Asia Minor was such an important battle ground in the history of the world, that many a king made a name for themselves on the battlefields in the region. Greek, Persian, Roman, Mongol, Seljuk and many more fought for their nations and their people here. Across the entire coast of Asia Minor and significant tracts in the interior, this was a Hellenic hub. It remained that way until the decline of the Ottoman Empire. It is a region of such importance to history, truly a heartland of Hellenism until the awful tragedies that befell our people in 1922 followed by the population exchange the following year. No people of any race should ever be threatened, yet we still see this type of heartbreak all over the world, learning nothing in the process.
I digress. In various other articles and through the book From Pyrrhus to Cyprus Forgotten and Remembered Hellenic Kingdoms, Territories, Entities & a Fiefdom, I have presented to you other unique Hellenic entities. This includes Commagene, Nicaea, Smyrna, Trebizond, Parthia and Pontus.
During the wars of the Diadochi of the Hellenistic Era, the region was an easy meeting point for the generals to fight each other; for the region was bounded by Africa, Asia and of course the Greek heartland. Lysimachus and his successors as well as the Seleucids and Ptolemy all made significant forays across Asia Minor. Let us now turn our attention to Bithynia and then Paphlagonia.
Each was situated on the north of Asia Minor along the Black Sea. Paphlagonia sat next to Pontus, whilst Bithynia was closest to the Bosphorus where ancient Byzantium is found.
It’s worth noting that Herodotus tells us that Bithynia is named for the Thracian tribe of the Bithyni, likely in the Bronze Age. Greeks established colonies of Cius (modern Gemlik); Chalcedon (modern Kadıköy), at the entrance of the Bosporus and Heraclea Pontica on the Euxine.
The Bithynians were incorporated by king Croesus within the Lydian monarchy, with which they fell under the dominion of Persia by 546 BC, and were included in the satrapy of Phrygia, which comprised all the countries up to the Hellespont and Bosporus.
Bithynia seemed to have held its ground against Macedonian forces during the Alexandrian period. Their first ruler is mentioned in 435 BC, though not as a king. This title is first assumed in 297 BC by Zipoites who was in place for almost five decades. His successor was Nicomedes between 278–255 BC. He is famous for founding Nicomedia which would prove fortuitous in Byzantine times as a leading city.
With a mixture of Greek, Persian and tribes that were in place before Greek colonial expansion, the kingdom survived in the Hellenistic era of constant wars. Time ran out for them against the expansionist Mithridates VI from Pontus. Like the Rhodesians when they needed support, they appealed to growing power of Rome who duly obliged. Rome did not want Pontus to grow stronger.
To keep the Pontians under pressure, the Bithynian king returned to the throne with the blessing of Rome. Like another regional king, Attalus, he bequeathed his kingdom to Rome upon his death in 74 BC. One can only wonder why it was that a number of Greek monarchs gave their territory to the Romans over fellow Hellenes. Maybe they wanted to end up in Roman heaven, or they felt that Rome was too strong for other Hellenes to contend with.
Moving along the Black Sea via a ship towards the Georgia end, one can reach Paphlagonia. Of all the realms in Asia Minor, Paphlagonia is perhaps the one that receives less attention and does not appear to have gained the attention of contemporary writers, though Herodotus mentions that they were once part of the kingdom of Croesus. The territory came under the control of Alexander and his Hellenic successors. The region was allowed to be governed by locals on behalf of whichever Greek power cared to control the area. In other words, it was essentially allowed to govern itself as long as it paid tribute or respect to the Hellenic powers such as the Seleucids or Pontus.
The region is essentially covered by rugged terrain and mountains. Strabo tells us that the limits of the terrain was traditionally bounded by rivers and inhabited by various ancient tribes. Homer has indicated that survivors of Troy may have settled here, whilst others have told of tales of Phoenicians settling here from Tyre in 1500 BC. It’s likely that they were allies of Troy during the war against the Greeks.
Mithridates I of Pontus subdued most of Paphlagonia during 301 with the exception of the important Greek city of Sinope amongst other settlements. Sinope was then ruled by Scydrothemis who was a tyrant. The city of Sinope was famous for the eccentric yet brilliant Diogenes, the father of the Greek cynicism school of philosophy who was there during the invasion of Alexander the Great.
In 183 Pharnaces of Pontus finally took the remainder of Paphlagonia, ending the independence of the kingdom. Paphlagonia was essentially incorporated by various successive empires where the Greek language remained spoken, from the Pontic kingdom, Byzantine and the Empire of Trebizond.
Some of the famous names who came from the region include called Alexander the Paphlagonian in the second century AD, Saint Philaretos and Eumenes of Cardia.
Asia Minor, the more we scratch the surface, the more we find of our Hellenic history.
*Billy Cotsis is the author of The Aegean Seven Take Back The Stolen Marbles.
