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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Geographic - All Periods| ▸ |Anatolia| ▸ |Bithynia||View Options:  |  |  |   
Bithynia

The kingdom of Bithynia held a considerable place among the minor monarchies of Anatolia. 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. Under Rome, the boundaries of Bithynia frequently varied and it was sometimes united with Pontus. For securing communications with the eastern provinces, the monumental Bridge across the river Sangarius was constructed around 562 AD. Troops frequently wintered at Nicomedia. The most important cities were Nicomedia, founded by Nicomedes, and Nicaea. The two had a long rivalry with one another over which city held the rank of capital. At a much earlier period the Greeks had established on the coast the colonies of Cius (modern Gemlik); Chalcedon (modern Kadiköy), at the entrance of the Bosporus, nearly opposite Byzantium (modern Istanbul) and Heraclea Pontica (modern Karadeniz Eregli), on the Euxine, about 190 km east of the Bosporus.

Tranquillina, Augusta, May 241 - 25 February 244 A.D., Cius, Bithynia

|Bithynia|, |Tranquillina,| |Augusta,| |May| |241| |-| |25| |February| |244| |A.D.,| |Cius,| |Bithynia||AE| |23|NEW
Tranquillina was the beautiful daughter of the faithful praetorian prefect Timisitheus. Greatly loved by her husband, she survived his assassination, possibly due to her popularity with the general population and the soldiers.

Cius was an ancient Greek city bordering the Propontis, now known as the Sea of Marmara, in Bithynia and in Mysia in modern northwestern Turkey, and had a long history, being mentioned by Herodotus, Xenophon, Aristotle, Strabo and Apollonius Rhodius.RP113724. Bronze AE 23, RPC Online VII.2 1880; Rec Gén I.2 111, pl. LIII, 4; BMC Pontus p. 135, 46; SNG Cop 397; SNG Hunter 1069; SNG Verona 1352; SNGvA -, VF, obv. well centered, rev. off center, dark tone with brassy high points, porous/grainy, central dimples, weight 6.976 g, maximum diameter 23.3 mm, die axis 180o, Bithynia, Cius (near Gemlik, Turkey) mint, May 241 - 25 Feb 244 A.D.; obverse CABEI TPANKYΛΛEINA, draped bust right, wearing stephane; reverse KIANΩN, two goats rearing facing one another, amphora between them; first specimen of this type handled by FORVM; rare; $160.00 SALE PRICE $144.00
 


Antoninus Pius, August 138 - 7 March 161 A.D., Nicaea, Bithynia

|Bithynia|, |Antoninus| |Pius,| |August| |138| |-| |7| |March| |161| |A.D.,| |Nicaea,| |Bithynia||AE| |18|NEW
Nicaea remained an important town throughout the imperial period. Although only 70 km (43 miles) from Constantinople, Nicaea did not lose its importance when Constantinople became the capital of the Eastern Empire. The city suffered from earthquakes in 358, 362 and 368; after the last of which, it was restored by Valens. During the Middle Ages, it was a long time bulwark of the Byzantine emperors against the Turks.RP113734. Bronze AE 18, RPC Online IV.1 T5902 (3 spec.); Rec Gen 118; SNG Cop -; SNGvA -, F, dark patina, rough, weight 3.172 g, maximum diameter 18.2 mm, die axis 0o, Nicaea (Iznik, Turkey) mint, Aug 138 - 7 Mar 161 A.D.; obverse AVTO KAICAP ANTΩNINOC, laureate head right, trace of drapery on left shoulder; reverse NIKAIE-ΩN, Apis-bull standing right, wearing uraeus headdress, sun disk between horns; zero sales of this type listed on Coin Archives in the last two decades; very rare; $120.00 SALE PRICE $108.00
 


Kalchedon, Bithynia, c. 340 - 320 B.C.

