(Anthoh
and having no children, by his will bequeathed his Graec.
and having no children, by his will bequeathed his Graec.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
26.
)
this time engaged in the siege of Byzantium, B. C. Nicomedes remained at Rome till B. C. 149, and
277. Having furnished them with the means of had, during his residence there, risen to a high
crossing over into Asia, he first turned the arms of place in the favour of the senate ; but this only
his new auxiliaries against his brother, Zipoetes, served to increase the suspicions and enmity of
whom he defeated and put to death, and thus re- Prusias, who at length despatched Menas to Rome
united the whole of Bithynia under his dominion. with an embassy to the senate, but with secret
(Memnon, c. 16, 18, 19; Liv. xxxviii. 16 ; Justin. instructions to effect the assassination of the prince.
xxv. 2. ) Of the events that followed we have little But Menas, on finding the favour which Nicomedes
information ; it is probable that the Gauls subse enjoyed at Rome, instead of executing his instruc-
quently assisted Nicomedes against Antiochus tions, divulged them to the prince himself, and in
(Trog. Pomp. prol. xxv ; comp. Droysen, Hellenism. conjunction with Andronicus, the ambassador of
vol
. ii. p. 178), but no particulars are recorded Attalus, urged him to dethrone his father, who bad
either of the war or the peace that terminated it. rendered himself by his vices the object of universal
It appears, however, that Nicomedes was left in contempt and hatred. Nicomedes readily listened
the undisturbed possession of Bithynia, which he to their suggestions, and departing secretly from
continued to govern from this time till his death, Rome landed in Epeirus, where he openly assumed
and which rose to a high degree of power and the title of king, and proceeded to the court of
prosperity during his long and peaceful reign. In Attalus, who received him with open arms, and
imitation of so many others of the Greek rulers prepared to support his pretensions with an army.
of Asia, he determined to perpetuate his own name Prusias, abandoned by his subjects, took refuge in
by the foundation of a new capital, and the site | the citadel of Nicaea, from whence he wrote to
## p. 1197 (#1213) ##########################################
NICOMEDES
e, in the immediate neighbourhood ed
colocy of Astacus, was po padcount
le city of Nicomedia contenen die
cctunes to be one of the most
bing in Asia (Meznog, ();
563 ; Steph Byz v. Naalas
caiss Nicomedes son of his
2. 129. ); Pau 1, 1967;
750. ) The foundation of s
br Eusebius (Le) in BCA
be reson of Nicaedes lei
IS ERA 2017, but his des
; probas zity by the date de
dos Inser. tom. I. p. 2)
6 250. He had been toe
i wie, Ditzel, a Party
en accidentalt tid
ng to the long, be basta
118, and a daughter, La
rife, Ecareta, persuades 3
en by this former mm
ber of spring. The 22
time of his death, a no
Ir guardianship or be ri
ou Gomitas and Prize
ines of Heracea, Brze
notwithstanding the
icks established
a] (Memnon, c
960: Pin HTV7
* wile of Vice
this Ninedes me
Cnidians the celebrand
NICOMEDES.
NICOMEDES.
1197
Rome to solicit the intervention of the senate. | ib. 3 ; Clinton, vol. iii. p. 419. ) There appears
But, although three deputies were despatched by to be no foundation for the statement of some
the Romans to investigate the matter, they ulti- modern writers that he was murdered by his son,
mately retired without effecting anything. The Socrates. (See Visconti, Iconogr. Grecque, vol.
inhabitants of Nicomedeia, where Prusias had ii. p. 188. )
[E. H. B. ]
bought protection, opened the gates of the city to NICOMEDES III. , PhilOPATOR, king of Bi-
Nicomedes, and the old king was assassinated at thynia, was the son of Nicomedes II. , by his wife
the altar of Jupiter, by the express order of his Nysa (Memnon, c. 30), though his enemy Mithri-
Bon, B. c. 149. (Appian. Mithr. 4—7; Justin. dates VI. pretended that he was the son of a con-
xxxiv. 4 ; Zonar. ix. 28 ; Liv. Epit. l. ; Strab. cubine, a female dancer (Justin. xxxviii. 5. $ 1).
