Nicomedes IV of Bithynia

Nicomedes IV Philopator
Nicomedes IV Philopator
	Nicomedes IV depicted on a silver coin
King of Bithynia
Reign	c. 94–74 BC
Predecessor	Nicomedes III
Successor	Bithynia became a Roman province
Issue	Nysa
Father	Nicomedes III
Mother	Nysa or Aristonica

Nicomedes IV Philopator (Greek: Νικομήδης Φιλοπάτωρ) was the king of Bithynia from c. 94 BC to 74 BC.^[3] He was the first son and successor of Nicomedes III of Bithynia.^[4]

Life

Memnon of Heraclea wrote that Nicomedes IV was the son of Nicomedes III by his wife Nysa,^[5] but according to Granius Licinianus he was a son of Nicomedes III by a first wife called Aristonica, who Granius Licinianus claims died nine days after his birth. He had three half siblings, Nysa by his father's second marriage to Nysa, and a half brother named Socrates Chrestus from his father's concubine, Hagne,^[6] and possibly Pylaemenes III by an unknown woman.

His reign began at the death of his father. The first few years of his kingship were relatively peaceful, but soon King Mithridates VI of Pontus (the maternal grand-uncle of Nicomedes IV), one of Rome's greatest enemies during the late Republic, began harassing Bithynia's borders.

Nicomedes IV's brother, Socrates Chrestus, assisted by Mithridates VI, defeated Nicomedes IV's army in 90 BC, and Nicomedes IV was forced to flee to Italy. He was restored to his throne by Manius Aquillius due to Rome's influence in the region.^[7] However, Aquillius encouraged Nicomedes IV to raid Mithridates VI's territory, prompting Mithridates VI to retaliate again in 88 BC. Nicomedes IV fled once again to Rome. Mithridates invaded and conquered Bithynia and the Roman provinces of Asia, starting the First Mithridatic War.^[8]

The East was seen by the Romans as a province providing an abundance of gold and silver. As such, two powerful Romans, Gaius Marius and the consul Lucius Cornelius Sulla aimed at a command in the region. After marching on Rome and outlawing Marius, Sulla sailed east and fought Mithridates VI on several occasions over the next three years, and finally in 85 BC, Mithridates VI sued for peace, and was allowed to retain his kingship in Pontus after paying a heavy fine.

Nicomedes IV was restored to his throne in Bithynia in 84 BC.^[3] The years that followed were relatively peaceful, though Bithynia came more and more under the control of Rome. In 80 BC, young Gaius Julius Caesar was an ambassador to Nicomedes IV's court. Caesar was sent to raise a fleet using Bithynia's resources, but he remained so long with the King that a rumor of a sexual relationship between the two men surfaced, leading to the disparaging title for Caesar, "the Queen of Bithynia", an appellation which Caesar's political enemies made use of later in his life. During Caesar's Gallic Triumph a popular verse began: "Gallias Caesar subegit, Caesarem Nicomedes," (Caesar laid the Gauls low, Nicomedes laid Caesar low), suggesting that Caesar was the submissive receiving partner in the relationship.^[9] It is unknown if a sexual relationship existed or was only a story told by his opponents, and Caesar vigorously denied its truthfulness.^[10]

As one of his last acts as king of Bithynia, in 74 BC, Nicomedes IV bequeathed the entire kingdom of Bithynia to Rome.^[3] The Roman Senate quickly voted it as a new province. Rome's old enemy Mithridates VI of Pontus had other plans for Bithynia, however, and Nicomedes IV's death and bequeathal led directly to the Third Mithridatic War.

Notes

^ Gelzer, Matthias (1968). Caesar: Politician and Statesman. Harvard University Press. pp. 30, 351. ISBN 9780674090019.
^ Magie, David (8 December 2015). Roman Rule in Asia Minor, Volume 1 (Text): To the End of the Third Century After Christ. ISBN 9781400849796.
^ ^a ^b ^c Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Nicomedes III." . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 19 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 664. (numbered as III. not IV.)
^ McGing, The foreign policy of Mithridates VI Eupator, King of Pontus, p. 143
^ Memnon, History of Heracleia 22.5
^ Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology". p. 1218. Archived from the original on 2011-02-20. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
^ Smith, p. 1197
^ J. Hind, 'Mithridates', in Cambridge Ancient History, Volume IX (1994), pp.143–4
^ Suetonius ii., 45–53
^ Adrian Goldsworthy (2008). Caesar: Life of a Colossus. Yale University Press. pp. 68–. ISBN 978-0-300-13919-8.

References

Suetonius, Lives of the Caesars: "Caesar".
Smith, William (editor); Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: "Nicomedes III" (erroneously called so), Boston, (1867).
B. C. McGing, The foreign policy of Mithridates VI Eupator, King of Pontus, BRILL, 1986

Regnal titles
Preceded by Nicomedes III	King of Bithynia 94–74 BC	Annexation by Roman Republic

[1] Gelzer, Matthias (1968). Caesar: Politician and Statesman. Harvard University Press. pp. 30, 351. ISBN 9780674090019.

[2] Magie, David (8 December 2015). Roman Rule in Asia Minor, Volume 1 (Text): To the End of the Third Century After Christ. ISBN 9781400849796.