|Bithynia|, |Kalchedon,| |Bithynia,| |c.| |340| |-| |320| |B.C.||half| |siglos|
The position of Chalcedon, on the eastern shore of the Bosporus, was not as favorable as that of Byzantion on the opposite side. The Persian Megabazus (Herod. iv. 144) said the founders of Chalcedon must have been blind, for Chalcedon was settled seventeen years before Byzantium; and the settlers, we must suppose, had the choice of the two places.GA113537. Silver half siglos, SNG BM 118; SNGvA 484; SNG Stancomb 14; BMC Pontus p. 124, 8; HGC 7 518, aF, off center, etched surfaces, struck with a damaged obv. die., weight 2.293 g, maximum diameter 12.0 mm, die axis 0o, Kalchedon (Kadikoya District, Istanbul, Turkey) mint, c. 340 - 320 B.C.; obverse KAΛX, bull standing left on ear of grain right; reverse quadripartite incuse square of mill-sail pattern, stippled texture within incuse areas; $45.00 SALE PRICE $40.50
 


Dia, Bithynia, 85 - 65 B.C.

|Bithynia|, |Dia,| |Bithynia,| |85| |-| |65| |B.C.||AE| |21|
Dia, also Diospolis, was a port city of ancient Bithynia on the Pontus Euxinus in Asia Minor. Marcian of Heraclea places it 60 stadia east of the mouth of the Hypius, which river is between the Sangarius River and Heraclea Pontica. Its site is located near Akcakoca in Asiatic Turkey.GB113204. Bronze AE 21, cf. SNG Stancomb 807; SNGvA 347; Callata˙ pl. XLIX, B; Rec Gen p. 342, 3; HGC 7 453 (S), VF, dark green patina, light earthen deposits, rev. off center, weight 7.878 g, maximum diameter 20.8 mm, die axis 0o, Bithynia, Dia (near Akcakoca, Turkey) mint, under Mithradates VI of Pontos, 85 - 65 B.C.; obverse laureate, bearded head of Zeus right; reverse eagle standing left on fulmen (thunderbolt), head right, wings open, monograms left and right, ΔIAΣ below; from the Michael Arslan Collection; $70.00 SALE PRICE $63.00
 


Dia, Bithynia, 85 - 65 B.C.

|Bithynia|, |Dia,| |Bithynia,| |85| |-| |65| |B.C.||AE| |20|
Dia, also Diospolis, was a port city of ancient Bithynia on the Pontus Euxinus in Asia Minor. Marcian of Heraclea places it 60 stadia east of the mouth of the Hypius, which river is between the Sangarius River and Heraclea Pontica. Its site is located near Akcakoca in Asiatic Turkey.GB113206. Bronze AE 20, SNG Stancomb 807; SNGvA 347; Callatay pl. XLIX, B; Rec Gen p. 342, 3; HGC 7 453 (S); SNG BM 1560 ff. var. (no monogram r.); SNG Cop 404 var. (same), VF, nice green patina, highlighting earthen deposits, rev. off center, weight 7.265 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 0o, Bithynia, Dia (near Akcakoca, Turkey) mint, under Mithradates VI of Pontos, 85 - 65 B.C.; obverse laureate, bearded head of Zeus right; reverse eagle standing left on fulmen (thunderbolt), head right, wings open, monograms left and right, ΔIAΣ below; from the Michael Arslan Collection; ex Bucephalus Numismatics auction 19 (6 May 2023), lot 149; $100.00 SALE PRICE $90.00
 


Julia Mamaea Augusta, 222 - 235 A.D. Nicaea, Bithynia

|Bithynia|, |Julia| |Mamaea| |Augusta,| |222| |-| |235| |A.D.| |Nicaea,| |Bithynia||AE| |21|
Nicaea remained an important town throughout the imperial period. Although only 70 km (43 miles) from Constantinople, Nicaea did not lose its importance when Constantinople became the capital of the Eastern Empire. The city suffered from earthquakes in 358, 362 and 368; after the last of which, it was restored by Valens. During the Middle Ages, it was a long time bulwark of the Byzantine emperors against the Turks.RP110615. Bronze AE 21, RPC Online VI T30682 (this coin); cf. SNG Leipzig 68, SNG Cop 514, Rec Gén 628, Lindgren I A146A, McClean 7498, VF, green patina, scratches, off center, weight 4.840 g, maximum diameter 20.7 mm, die axis 180o, Nicaea (Iznik, Turkey) mint, 222 - 235 A.D.; obverse IOVΛIA MAMAIA AVΓ (VΓ ligate), bare-headed draped bust right, hair in horizontal ridges, with looped plait at the back of neck, ornate drapery; reverse three standards topped by wreaths (outer two perhaps topped with crude Capricorns or eagles), N-IKA-IEΩ-N across field below center divided by standards; this coin is the only specimen of this variation on RPC Online; $100.00 SALE PRICE $90.00
 