xiii
. p. 624 ; Diod. xxxii. Exc. Phot. p. 523, Exc. It was probably on this pretext that the latter set
Vat. p. 92. )
up against him his brother Socrates, surnamed the
Nicomedes retained, during a period of no less Good (ó Xpnotós), whom he persuaded to assume
than fifty-eight years, the crown which he had thus the title of king and the name of Nicomedes, and
gained by parricide. But of his long and tranquil invade the territories of his brother at the head of
reign very few events have been transmitted to us. an army furnished him by Mithridates. Nicomedes
He appears to have uniformly courted the friend- was unable to cope with a competitor thus supported,
ship of the Romans, whom he assisted in the war and was quickly driven out of Bithynia ; but he
against Aristonicus, B. c. 131. (Strab. xiv. p. 646 ; now had recourse to the protection of the Roman
Oros. v. 10 ; Eutrop. iv. 20. ) At a later period, senate, who, it seems, had already ackowledged his
B. c. 103, Marius applied to him for auxiliaries in title to the throne, and who now immediately issued
the war against the Cimbri, which he, however, a decree for his restoration, the execution of which
refused on account of the exactions and oppressions was confided to L. Cassius and M'. Aquilius. To
exercised by the Roman farmers of the revenue this Mithridates did not venture to offer any open
upon his subjects. (Diod. xxxvi. Exc. Phot. p. opposition, and Nicomedes was quietly reseated on
531. ) But it is clear that Nicomedes was not the throne of his father, B. c. 90 (Appian, Mithr.
wanting in ambition when an opportunity of 7, 10, 11, 13; Memnon, c. 30 ; Justin. xxxviii. 3,
aggrandizement presented itself, and we find him 5; Liv. Epit
. lxxiv. ). But, not satisfied with
uniting with Mithridates VI. (apparently about this, the Roman deputies urged Nicomedes to make
B. c. 102) in the conquest of Paphlagonia, the throne reprisals, by plundering excursions into the terri-
of which had been left vacant by the death of tories of Mithridates himself ; and the king, how-
Pylaemenes. The Roman senate, indeed, quickly ever unwilling to provoke so powerful an adversary,
ordered the two kings to restore their new acquisi- was compelled to listen to their suggestions, in
tion, but Nicomedes merely transferred the crown order to gratify the avarice of his Roman allies,
to one of his own sons, who had taken the name Mithridates at first sent ambassadors to complain
of Pylaemenes, and whom he pretended to regard of these aggressions, but, as may be supposed,
as the rightful heir. (Justin. xxxvii. 4. ) Not long without effect. Thereupon he assembled a large
after (about B. c. 96, see Clinton, vol. iii. p. 436), army, and prepared to invade Bithynia, B. c. 88.
an opportunity seemed to offer itself of annexing Nicomedes on his part gathered together a force of
Cappadocia also to his dominions, Laodice, the 50,000 foot and 6000 horse, with which he met
widow of Ariarathes VI. , having thrown herself the army of Mithridates under his generals Arche-
upon his protection in order to defend herself and laus and Neoptolemus, at the river Amnius in
her sons from the designs of Mithridates. Nico- Paphlagonia, but was totally defeated with great
medes (though he can hardly have been less than slaughter. The Roman officers, who had incon-
eighty years of age at this time) married Laodice, siderately brought on this danger, without having a
and established her in the possession of Cappadocia, Roman army to support them, soon shared the same
from which, however, she was quickly again ex- fate, and Nicomedes himself, after a vain attempt
pelled by Mithridates. After the death of her two in conjunction with L. Cassius, to raise a fresh army
sons [ARIARATHES] Nicomedes had the boldness in Phrygia, abandoned the contest without farther
to set up an impostor, whom he alleged to be a struggle, and took refuge at Pergamus, from whence
third son of Ariarathes VI. , and even sent Laodice he soon after fled to Italy (Appian, Mithr. 11–19;
herself to Rome to bear witness in his favour. Memnon, c. 31 ; Justin. xxxviii
. 3; Liv. Epit.
