire|Persia]] (546 BC), and were included in the [[satrapy]] of [[Phrygia]], which comprised all the countries up to the Hellespont and Bosporus.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=12}}

===Kingdom of Bithynia===
{{Main|Kingdom of Bithynia}}
Even before the conquest by [[Alexander the Great|Alexander]], the Bithynians appear to have asserted their independence, and successfully maintained it under two native princes, [[Bas of Bithynia|Bas]] and [[Zipoites I of Bithynia|Zipoites]], the latter of whom assumed the title of king (''[[basileus]]'') in 297 BC.

His son and successor, [[Nicomedes I of Bithynia|Nicomedes I]], founded [[Nicomedia]], which soon rose to great prosperity, and during his long reign ({{circa|278|255}} BC), as well as those of his successors, [[Prusias I of Bithynia|Prusias I]], [[Prusias II of Bithynia|Prusias II]] and [[Nicomedes II of Bithynia|Nicomedes II]] (149–91 BC), the [[List of rulers of Bithynia|kings]] of [[Kingdom of Bithynia|Bithynia]] had a considerable standing and influence among the minor monarchies of [[Anatolia]]. But the last king, [[Nicomedes IV of Bithynia|Nicomedes IV]], was unable to maintain himself in power against [[Mithridates VI of Pontus]]. After being restored to his throne by the [[Roman Senate]], he bequeathed his kingdom through his will to the [[Roman Republic]] (74 BC).{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=13}}

The coinage of these kings show their regal portraits, which tend to be engraved in an extremely accomplished [[Hellenization|Hellenistic]] style.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.asiaminorcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=31|title=Kings of Bithynia - Asia Minor Coins - Photo Gallery|website=www.asiaminorcoins.com}}</ref>

===Roman province===
{{main|Bithynia and Pontus}}
As a [[Roman province]], the boundaries of Bithynia changed frequently. During this period, Bithynia was commonly united for administrative purposes with the province of [[Pontus (region)|Pontus]] within the [[Roman Empire]]. This was the situation at the time of [[Roman Emperor|Emperor]] [[Trajan]], when [[Pliny the Younger]] was appointed governor of the combined provinces (109/110{{snd}}111/112), a circumstance which has provided historians with valuable information concerning the Roman provincial administration at that time.

=== Byzantine province ===
[[File:Istanbul_Gate,_Iznik,_Turkey_(37659560615).jpg|thumb|250px|The Constantinople Gate in [[Nicaea]]]]

Under the [[Byzantine Empire]], Bithynia was again divided into two provinces, separated by the [[Sakarya River|Sangarius]]. Only the area to the west of the river retained the name of Bithynia.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=13}}

Bithynia attracted much attention because of its roads and its strategic position between the frontiers of the [[Danube]] in the north and the [[Euphrates]] in the south-east. To secure communications with the [[Praetorian prefecture of the East|eastern provinces]], the monumental [[Sangarius Bridge|bridge across the river Sangarius]] was constructed around 562. Troops frequently wintered at Nicomedia.

During this time, the most important cities in Bithynia were [[Nicomedia]], founded by Nicomedes, and [[Nicaea]]. The two had a long rivalry with each other over which city held the rank of capital.

== Notable people ==
*[[Hipparchus of Nicaea]] (2nd century BC), Greek astronomer, discovered precession and discovered how to predict the timing of eclipses
*[[Theodosius of Bithynia]] (2nd century BC), Greek astronomer and mathematician
*[[Asclepiades of Bithynia]]  (c. 169 BC – c. 100 BC), Greek physician
*[[Antinous]] (2nd century), [[Catamite]] and [[eromenos]] of the [[Roman Emperor]] [[Hadrian]]
*[[Cassius Dio]] (c. 155 – c. 235), Roman historian, [[Roman senate|senator]], and [[Roman consul|consul]]
*[[Arrian]] (Lucius Flavius Arrianus), Greek historian, c. 86–160
*[[Helena, mother of Constantine I|Helena]], mother of [[Constantine the Great]] {{circa|250|330}}
*[[Phrynichus Arabius]] (2nd century), grammarian
*[[Auxentius of Bithynia]] (c. 400 – 473), hermit
*[[Hypatius of Bithynia]] (died c. 450), hermit
*[[Vendemianus of Bithynia]] (6th century), hermit

==See also==
*[[Bithynian coinage]]
*[[Asia Minor Slavs]]
*[[Ancient regions of Anatolia]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{refbegin}}
* {{EB1911 |wstitle = Bithynia |volume = 4 |pages = 12-13 }}
{{refend}}

