Prusias I of Bithynia

Prusias I "The Lame"
Prusias I "The Lame"
	Tetradrachm of Prusias I (young)
King of Bithynia
Reign	228–182 BC
Predecessor	Ziaelas
Successor	Prusias II
Born	c. 243 BC; Bithynia; (modern-day Turkey)
Died	182 BC (aged 61); Bithynia; (modern-day Turkey)
Consort	Apama
Issue	Prusias II
Greek	Λευκών
Father	Ziaelas
Mother	Unknown
Religion	Greek Polytheism

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

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.

Sources

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

References

^ Polybius. Histories. He had also seized their Asiatic territory, a part of Mysia which had long been in their possession.
^ 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.
^ Memnon. History of Heraclea Pontica. He changed the name of the city to Prusias, instead of Cierus.
^ Memnon. History of Heraclea Pontica. After these cities, he subjected Heracleia itself to a severe siege
^ Memnon. History of Heraclea Pontica. and killed many of those who were besieged.
^ 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
^ Memnon. History of Heraclea Pontica. where he lived on for a few years before he died, being named (because of his injury) "the lame".
^ Strabo. Geography. And Prusias restored them from their ruins and named the city Cius "Prusias" after himself and Myrleia "Apameia" after his wife.
^ Justinus. Philippic Histories.
^ Polybius. Histories.
^ Polybius. Histories. This all happened in Cyzicus after the peace with King Prusias.

Preceded by Ziaelas	King of Bithynia 228 BC – 182 BC	Succeeded by Prusias II

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[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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v t e Hellenistic rulers
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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.

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Life and Reign

See also

Sources

References