The senate, however, rejected his claim, as well as lxxvi. ; Strab. xii. p. 562). Here he was com-
that of Mithridates ; and while they compelled the pelled to be a passive spectator of the contest be-
latter to abandon Cappadocia, in order to preserve tween his victorious adversary the Romans ;
an appearance of fairness, they deprived Nicomedes but in B. c. 84 the restoration of Nicomedes was
also of Paphlagonia. (Justin. xxxviii. 1, 2. ) This one of the conditions of the peace concluded be-
is the last event recorded of his reign ; his death tween Sulla and Mithridates, and C. Curio was
must have taken place in or before B. c. 91. (Id. deputed by the Roman general to reinstate the
Bithynian monarch in the possession of his king-
dom (App. Mithr. 60 ; Plut. Sull. 22, 24 ; Mem-
non, c. 35 ; Liv. Epit. lxxxiii. ). Nicomedes
reigned nearly ten years after this second restoration,
but of the events of this period we know nothing,
and it was probably one of peace and prosperity.
The only occasion on which his name is mentioned
is in B. c. 81, when Caesar, then very young, was
sent to him by the praetor M. Minucius Thermus,
to obtain the assistance of the Bithynian fleet. The
young man was received with the greatest favour
COIN OF NICOMEDES IL
by Nicomedes ; and the intercourse between them
1 alf. Pf.
(E HB]
red EPPEL. ES
2. Il and found in
de is first sentido
Rome BBLIO
ested by the use
e mes bare hea
htbe poruz
Laus di Pisa
of ide agi: da
B6 55
be vettes
Irhan :)
A G 148, and
day
fee prece
morce
NIKOMHAOS
TON, L3
BUVILVO
## p. 1198 (#1214) ##########################################
1198
NICOMEDES.
NICON.
gave rise to the most injurious suspicions, which | The style proves that they were written long
were never afterwards forgotten by the enemies of after the time of Boithus. Indeed the first epigrain
Caesar (Suet. Caes. 2, 49; Plut. Caes. 1). Nico- bears this expressly, xelpa deiyua talaiyevéwv.
medes died at the beginning of the year B. c. 74, We have also an epitaph on Nicomedes.
(Anthoh
and having no children, by his will bequeathed his Graec. vol. iii. p. 92, &c x. p. 131, &c. xiii. p. 924.
kingdom to the Roman people. Mithridates, how- &c. ed. Jacobs. )
(W. M. G. )
ever, set up an impostor, whom he pretended to be NICON (Nikwv), historical. 1. A Tarentine,
the legitimate son of Nicomedes, and whose claims who headed the insurrection of his fellow-citizens
to the throne he prepared to support by arms. For against Milon, the governor, who had been left by
the events that followed see MITHRIDATES. Pyrrhus in command of the citadel of Tarentum.
(Eutrop. vi. 6 ; Liv. Epit. xciii. ; App. Mithr. 71; (Zonar. viii. 6, p. 379, a. )
Epist. Mithr. ad Arsac. ap. Sall. Hist. iv. p. 239, ed. 2. Another Tarentine, surnamed Percon, who,
Gerlach. )
together with Philemenus, betrayed his native city
Great confusion has been made by many modern to Hannibal during the second Punic war, B. c.