== Further reading ==
;Hellenistic
* {{cite book |last1=Paganoni |first1=Eloisa |title=Forging the Crown: A History of the Kingdom of Bithynia from Its Origin to Prusias I |date=2019 |publisher="L'Erma" di Bretschneider |isbn=978-88-913-1895-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=glVVzQEACAAJ |language=en}}
*{{cite book |last1=Michels |first1=Christoph |title=Kulturtransfer und Monarchischer Philhellenismus: Bithynien, Pontos und Kappadokien in Hellenistischer Zeit |date=2008 |publisher=Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH KG |isbn=978-3-89971-536-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SpzSwAEACAAJ |language=de}}
*{{cite book |last1=Scholten |first1=Joseph |editor1-last=Elton |editor1-first=Hugh |editor2-last=Reger |editor2-first=Gary |title=Regionalism in Hellenistic and Roman Asia Minor |date=2019 |publisher=Ausonius Éditions |isbn=978-2-35613-276-5 |pages=17–24 |url=https://books.openedition.org/ausonius/1169?lang=en |chapter=Building Hellenistic Bithynia}}
;Roman
*{{cite book |last1=Bekker-Nielsen |first1=Tonnes |title=Urban Life and Local Politics in Roman Bithynia: The Small World of Dion Chrysostomos |date=2008 |publisher=Aarhus Universitetsforlag |isbn=978-87-7124-752-7 |url=http://www.pontos.dk/publications/books/black-sea-studies-7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301120432/http://www.pontos.dk/publications/books/black-sea-studies-7 |archive-date=2012-03-01 |language=en}}
*{{cite journal |last1=Bowie |first1=Ewen |title=Greek High Culture in Hellenistic and Early Imperial Bithynia: Towards a Prosopography of Practitioners of Greek Culture in Bithynia Down to the Middle of the Third Century AD |journal=Mnemosyne |date=2022 |volume=75 |issue=1 |pages=73–112 |doi=10.1163/1568525X-bja10120 |issn=0026-7074|doi-access=free }}
*{{cite journal |last1=Harris |first1=B. F. |editor-first1=Hildegard |editor-last1=Temporini |title=Bithynia: Roman Sovereignty and the Survival of Hellenism |journal=Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt |date=2016 |volume=2.7.2 |pages=857–901 |doi=10.1515/9783110860429-007 |isbn=9783110860429 |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110860429-007/html?lang=en}}
*{{cite book |last1=Marek |first1=Christian |title=Pontus et Bithynia: die römischen Provinzen im Norden Kleinasiens |date=2003 |publisher=Von Zabern |isbn=978-3-8053-2925-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zu1tAAAAMAAJ |language=de}}
* {{cite book |last=Storey |first=Stanley Jonathon |title=Bithynia: history and administration to the time of Pliny the Younger |orig-year=1998 |url=https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item?id=MQ34324&op=pdf&app=Library |format=[[Portable Document Format|PDF]] |access-date=2007-05-21 |year=1999 |publisher=National Library of Canada |location=Ottawa |isbn=0-612-34324-3 }}
;Byzantine
* {{Cite book|editor-last=Darrouzès|editor-first=Jean|title=Notitiae Episcopatuum Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae|year=1981|location=Paris|publisher=Institut français d'études byzantines|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pxfZAAAAMAAJ}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Komatina|first=Predrag|title=Settlement of the Slavs in Asia Minor During the Rule of Justinian II and the Bishopric των Γορδοσερβων|journal=Београдски историјски гласник: Belgrade Historical Review|year=2014|volume=5|pages=33–42|url=https://dais.sanu.ac.rs/bitstream/handle/123456789/6307/bitstream_19777.pdf}}
* {{Cite book|last=Ostrogorsky|first=George|author-link=George Ostrogorsky|title=History of the Byzantine State|year=1956|location=Oxford|publisher=Basil Blackwell|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bt0_AAAAYAAJ}}
{{Historical regions of Anatolia}}
{{Roman provinces AD 117}}
{{Late Roman Provinces|state=collapsed}}
{{Ancient kingdoms in Anatolia }}

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[[Category:Bithynia| ]]
[[Category:Historical regions of Anatolia]]
[[Category:Praetorian prefecture of the East]]
[[Category:Provinces of the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:History of Bursa Province]]
[[Category:History of Kocaeli Province]]
[[Category:History of Sakarya Province]]
[[Category:History of Bilecik Province]]
[[Category:History of Düzce Province]]
[[Category:History of Yalova Province]]
[[Category:History of Bolu Province]]
[[Category:History of Kastamonu Province]]
[[Category:History of Bartın Province]]
[[Category:History of Zonguldak Province]]
[[Category:States and territories established in the 3rd century BC]]
[[Category:297 BC]]
[[Category:290s BC establishments]]
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