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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Hellenistic Monarchies| ▸ |Kingdom of Bithynia||View Options:  |  |  |   

Bithynian Kingdom

The Kingdom of Bithynia was a flourishing kingdom in northwest Asia Minor founded in the early third century by Zipoetes, chieftain of the Bythyni, a Thracian tribe. The coins of the Bithynian kings depict their regal portraits in a highly accomplished Hellenistic style. Nicomedes IV, the last king of Bithynia, was defeated by Mithridates VI of Pontus, and, after being restored to his throne by the Roman Senate, bequeathed his kingdom by will to the Roman Republic in 74 B.C. The area became a Roman Province with Nicomedia as its capital.

Kingdom of Bithynia, Nikomedes III Euergetes, 128 - 94 B.C.

|Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia|, |Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia,| |Nikomedes| |III| |Euergetes,| |128| |-| |94| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
SH18346. Silver tetradrachm, Rec Gen II.3 p. 230, 4 var.; BMC Pontus -, SNGvA -, EF, uncleaned, dark toning, weight 16.688 g, maximum diameter 34.7 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, c. 122 - 121 B.C.; obverse diademed head right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ NIKOMHΔOY, Zeus standing left, wreath in right hand, scepter in left, in inner left field eagle on thunderbolt over monogram and ZOP (year 177); SOLD


Kingdom of Bithynia, Nikomedes III Euergetes, 128 - 94 B.C.

|Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia|, |Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia,| |Nikomedes| |III| |Euergetes,| |128| |-| |94| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Nikomedes III aided Marius during the Cimbrian War, about 103 B.C. During the later part of his reign he struggled with Mithradates, King of Pontus, for control over Cappadocia. This led to Roman intervention and the Mithradatic War.
SH10959. Silver tetradrachm, SGCV II 7274; BMC Pontus p. 214, 12v; SNGvA 263v; SNG Cop 648v; De Callatay p. 56, D73/R1, VF, weight 16.21 g, maximum diameter 33.0 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, 112 - 111 B.C.; obverse diademed head right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ NIKOMHΔOY, Zeus standing left, wreath in right hand, scepter in left, in inner left field eagle on thunderbolt over monogram and IΠP (year 187); SOLD


Kingdom of Bithynia, Nikomedes II Epiphanes, 149 - 128 B.C.

|Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia|, |Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia,| |Nikomedes| |II| |Epiphanes,| |149| |-| |128| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Nikomedes II accompanied his father, Prusias II, to Rome in 167 B.C., where he was brought up under the care of the Senate. His father, favoring a younger sibling for succession, decided to assassinate him. But Nikomedes discovered the plot, seized the throne and put his father to death. He remained faithful to Rome, assisting in the war with Attalus, king of Pergamus in 131 B.C.
SH18363. Silver tetradrachm, Rec Gen II.3 p. 229, 1; BMC Pontus -, SNGvA -, Choice gVF+, weight 16.723 g, maximum diameter 39.5 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, c. 147 - 146 B.C.; obverse diademed head right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ NIKOMHΔOY, Zeus standing left, wreath in right hand, scepter in left, in inner left field eagle on thunderbolt over monogram and BNP (year 152); dark toning; SOLD


Kingdom of Bithynia, Nicomedes IV Philopator, 94 - 74 B.C.

|Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia|, |Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia,| |Nicomedes| |IV| |Philopator,| |94| |-| |74| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
In 88 B.C., Mithradates destroyed Nikomedes' army forcing him to flee to Italy. His throne was not restored until Rome defeated Mithradates in 84 B.C. Waddington, Recueil General, pp. 217-8, notes, "it is difficult to explain the very rare coins that bear the dates IC, AIC, BIC. These dates correspond to 89/8 to 87/6 BC..; but between mid-88 and the end of 83, the whole of Bithynia was in the hands of Mithradates Eupator. We are forced to conjecture (no text says so) that during this period several fortified places in Bithynia remained faithful to the legitimate king and continued to strike coins in his name."
SH14034. Silver tetradrachm, SGCV II 7276; BMC Pontus, p. 213, 6 var.; SNG Cop 651 var., SNGvA 266 var., aEF, weight 15.539 g, maximum diameter 36.1 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, 87 - 86 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Nicomedes right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ NIKOMHΔOY, Zeus standing left, wreath in right hand, scepter in left, in inner left field eagle on thunderbolt over monogram and date BIΣ (year 212); very rare; SOLD


Kingdom of Bithynia, Nikomedes II Epiphanes, 149 - 128 B.C.

|Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia|, |Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia,| |Nikomedes| |II| |Epiphanes,| |149| |-| |128| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Nikomedes II accompanied his father, Prusias II, to Rome in 167 B.C., where he was brought up under the care of the Senate. His father, favoring a younger sibling for succession, decided to assassinate him. But Nikomedes discovered the plot, seized the throne and put his father to death. He remained faithful to Rome, assisting in the war with Attalus, king of Pergamus in 131 B.C.
SH18362. Silver tetradrachm, Rec Gen II.3 pl. 32, 9; BMC Pontus -, SNGvA -, Choice gVF+, weight 16.717 g, maximum diameter 37.4 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, c. 140 - 139 B.C.; obverse diademed head right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ NIKOMHΔOY, Zeus standing left, wreath in right hand, scepter in left, in inner left field eagle on thunderbolt over monogram and ΘNP (year 159); SOLD


Kingdom of Bithynia, Nikomedes II Epiphanes, 149 - 128 B.C.

|Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia|, |Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia,| |Nikomedes| |II| |Epiphanes,| |149| |-| |128| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Nikomedes II accompanied his father, Prusias II, to Rome in 167 B.C., where he was brought up under the care of the Senate. His father, favoring a younger sibling for succession, decided to assassinate him. But Nikomedes discovered the plot, seized the throne and put his father to death. He remained faithful to Rome, assisting in the war with Attalus, king of Pergamus in 131 B.C.
SH18364. Silver tetradrachm, Rec Gen II.3 p. 229, 4; BMC Pontus -, SNGvA -, Choice gVF, weight 16.608 g, maximum diameter 36.3 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, c. 141 - 140 B.C.; obverse diademed head right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ NIKOMHΔOY, Zeus standing left, wreath in right hand, scepter in left, in inner left field eagle on thunderbolt over monogram and HNP (year 158); SOLD


Kingdom of Bithynia, Nicomedes IV Philopator, 94 - 74 B.C.

|Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia|, |Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia,| |Nicomedes| |IV| |Philopator,| |94| |-| |74| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
During the first year of his reign, Mithradates, king of Pontus, expelled him and placed his younger brother Socrates on the throne. The next year he was restored by the Roman army under Aquilius. Aquilius was later defeated and killed and in 88 B.C., Mithradates destroyed Nikomedes army forcing him to flee to Italy. Nikomedes throne was again restored when Rome defeated Mithradates in 84 B.C. He died childless and his will left his kingdom to Rome.
SH14035. Silver tetradrachm, BMC Pontus 5, SNGvA 265, SNG Cop 650, EF, weight 15.713 g, maximum diameter 34.4 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, 94 - 93 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Nicomedes right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ NIKOMHΔOY, Zeus standing left, wreath in right hand, scepter in left, in inner left field eagle on thunderbolt over monogram and date ΕΣ (year 205); toned, die crack on obverse; SOLD


Kingdom of Bithynia, Prusias II Kynegos, 185 - 149 B.C.

|Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia|, |Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia,| |Prusias| |II| |Kynegos,| |185| |-| |149| |B.C.||AE| |22|
Prusias II, son of Prusias I, inherited his father's name but not his character. He first joined with Eumenes of Pergamon in war against Pontus, but later turned on Pergamon and invaded. He was defeated and Pergamon demanded heavy reparations. Prusias sent his son Nicomedes II to Rome to ask for aid in reducing the payments. When Nicomedes revolted, Prusias II was murdered in the temple of Zeus at Nikomedia.

Chiron was immortal but sacrificed his immortality. Herakles and the centaur Pholus were dining in Pholus' cave when Pholus opened a bottle of sacred wine given to him by Dionysus. The smell attracted other centaurs who attacked to take the wine. Heracles killed many of them using arrows poisoned with Hydra-venom. One of those arrows hit Chiron by mistake. Chiron could not die, but the wound was incurable and caused unbearable pain. Chiron gave up his immortality in exchange for Prometheus' freedom, when suggested by Heracles. Zeus then placed him amongst the stars as the constellation Sagittarius or Centaurus.
SH71000. Bronze AE 22, SNG Cop 640; BMC Pontus p. 210, 8; Rec Gen II.3 p. 225, 26; SNGvA 256 var. (monogram); HGC 7 629; SGCV II 7266, Choice VF, nice style, weight 6.393 g, maximum diameter 22.3 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, c. 180 - 150 B.C.; obverse head of young Dionysos right, wreathed with ivy; reverse centaur Chiron standing right, playing lyre, his cloak flying behind, BAΣIΛEΩΣ (king) downward on right, ΠPOUΣIOY downward on left, NΦ monogram inner right under raised foreleg; SOLD


