Bithynia: Difference between revisions
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{{for|the chemical compound BaS|Barium sulfide}} |
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{{for|the gastropod of [[Bithyniidae]] family|Bithynia (genus)}} |
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| colspan="2" style="margin-left: inherit; background:#DEB887; text-align:center; font-size: medium;" |Ancient Region of Anatolia<br>'''Bithynia (Βιθυνία)''' |
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|- align="center" |
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| colspan="2" | <div style="position:relative; margin: 0 0 0 0; border-collapse: collapse; border="1" cellpadding="0"> |
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[[Image:Palace of Diocletian in Nicomedia.jpg|300px|Palace of Diocletian in Nicomedia]]</div> |
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|- style="vertical-align: top;" |
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| '''Location''' |
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| Northern [[Anatolia]] |
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|- style="vertical-align: top;" |
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| '''State existed:''' |
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| 297-74 BC |
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|- style="vertical-align: top;" |
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| '''Nation''' |
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| [[Bithyni]], [[Thyni]] |
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|- style="vertical-align: top;" |
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| '''Historical [[Capital (political)|capitals]]''' |
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| [[Nicomedia]], [[Nicaea]] |
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|- style="vertical-align: top;" |
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| '''[[Roman provinces|Roman province]]''' |
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| [[Bithynia]] |
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|- style="vertical-align: top;" |
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|- align="center" |
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| colspan="2" | <div style="position:relative; margin: 0 0 0 0; border-collapse: collapse; border="1" cellpadding="0"> |
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[[File:Anatolia Ancient Regions base.svg|300px|Location of Bithynia within Anatolia]]</div> |
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|- style="vertical-align: top;" |
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<!--| colspan=2 | <small>{{{footnotes}}}</small> --> |
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'''Bithynia''' was an ancient [[region]], [[Monarchy|kingdom]] and [[Roman province]] in the northwest of [[Asia Minor]], adjoining the [[Propontis]], the [[Thrace|Thracian]] [[Bosporus]] and the Euxine (today [[Black Sea]]). |
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==Description== |
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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 (city)|Nicaea]], noted for being the birthplace of the [[Nicene Creed]]. |
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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 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]], [[Epictetus]] and [[Galatia]]. |
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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) "Mysian" Olympus (7600 ft., 2300 m), which towers above [[Bursa, Turkey|Bursa]] and is clearly visible as far away as [[Istanbul]] (70 miles, 113 km). Its summits are covered with snow for a great part of the year. |
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East of this the range extends for more than 100 miles (160 km), from the [[Sakarya River|Sakarya]] to [[Paphlagonia]]. Both of these ranges are part of the border of mountains which bounds 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 Ocean 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 40 and 50 miles (65-80 km) into the interior as far as [[İzmit]] (ancient [[Nicomedia]]), separated by an [[isthmus]] of only about 25 miles (40 km) from the [[Black Sea]]; and the [[Gulf of Mudania|Gulf of Mudanya]] or [[Gemlik]] (Gulf of Cius), about 25 miles (40 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]]. |
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The principal rivers are the [[Sakarya River|Sakarya]] which traverses the province from south to north; the [[Rhyndacus]], which separated it from Mysia; and the [[Billaeus]] (Filiyas), which rises in the Aladağ, about 50 miles (80 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 40 miles (64 km) northeast of [[Heraclea Pontica]] (the modern [[Karadeniz Ereğli]]), having a course of more than 100 miles (160 km). The Parthenius (modern [[Bartın]]), the eastern boundary of the province, is a much less considerable stream. |
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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. |
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==History== |
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[[Image:REmpire-29 Bithynia.png|300px|right|thumb|Bithynia as a province of the [[Roman Empire]], 120 AD]] |
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[[Image:15th century map of Turkey region.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Photo of a 15th Century map showing Bithynia.]] |
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According to ancient authors ([[Herodotus]],<ref> Herodot, VII. 75 </ref> [[Xenophon]], [[Strabo]], etc.), the Bithynians were an immigrant [[Thracians|Thracian]] tribe. The existence of a tribe called [[Thyni]] in Thrace is well established, and the two cognate tribes of 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 that the tribe Thyni and Bithyni as existing side by side; but ultimately the latter must have become the more important, as they gave their name to the country. They 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. |
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===Kingdom of Bithynia=== |
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But 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 succeeder, [[Nicomedes I of Bithynia|Nicomedes I]], founded [[Nicomedia]], which soon rose to great prosperity, and during his long reign (c.[[278 BC|278]] – c.[[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 BC|149]] – [[91 BC]]), the [[List of Kings of Bithynia|kingdom]] of Bithynia held a considerable place among the minor monarchies of [[Anatolia]]. But the last king, [[Nicomedes IV of Bithynia|Nicomedes IV]], was unable to maintain himself against [[Mithridates VI of Pontus]], and, after being restored to his throne by the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] [[Roman Senate|Senate]], he bequeathed his kingdom by will to the Roman republic ([[74 BC]]). The coinage of these kings show their regal portraits, which tend to be engraved in an extremely accomplished Hellenistic style. <ref>[http://www.asiaminorcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=31 Asia Minor Coins - regal Bithynian coins]</ref> |
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===Roman province=== |
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{{main|Bithynia et Pontus}} |
