Prusias I of Bithynia

Prusias I Cholus (Greek: Προυσίας ὁ Χωλός, translit. Prousías ho Chōlós, lit. "the Lame"; c. 243 – 182 BC) was a king of Bithynia, who reigned from c. 228 to 182 BC.

Prusias I "The Lame"
Tetradrachm of Prusias I (young)
King of Bithynia
Reign228–182 BC
PredecessorZiaelas
SuccessorPrusias II
Bornc. 243 BC
Bithynia
(modern-day Turkey)
Died182 BC (aged 61)
Bithynia
(modern-day Turkey)
ConsortApama
IssuePrusias II
GreekΛευκών
FatherZiaelas
MotherUnknown
ReligionGreek Polytheism
Tetradrachm of Prusias I (older and bearded). British Museum.

Life and Reign

Prusias was a vigorous and energetic leader; he fought a war against Byzantium (220 BC), seizing its Asiatic territory, a part of Mysia that had been in its possession for a long time.[1] Then, he defeated the Galatians who Nicomedes I had invited across the Bosphorus to a territory called Arisba, putting to death all of their women and children and letting his men plunder their baggage.[2]

At some point during his reign, he formed a marriage alliance with Demetrius II of Macedon, receiving the latter's daughter, Apama, as his wife.

He expanded the territories of Bithynia in a series of wars against Attalus I of Pergamum and Heraclea Pontica on the Black Sea, taking various cities formerly owned by the Heracleans, renaming one of them, Prusias, after himself.[3] While besieging the city of Heraclea Pontica,[4] he dealt many casualties to the besieged,[5] but while climbing a ladder, he was hit with a stone and he broke his leg; the siege was lifted due to his injury.[6] This is likely where he was given the surname "the lame".[7] Philip V of Macedon granted him the ports of Keios and Myrleia in 202 BC, which he renamed Prusias and Apameia[8] respectively. Although he granted sanctuary to Hannibal, who successfully employed an odd stratagem against the Attalids for him at sea,[9] he remained neutral during the Roman Republic's war with Antiochus III the Great, refusing an alliance with Antiochus.[10] He agreed on peace terms with presumably Eumenes II in 183 BC, in the city of Cyzicus.[11] Apama bore Prusias I a son called Prusias II, who succeeded him.

The town of Prusa (now Bursa in Turkey), which he rebuilt, is named after Prusias.

See also

Sources
  • Habicht, Christian, s.v. Prusias I., RE. Bd. ХХШ, 1. 1957

References
  1. Polybius. Histories. He had also seized their Asiatic territory, a part of Mysia which had long been in their possession.
  2. Polybius. Histories. Prusias, therefore, led an army against them, and after destroying all the men in a pitched battle, put to death nearly all the women and children in their camp and allowed his soldiers who had taken part in the battle to plunder the baggage.
  3. Memnon. History of Heraclea Pontica. He changed the name of the city to Prusias, instead of Cierus.
  4. Memnon. History of Heraclea Pontica. After these cities, he subjected Heracleia itself to a severe siege
  5. Memnon. History of Heraclea Pontica. and killed many of those who were besieged.
  6. Memnon. History of Heraclea Pontica. but while climbing a ladder Prusias was hit by a stone which was thrown from the battlements. He broke his leg, and because of this injury the siege was lifted
  7. Memnon. History of Heraclea Pontica. where he lived on for a few years before he died, being named (because of his injury) "the lame".
  8. Strabo. Geography. And Prusias restored them from their ruins and named the city Cius "Prusias" after himself and Myrleia "Apameia" after his wife.
  9. Justinus. Philippic Histories.
  10. Polybius. Histories.
  11. Polybius. Histories. This all happened in Cyzicus after the peace with King Prusias.


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