writers in regard to the later kings of Bithynia, 212. The plan was formed by thirteen noble
and it has been frequently supposed that there youths, of whom Nicon and Philemenus were the
were not three but four kings of the name of Nico- leaders. Having contrived to hold frequent con-
medes. It is, however, certain from Appian ferences with Hannibal, and concert all their mea-
(Mithr. 10), that Nicomedes III. , who was ex- sures with him, without exciting any suspicion,
pelled by Mithridates, was the grandson of Prusias they appointed a night for the execution of their
II. ; nor is there any reasonable doubt that he was scheme, on which the Roman governor, M. Livius,
the same who bequeathed his kingdom to the was to give a great feast: and Nicon admitted
Romans, and was consequently the last king of Hannibal with a body of troops at one gate, while
Bithynia. A passage of Appian (Mithr. 7) which Philemenus contrived to make himself master of
seems to assert the contrary, is certainly either another, by which he introduced 1000 select
erroneous or corrupt ; and Syncellus (p. 276, c. ), African soldiers. The Romans were taken com-
who reckons eight kings of Bithynia, beginning with pletely by surprise, and Hannibal made himself
Zipoetes, probably included Socrates, the brother master, almost without opposition, of the whole of
of Nicomedes III. , in his enumeration. (See on Tarentum, except the citadel. (Polyb. viii. 26–
this subject Eckhel, vol. ii. pp. 444, 445 ; Visconti, 36 ; Liv. xxv. 8-10. ). The latter was closely
Iconographie Grecque, vol. ii. p. 191; Orelli, Ono- blockaded by the Carthaginians and Tarentines,
mast. Tull. p. 420 ; and Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. and in 210 a Roman fleet of twenty ships, under
418—420. )
D. Quinctius having advanced to its relief, was
Nicomedes III. , as well as his father, takes on encountered by that of the Tarentines under De
his coins the title of Epiphanes. They can be mocrates, and a naval action ensued, in which
distinguished only by the difference of physiognomy, Nicon greatly distinguished himself by boarding
and by the dates, which refer to an era commencing the ship of the Roman commander, and running
B. C. 288, during the reign of Zipoetes [ZIPOETES). Quinctius himself through the body with a spear :
[E. H. B. ] an exploit which decided the fortune of the day in
favour of the Tarentines. (Liv. xxvi. 39. ) The
following year (B. c. 209) the Romans having in
their turn surprised Tarentum, Nicon fell, fighting
bravely, in the combat which ensued in the forum
of the city. (Id. xxvii. 16. )
3. A relation of Agathocles, the infamous mi-
nister and favourite of Ptolemy Philopator, who
was put to death, together with his kinsman,
B. C. 205. (Polyb. xv. 33).
4. The treasurer of Perseus, who is called N1-
cias by Livy and Appian, is named Nicon by Dio-
dorus (xxx. Exc. Vales. p. 579).
5. A leader of the Cilician pirates, who was
NICOME’DES (Nexounons), literary. 1. A taken prisoner by P. Servilius Isauricus. (Cic.
commentator on Orpheus. (Athen. xiv. p. 637, a. b. ) in Verr. v. 30. $ 79. ). He is probably the same
2. Of Acanthus, quoted regarding the age of person mentioned by Polyaenus, as having occu-
Perdiccas. (Athen. v. 217, d. )
pied the town of Pherae in Messenia, from whence
3. A commentator on Heracleitus. (Diog. Laërt. he ravaged the neighbouring country ; but having
ix. 15. )
at length been taken prisoner, he surrendered the
4. The writer of annotations on the 'Avalutind town into the hands of the Messenians, in order
mpótepa of Aristotle, which exist in some libraries, to save his own life. (Polyaen. ii. 35. )
but are unedited. (Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. p. 6. A Samian, who saved the ship of which he
215. )
was steersman, by a dexterous stratagem. (Id. v.
5. Of Pergamus, a rhetorician, and a pupil of | 34. )
(E. H. B. ]
Chrestus, flourished in the second century of the
NICON (Nirwv), literary. 1. A comic writer,
Christian era. (Philost. Vit. Soph. ii. 11. ) assigned by Meineke to the new comedy. A frag-
6. Of Smyrna, a physician and epigrammatist. ment of three lines is preserved by Athenaeus,
Brunck has inadvertently attributed to him eight from his play Kidapwdós (xi. p. 487, c. ), and
epigrams that belong to Nicodemus. We have Pollux gives a portion of the same passage (vi.
two epigrams written by him, both votive, and 99). (Meineke, Frag. Poet. Com. vol. i. p. 495, .
engraved on the same statue, which was one of p. 578. )
Aesculapius, fabricated by the sculptor Boëthus. 2. An Armenian abbot. He fled from his parents
$32
NIKOMAHAOY
VENIDANOVE
BALIACNE
COIN OF NICOMEDES III.
a
## p. 1199 (#1215) ##########################################
NICOPHANES.