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As a [[Roman province]], the boundaries of Bithynia frequently varied, and it was commonly united for administrative purposes with the province of [[Pontus]]. This was the state of things in the time of [[Trajan]], when [[Pliny the Younger]] was appointed governor of the combined provinces ([[109]]/[[110]] – [[111]]/[[112]]), a circumstance to which we are indebted for valuable information concerning the Roman provincial administration. |
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Under the [[Byzantine Empire]] Bithynia was again divided into two provinces, separated by the [[Sakarya|Sangarius]], to the west of which the name of Bithynia was restricted. |
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Bithynia appears to have attracted so much attention because of its roads and its strategic position between the frontiers of the [[Danube]] in the north and the [[Euphrates]] in the southeast. For securing communications with the [[Praetorian prefecture of the East|eastern provinces]], the monumental [[Sangarius Bridge|Bridge across the river Sangarius]] was constructed around 562 AD. Troops frequently wintered at Nicomedia. |
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The most important cities were [[Nicomedia]] and [[Nicaea (city)|Nicaea]]. The two had a long rivalry with one another over which city held the rank of capital. Both of these were founded after Alexander the Great; but at a much earlier period the [[Greece|Greeks]] had 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 120 miles (190 km) east of the Bosporus. All these rose to be flourishing places of trade, as did Prusa. Other places of importance at the present day are İzmit and [[Scutari]] (modern [[Üsküdar]]). |
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== Notable people == |
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*[[Theodosius of Bithynia|Theodosius]] ([[2nd century BC]]) Greek astronomer and mathematician. |
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*[[Antinous]] ([[2nd century AD]]) [[Catamite]] of the [[Roman Emperor]] [[Hadrian]]. |
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*[[Cassius Dio]] ([[2nd century AD]]-[[3rd century AD]]) Roman historian, [[Roman senate|senator]], and [[Roman consul|consul]]. |
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==See also== |
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*[[Bithyni]] |
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*[[List of rulers of Bithynia]] |
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*[[Thynia]] |
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*[[Thyni]] |
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*[[Thracians]] |
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==Notes== |
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<div class="references-small"><references /></div> |
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==References== |
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*{{1911}} |
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== Further reading == |
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* {{cite book |last=Storey |first=Stanley Jonathon |title=Bithynia: history and administration to the time of Pliny the Younger |origyear=1998 |url=http://amicus.collectionscanada.ca/s4-bin/Main/ItemDisplay?coll=19&rsn=S_WWWfcagPDevs&all=1 |format=[[Portable Document Format|PDF]] |accessdate=2007-05-21 |year=1999 |publisher=National Library of Canada |location=Ottawa |isbn=0-612-34324-3 }} |
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{{Historical regions of Anatolia}} |
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{{Roman provinces 120 AD}} |
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{{Late Roman Provinces|state=collapsed}} |
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{{coord missing|Turkey}} |
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[[Category:Historical regions of Anatolia]] |
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[[Category:Ancient Greek sites in Turkey]] |
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[[Category:History of Turkey]] |
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[[Category:Ancient Roman provinces]] |
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[[Category:Bithynia| ]] |
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[[Category:Geography of ancient Thrace]] |
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[[Category:Provinces of the Byzantine Empire]] |
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[[Category:States and territories established in 297 BC]] |
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[[Category:274 BC disestablishments]] |
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[[bs:Bitinija]] |
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[[br:Bithynia]] |
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[[bg:Витиния и Понт]] |
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[[ca:Regió de Bitínia]] |
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[[cs:Bithýnie]] |
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[[cy:Bithynia]] |
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[[da:Bithynien]] |
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[[de:Bithynien]] |
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[[et:Bitüünia]] |
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[[el:Βιθυνία]] |
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[[es:Bitinia]] |
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[[eo:Bitinio]] |
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[[eu:Bitinia]] |
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[[fr:Bithynie]] |
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[[gl:Reino de Bitinia]] |
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[[ko:비튀니아]] |
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[[it:Bitinia]] |
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[[he:ביתיניה]] |
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[[la:Bithynia]] |
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[[lt:Bitinija]] |
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[[hu:Bithünia]] |
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[[arz:بيثينيا]] |
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[[nl:Bithynië]] |
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[[ja:ビテュニア]] |
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[[no:Bitynia]] |
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[[pl:Bitynia]] |
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[[pt:Bitínia]] |
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[[ro:Bitinia]] |
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[[ru:Вифиния]] |
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[[scn:Bitinia]] |
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[[simple:Bithynia]] |
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[[sk:Bitýnia]] |
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[[sl:Bitinija]] |
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[[fi:Bithynia]] |
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[[sv:Bithynien]] |
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[[tr:Bitinya]] |
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[[uk:Віфінія]] |
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[[wo:Bitini]] |
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[[zh:比提尼亞]] |
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Revision as of 16:29, 12 October 2009
THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS PAGE ARE TOO FAT TO CONTINUE WRITING PLEASE TRY ANOTHER WEBSITE... Thank you! =)