Kingdom of Bithynia, Nikomedes III Euergetes, 128 - 94 B.C.

|Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia|, |Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia,| |Nikomedes| |III| |Euergetes,| |128| |-| |94| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Nikomedes III aided Marius during the Cimbrian War, about 103 B.C. During the later part of his reign he struggled with Mithradates, King of Pontus, for control over Cappadocia. This led to Roman intervention and the Mithradatic War.
SH43360. Silver tetradrachm, BMC Pontus p. 213, 8 (Nikomedes II); Rec Gen II.3 40; SGCV II 7274; cf. SNGvA 6896 (year 185); cf. SNG Cop 648 (year 181), VF, nice metal and style, weight 16.824 g, maximum diameter 31.8 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, 116 B.C.; obverse diademed head right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ NIKOMHΔOY, Zeus standing left, wreath in right hand, long scepter in left hand, eagle on thunderbolt over monogram and IΠΓ (year 183) in inner left field; ex Spink Auction 6018, lot 663; SOLD


Kingdom of Bithynia, Nicomedes III Euergetes, 128 - 94 B.C.

|Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia|, |Kingdom| |of| |Bithynia,| |Nicomedes| |III| |Euergetes,| |128| |-| |94| |B.C.||tetradrachm|
Nicomedes III Euergetes was the king of Bithynia, c. 127 - 94 B.C. When Nicomedes III was asked to provide troops for Roman Statesman Gaius Marius' war on the Cimbri and Teutones in transalpine Gaul in 104 B.C. he turned down the request declaring: "All those eligible for military service in my kingdom have been robbed by the Roman tax-farmers and sold into slavery."
SH86269. Silver tetradrachm, Callataÿ (D55/R1); Rec Gén I.2 p. 230; HGC 6 642; Cohen DCA 444; cf. BMC Pontus, p. 213, 8 (year 183); SNG Cop 648 (year 181); SNGvA 6896 (year 185), gVF, toned, die wear, bumps, scratches, tiny flan flaw obverse right, small edge chip/crack 12:00, weight 16.377 g, maximum diameter 36.5 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, 115 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Nicomedes right; reverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ NIKOMHΔOY, Zeus standing left, raising wreath in extended right hand, long scepter vertical in left hand, in inner left field eagle on thunderbolt over monogram over date ΔΠP (year 184); ex A. Caillat; SOLD




  




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REFERENCES|

Babelon, J. Catalogue de la collection de Luynes: monnaies greques. (Paris, 1924-1936).
Cohen, E. Dated Coins of Antiquity: A comprehensive catalogue of the coins and how their numbers came about. (Lancaster, PA, 2011).
Corsten, T. Katalog der bithynisgen Münzen der Sammlung des Instituts für Altertumskunde der Universität zu Köln, Band 2: Könige, Commune Bithyniae, Städt (außer Nikaia). (Opladen, 1996).
de Callataÿ, F. "Les derniers rois de Bithynie: problèmes de chronologie" in RBN 132 (Bruxelles, 1986), p. 5 - 30, pl. I - IV.
de Callataÿ, F. L'histoire des guerres Mithridatiques vue par les monnaies. (Louvain-La-Neuve, 1997).
Hoover, O. Handbook of Coins of Northern and Central Anatolia, Pontos, Paphlagonia, Bithynia...5th to 1st Centuries BC. HGC 7. (Lancaster, PA, 2012).
Jameson, R. Collection R. Jameson. Monnaies grecques antiques. (Paris, 1913-1932).
Naster, P. La collection Lucien de Hirsch. (Brussels, 1959).
Sear, D. Greek Coins and Their Values, Volume 2, Asia and Africa. (London, 1979).
Seyrig, H. "Monnaies Hellénistiques de Byzance et de Calcédoine" in Essays Robinson.
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Denmark, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Vol. 4: Bosporus - Lesbos. (West Milford, NJ, 1981).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, Sammlung Hans Von Aulock, Vol. 1: Pontus, Paphlagonia, Bithynia, Mysia, Troas, Aiolis, Lesbos, Ionia. (Berlin, 1957).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, Münzsammlung Universität Tübingen, Part 3: Akarnanien-Bithynien. (Berlin, 1985).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Great Britain IV, Fitzwilliam Museum, Leake and General Collections, Part 6: Asia Minor: Pontus - Phrygia. (London, 1965).
Waddington, W., E. Babelon and T. Reinach. Recueil Général des Monnaies Grecques d'Asie Minuere, Vol. I, Part 1: Pont et Paphlagonie. (Paris, 1904).
Wroth, W. A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Pontus, Paphlagonia, Bithynia. (London, 1889).

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