1199
NICOSTHENES.
Tiangus,
&:r::
Parere,
318 MOTECT
P :: VIC
12. sed a
* ET NGA
TT MA
com a
ܐܐܠܐ ܩܐܕܕ 1pr :3
psei museer of
Ered users
*** tumas
tai made tee
che ries
Para si
and Tareste
and was trained in a monastery on the confines of from the way in which he is mentioned by Pliny
Pontus and Paphlagonia. About A. D.
this time engaged in the siege of Byzantium, B. C. Nicomedes remained at Rome till B. C. 149, and
277. Having furnished them with the means of had, during his residence there, risen to a high
crossing over into Asia, he first turned the arms of place in the favour of the senate ; but this only
his new auxiliaries against his brother, Zipoetes, served to increase the suspicions and enmity of
whom he defeated and put to death, and thus re- Prusias, who at length despatched Menas to Rome
united the whole of Bithynia under his dominion. with an embassy to the senate, but with secret
(Memnon, c. 16, 18, 19; Liv. xxxviii. 16 ; Justin. instructions to effect the assassination of the prince.
xxv. 2. ) Of the events that followed we have little But Menas, on finding the favour which Nicomedes
information ; it is probable that the Gauls subse enjoyed at Rome, instead of executing his instruc-
quently assisted Nicomedes against Antiochus tions, divulged them to the prince himself, and in
(Trog. Pomp. prol. xxv ; comp. Droysen, Hellenism. conjunction with Andronicus, the ambassador of
vol
. ii. p. 178), but no particulars are recorded Attalus, urged him to dethrone his father, who bad
either of the war or the peace that terminated it. rendered himself by his vices the object of universal
It appears, however, that Nicomedes was left in contempt and hatred. Nicomedes readily listened
the undisturbed possession of Bithynia, which he to their suggestions, and departing secretly from
continued to govern from this time till his death, Rome landed in Epeirus, where he openly assumed
and which rose to a high degree of power and the title of king, and proceeded to the court of
prosperity during his long and peaceful reign. In Attalus, who received him with open arms, and
imitation of so many others of the Greek rulers prepared to support his pretensions with an army.
of Asia, he determined to perpetuate his own name Prusias, abandoned by his subjects, took refuge in
by the foundation of a new capital, and the site | the citadel of Nicaea, from whence he wrote to
## p. 1197 (#1213) ##########################################
NICOMEDES
e, in the immediate neighbourhood ed
colocy of Astacus, was po padcount
le city of Nicomedia contenen die
cctunes to be one of the most
bing in Asia (Meznog, ();
563 ; Steph Byz v. Naalas
caiss Nicomedes son of his
2. 129. ); Pau 1, 1967;
750. ) The foundation of s
br Eusebius (Le) in BCA
be reson of Nicaedes lei
IS ERA 2017, but his des
; probas zity by the date de
dos Inser. tom. I. p. 2)
6 250. He had been toe
i wie, Ditzel, a Party
en accidentalt tid
ng to the long, be basta
118, and a daughter, La
rife, Ecareta, persuades 3
en by this former mm
ber of spring. The 22
time of his death, a no
Ir guardianship or be ri
ou Gomitas and Prize
ines of Heracea, Brze
notwithstanding the
icks established
a] (Memnon, c
960: Pin HTV7
* wile of Vice
this Ninedes me
Cnidians the celebrand
NICOMEDES.
NICOMEDES.