[EB1911-3] Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Nicomedes III." . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 19 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 664. (numbered as III. not IV.)

[4] McGing, The foreign policy of Mithridates VI Eupator, King of Pontus, p. 143

[5] Memnon, History of Heracleia 22.5

[6] Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology". p. 1218. Archived from the original on 2011-02-20. Retrieved 2010-10-07.

[7] Smith, p. 1197

[8] J. Hind, 'Mithridates', in Cambridge Ancient History, Volume IX (1994), pp.143–4

[9] Suetonius ii., 45–53

[Goldsworthy2008-10] Adrian Goldsworthy (2008). Caesar: Life of a Colossus. Yale University Press. pp. 68–. ISBN 978-0-300-13919-8.

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v t e Hellenistic rulers
Argeads	Philip II Alexander III the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV
Antipatrids	Cassander Philip IV Alexander V Antipater II Antipater Etesias Sosthenes
Antigonids	Antigonus I Monophthalmus Demetrius I Poliorcetes Antigonus II Gonatas Demetrius II Aetolicus Antigonus III Doson Philip V Perseus Philip VI (pretender)
Ptolemies	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy Keraunos Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Cleopatra I Syra (regent) Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Cleopatra II Philometor Soter Ptolemy VIII Physcon Cleopatra III Ptolemy IX Lathyros Ptolemy X Alexander Berenice III Ptolemy XI Alexander Ptolemy XII Auletes Cleopatra VI Tryphaena Berenice IV Epiphanea Ptolemy XIII Ptolemy XIV Cleopatra VII Philopator Ptolemy XV Caesarion
Monarchs of Cyrene	Magas Berenice II Demetrius the Fair Ptolemy VIII Physcon Ptolemy Apion Cleopatra Selene II
Seleucids	Seleucus I Nicator Antiochus I Soter Antiochus II Theos Seleucus II Callinicus Seleucus III Ceraunus Antiochus III the Great Seleucus IV Philopator Antiochus IV Epiphanes Antiochus V Eupator Demetrius I Soter Alexander I Balas Demetrius II Nicator Antiochus VI Dionysus Diodotus Tryphon Antiochus VII Sidetes Alexander II Zabinas Cleopatra Thea Seleucus V Philometor Antiochus VIII Grypus Antiochus IX Cyzicenus Seleucus VI Epiphanes Antiochus X Eusebes Antiochus XI Epiphanes Demetrius III Eucaerus Philip I Philadelphus Antiochus XII Dionysus Cleopatra Selene I Antiochus XIII Asiaticus Philip II Philoromaeus
Lysimachids	Lysimachus Ptolemy Epigonos
Attalids	Philetaerus Eumenes I Attalus I Eumenes II Attalus II Attalus III Eumenes III
Greco-Bactrians	Diodotus I Diodotus II Euthydemus I Demetrius I Euthydemus II Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Demetrius II Eucratides I Plato Eucratides II Heliocles I
Indo-Greeks	Demetrius I Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Apollodotus I Demetrius II Antimachus II Menander I Zoilos I Agathokleia Lysias Strato I Antialcidas Heliokles II Polyxenos Demetrius III Philoxenus Diomedes Amyntas Epander Theophilos Peukolaos Thraso Nicias Menander II Artemidoros Hermaeus Archebius Telephos Apollodotus II Hippostratos Dionysios Zoilos II Apollophanes Strato II Strato III
Monarchs of Bithynia	Boteiras Bas Zipoetes I Nicomedes I Zipoetes II Etazeta (regent) Ziaelas Prusias I Prusias II Nicomedes II Nicomedes III Nicomedes IV Socrates Chrestus
Monarchs of Pontus	Mithridates I Ctistes Ariobarzanes Mithridates II Mithridates III Pharnaces I Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos with Laodice Mithridates V Euergetes Mithridates VI Eupator Pharnaces II Darius Arsaces Polemon I Pythodorida Polemon II
Monarchs of Commagene	Ptolemaeus Sames II Mithridates I Antiochus I Mithridates II Antiochus II Mithridates III Antiochus III Antiochus IV
Monarchs of Cappadocia	Ariarathes I Ariarathes II Ariamnes II Ariarathes III Ariarathes IV Ariarathes V Orophernes Ariarathes VI Ariarathes VII Ariarathes VIII Ariarathes IX Ariobarzanes I Ariobarzanes II Ariobarzanes III Ariarathes X Archelaus
Monarchs of the Cimmerian Bosporus	Paerisades I Satyros II Prytanis Eumelos Spartokos III Hygiainon (regent) Paerisades II Spartokos IV Leukon II Spartokos V [ru] Kamasarye Paerisades III Paerisades IV Paerisades V Mithridates I Pharnaces Asander with Dynamis Mithridates II Asander with Dynamis Scribonius's attempted rule with Dynamis Dynamis with Polemon Polemon Aspurgus Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I
Monarchs of Epirus	Admetus Tharrhypas Alcetas I Neoptolemus I Arybbas Alexander I Aeacides Neoptolemus II Alcetas II Pyrrhus I Alexander II Olympias II (regent) Pyrrhus II Ptolemy Pyrrhus III Deidamia
Hellenistic rulers were preceded by Hellenistic satraps in most of their territories.

Life

See also

Notes

References