Antoninus Pius, August 138 - 7 March 161 A.D., Nicaea, Bithynia

|Bithynia|, |Antoninus| |Pius,| |August| |138| |-| |7| |March| |161| |A.D.,| |Nicaea,| |Bithynia||hemiassarion|
According to myth, Hermes and Dionysos were sons of Zeus, but Hermes' mother was the princess Semele and Dionysos' mother was the minor goddess Maia. To protect the infant Dionysos from his wife Hera, Zeus entrusted him to Hermes, who together with a band of nymphs, hid the child near Mt. Nysa in Anatolia.RP111796. Bronze hemiassarion, RPC Online IV 5875 (3 spec.); Rec Gen 79; SNG Cop 480 corr. (obv. leg., M. Aurelius), aVF, dark and earthen patina, weight 4.044 g, maximum diameter 19.2 mm, die axis 180o, Nicaea (Iznik, Turkey) mint, obverse AVT KAICAP ANTΩNINOC, laureate head right; reverse NIKAIEΩN, Infant Dionysos seated right in cradle, extending both arms, thyrsus in cradle behind (not visible); Coin Archives records only one specimen of the type at auction in the last two decades; very rare; $150.00 SALE PRICE $120.00
 


Severus Alexander, 13 March 222 - March 235 A.D., Nicaea, Bithynia

|Bithynia|, |Severus| |Alexander,| |13| |March| |222| |-| |March| |235| |A.D.,| |Nicaea,| |Bithynia||AE| |23|
Nicaea remained an important town throughout the imperial period. Although only 70 km (43 miles) from Constantinople, Nicaea did not lose its importance when Constantinople became the capital of the Eastern Empire. The city suffered from earthquakes in 358, 362 and 368; after the last of which, it was restored by Valens. During the Middle Ages, it was a long time bulwark of the Byzantine emperors against the Turks.RP110609. Bronze AE 23, cf. Rec Gen II.3 p. 477, 617; RPC Online VI T3248; BMC Pontus p. 168, 101; SNG Cop 520; SNGvA 623, VF, green patina, centered, earthen deposits, scratches, edge crack, weight 5.565 g, maximum diameter 22.5 mm, die axis 0o, Nicaea (Iznik, Turkey) mint, obverse M AVP CEVH AΛEZAΔPOC A, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; reverse three standards, each topped with a wreath, NI-K-AI-E/ΩN in two lines, the first divided by the standards, the last two letters in exergue; $50.00 SALE PRICE $45.00
 


Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Nicaea, Bithynia

|Bithynia|, |Elagabalus,| |16| |May| |218| |-| |11| |March| |222| |A.D.,| |Nicaea,| |Bithynia||AE| |23|
Nicaea remained an important town throughout the imperial period. Although only 70 km (43 miles) from Constantinople, Nicaea did not lose its importance when Constantinople became the capital of the Eastern Empire. The city suffered from earthquakes in 358, 362 and 368; after the last of which, it was restored by Valens. During the Middle Ages, it was a long time bulwark of the Byzantine emperors against the Turks.RP99995. Bronze AE 23, RPC Online VI T3128; SNG Leypold 170; McClean 7489 (Caracalla); SNGvA 513; Rec Gen p. 471, 571; BMC Pontus p. 167, 93, Choice VF, green patina, some encrustation, small spots of light corrosion, closed crack, weight 4.700 g, maximum diameter 23.4 mm, die axis 0o, Nicaea (Iznik, Turkey) mint, 16 May 218 - 11 Mar 222 A.D.; obverse M AVP ANTΩNINOC AVΓ, laureate head to right; reverse three legionary standards topped with wreaths, NI-KA-IE-ΩN (ΩN ligate) above exergue line divided by the standards; $45.00 SALE PRICE $40.50
 


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.SH14038. Silver tetradrachm, SGCV II 7273; BMC Pontus p. 213, 1; SNG Cop 646 var.; SNGvA 261 var.; Rec Gen II.3 pl. 32, 7, Choice EF, weight 16.631 g, maximum diameter 39.7 mm, die axis 0o, Nikomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, 149 - 148 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 NP (year 150); huge broad flan; SOLD



  






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