1197
Rome to solicit the intervention of the senate. | ib. 3 ; Clinton, vol. iii. p. 419. ) There appears
But, although three deputies were despatched by to be no foundation for the statement of some
the Romans to investigate the matter, they ulti- modern writers that he was murdered by his son,
mately retired without effecting anything. The Socrates. (See Visconti, Iconogr. Grecque, vol.
inhabitants of Nicomedeia, where Prusias had ii. p. 188. )
[E. H. B. ]
bought protection, opened the gates of the city to NICOMEDES III. , PhilOPATOR, king of Bi-
Nicomedes, and the old king was assassinated at thynia, was the son of Nicomedes II. , by his wife
the altar of Jupiter, by the express order of his Nysa (Memnon, c. 30), though his enemy Mithri-
Bon, B. c. 149. (Appian. Mithr. 4—7; Justin. dates VI. pretended that he was the son of a con-
xxxiv. 4 ; Zonar. ix. 28 ; Liv. Epit. l. ; Strab. cubine, a female dancer (Justin. xxxviii. 5. $ 1).
xiii
. p. 624 ; Diod. xxxii. Exc. Phot. p. 523, Exc. It was probably on this pretext that the latter set
Vat. p. 92. )
up against him his brother Socrates, surnamed the
Nicomedes retained, during a period of no less Good (ó Xpnotós), whom he persuaded to assume
than fifty-eight years, the crown which he had thus the title of king and the name of Nicomedes, and
gained by parricide. But of his long and tranquil invade the territories of his brother at the head of
reign very few events have been transmitted to us. an army furnished him by Mithridates. Nicomedes
He appears to have uniformly courted the friend- was unable to cope with a competitor thus supported,
ship of the Romans, whom he assisted in the war and was quickly driven out of Bithynia ; but he
against Aristonicus, B. c. 131. (Strab. xiv. p. 646 ; now had recourse to the protection of the Roman
Oros. v. 10 ; Eutrop. iv. 20. ) At a later period, senate, who, it seems, had already ackowledged his
B. c. 103, Marius applied to him for auxiliaries in title to the throne, and who now immediately issued
the war against the Cimbri, which he, however, a decree for his restoration, the execution of which
refused on account of the exactions and oppressions was confided to L. Cassius and M'. Aquilius. To
exercised by the Roman farmers of the revenue this Mithridates did not venture to offer any open
upon his subjects. (Diod. xxxvi. Exc. Phot. p. opposition, and Nicomedes was quietly reseated on
531. ) But it is clear that Nicomedes was not the throne of his father, B. c. 90 (Appian, Mithr.
wanting in ambition when an opportunity of 7, 10, 11, 13; Memnon, c. 30 ; Justin. xxxviii. 3,
aggrandizement presented itself, and we find him 5; Liv. Epit
. lxxiv. ). But, not satisfied with
uniting with Mithridates VI. (apparently about this, the Roman deputies urged Nicomedes to make
B. c. 102) in the conquest of Paphlagonia, the throne reprisals, by plundering excursions into the terri-
of which had been left vacant by the death of tories of Mithridates himself ; and the king, how-
Pylaemenes. The Roman senate, indeed, quickly ever unwilling to provoke so powerful an adversary,
ordered the two kings to restore their new acquisi- was compelled to listen to their suggestions, in
tion, but Nicomedes merely transferred the crown order to gratify the avarice of his Roman allies,
to one of his own sons, who had taken the name Mithridates at first sent ambassadors to complain
of Pylaemenes, and whom he pretended to regard of these aggressions, but, as may be supposed,
as the rightful heir. (Justin. xxxvii. 4. ) Not long without effect. Thereupon he assembled a large
after (about B. c. 96, see Clinton, vol. iii. p. 436), army, and prepared to invade Bithynia, B. c. 88.
an opportunity seemed to offer itself of annexing Nicomedes on his part gathered together a force of
Cappadocia also to his dominions, Laodice, the 50,000 foot and 6000 horse, with which he met
widow of Ariarathes VI. , having thrown herself the army of Mithridates under his generals Arche-
upon his protection in order to defend herself and laus and Neoptolemus, at the river Amnius in
her sons from the designs of Mithridates. Nico- Paphlagonia, but was totally defeated with great
medes (though he can hardly have been less than slaughter. The Roman officers, who had incon-
eighty years of age at this time) married Laodice, siderately brought on this danger, without having a
and established her in the possession of Cappadocia, Roman army to support them, soon shared the same
from which, however, she was quickly again ex- fate, and Nicomedes himself, after a vain attempt
pelled by Mithridates. After the death of her two in conjunction with L. Cassius, to raise a fresh army
sons [ARIARATHES] Nicomedes had the boldness in Phrygia, abandoned the contest without farther
to set up an impostor, whom he alleged to be a struggle, and took refuge at Pergamus, from whence
third son of Ariarathes VI. , and even sent Laodice he soon after fled to Italy (Appian, Mithr. 11–19;
herself to Rome to bear witness in his favour. Memnon, c. 31 ; Justin. xxxviii
. 3; Liv. Epit.
The senate, however, rejected his claim, as well as lxxvi. ; Strab. xii. p. 562). Here he was com-
that of Mithridates ; and while they compelled the pelled to be a passive spectator of the contest be-
latter to abandon Cappadocia, in order to preserve tween his victorious adversary the Romans ;
an appearance of fairness, they deprived Nicomedes but in B. c. 84 the restoration of Nicomedes was
also of Paphlagonia. (Justin. xxxviii. 1, 2. ) This one of the conditions of the peace concluded be-
is the last event recorded of his reign ; his death tween Sulla and Mithridates, and C. Curio was
must have taken place in or before B. c. 91. (Id. deputed by the Roman general to reinstate the
Bithynian monarch in the possession of his king-
dom (App. Mithr. 60 ; Plut. Sull. 22, 24 ; Mem-
non, c. 35 ; Liv. Epit. lxxxiii. ). Nicomedes
reigned nearly ten years after this second restoration,
but of the events of this period we know nothing,
and it was probably one of peace and prosperity.
The only occasion on which his name is mentioned
is in B. c. 81, when Caesar, then very young, was
sent to him by the praetor M. Minucius Thermus,
to obtain the assistance of the Bithynian fleet. The
young man was received with the greatest favour
COIN OF NICOMEDES IL
by Nicomedes ; and the intercourse between them
1 alf. Pf.
(E HB]
red EPPEL. ES
2. Il and found in
de is first sentido
Rome BBLIO
ested by the use
e mes bare hea
htbe poruz
Laus di Pisa
of ide agi: da
B6 55
be vettes
Irhan :)
A G 148, and
day
fee prece
morce
NIKOMHAOS
TON, L3
BUVILVO
## p. 1198 (#1214) ##########################################
1198
NICOMEDES.
NICON.
gave rise to the most injurious suspicions, which | The style proves that they were written long
were never afterwards forgotten by the enemies of after the time of Boithus. Indeed the first epigrain
Caesar (Suet. Caes. 2, 49; Plut. Caes. 1). Nico- bears this expressly, xelpa deiyua talaiyevéwv.
medes died at the beginning of the year B. c. 74, We have also an epitaph on Nicomedes.
(Anthoh
and having no children, by his will bequeathed his Graec. vol. iii. p. 92, &c x. p. 131, &c. xiii. p. 924.
kingdom to the Roman people. Mithridates, how- &c. ed. Jacobs. )
(W. M. G. )
ever, set up an impostor, whom he pretended to be NICON (Nikwv), historical. 1. A Tarentine,
the legitimate son of Nicomedes, and whose claims who headed the insurrection of his fellow-citizens
to the throne he prepared to support by arms. For against Milon, the governor, who had been left by
the events that followed see MITHRIDATES. Pyrrhus in command of the citadel of Tarentum.
(Eutrop. vi. 6 ; Liv. Epit. xciii. ; App. Mithr. 71; (Zonar. viii. 6, p. 379, a. )
Epist. Mithr. ad Arsac. ap. Sall. Hist. iv. p. 239, ed. 2. Another Tarentine, surnamed Percon, who,
Gerlach. )
together with Philemenus, betrayed his native city
Great confusion has been made by many modern to Hannibal during the second Punic war, B. c.
writers in regard to the later kings of Bithynia, 212. The plan was formed by thirteen noble
and it has been frequently supposed that there youths, of whom Nicon and Philemenus were the
were not three but four kings of the name of Nico- leaders. Having contrived to hold frequent con-
medes. It is, however, certain from Appian ferences with Hannibal, and concert all their mea-
(Mithr. 10), that Nicomedes III. , who was ex- sures with him, without exciting any suspicion,
pelled by Mithridates, was the grandson of Prusias they appointed a night for the execution of their
II. ; nor is there any reasonable doubt that he was scheme, on which the Roman governor, M. Livius,
the same who bequeathed his kingdom to the was to give a great feast: and Nicon admitted
Romans, and was consequently the last king of Hannibal with a body of troops at one gate, while
Bithynia. A passage of Appian (Mithr. 7) which Philemenus contrived to make himself master of
seems to assert the contrary, is certainly either another, by which he introduced 1000 select
erroneous or corrupt ; and Syncellus (p. 276, c. ), African soldiers. The Romans were taken com-
who reckons eight kings of Bithynia, beginning with pletely by surprise, and Hannibal made himself
Zipoetes, probably included Socrates, the brother master, almost without opposition, of the whole of
of Nicomedes III. , in his enumeration. (See on Tarentum, except the citadel. (Polyb. viii. 26–
this subject Eckhel, vol. ii. pp. 444, 445 ; Visconti, 36 ; Liv. xxv. 8-10. ). The latter was closely
Iconographie Grecque, vol. ii. p. 191; Orelli, Ono- blockaded by the Carthaginians and Tarentines,
mast. Tull. p. 420 ; and Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. and in 210 a Roman fleet of twenty ships, under
418—420. )
D. Quinctius having advanced to its relief, was
Nicomedes III. , as well as his father, takes on encountered by that of the Tarentines under De
his coins the title of Epiphanes. They can be mocrates, and a naval action ensued, in which
distinguished only by the difference of physiognomy, Nicon greatly distinguished himself by boarding
and by the dates, which refer to an era commencing the ship of the Roman commander, and running
B. C. 288, during the reign of Zipoetes [ZIPOETES). Quinctius himself through the body with a spear :
[E. H. B. ] an exploit which decided the fortune of the day in
favour of the Tarentines. (Liv. xxvi. 39. ) The
following year (B. c. 209) the Romans having in
their turn surprised Tarentum, Nicon fell, fighting
bravely, in the combat which ensued in the forum
of the city. (Id. xxvii. 16. )
3. A relation of Agathocles, the infamous mi-
nister and favourite of Ptolemy Philopator, who
was put to death, together with his kinsman,
B. C. 205. (Polyb. xv. 33).
4. The treasurer of Perseus, who is called N1-
cias by Livy and Appian, is named Nicon by Dio-
dorus (xxx. Exc. Vales. p. 579).
5. A leader of the Cilician pirates, who was
NICOME’DES (Nexounons), literary. 1. A taken prisoner by P. Servilius Isauricus. (Cic.
commentator on Orpheus. (Athen. xiv. p. 637, a. b. ) in Verr. v. 30. $ 79. ). He is probably the same
2. Of Acanthus, quoted regarding the age of person mentioned by Polyaenus, as having occu-
Perdiccas. (Athen. v. 217, d. )
pied the town of Pherae in Messenia, from whence
3. A commentator on Heracleitus. (Diog. Laërt. he ravaged the neighbouring country ; but having
ix. 15. )
at length been taken prisoner, he surrendered the
4. The writer of annotations on the 'Avalutind town into the hands of the Messenians, in order
mpótepa of Aristotle, which exist in some libraries, to save his own life. (Polyaen. ii. 35. )
but are unedited. (Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. p. 6. A Samian, who saved the ship of which he
215. )
was steersman, by a dexterous stratagem. (Id. v.
5. Of Pergamus, a rhetorician, and a pupil of | 34. )
(E. H. B. ]
Chrestus, flourished in the second century of the
NICON (Nirwv), literary. 1. A comic writer,
Christian era. (Philost. Vit. Soph. ii. 11. ) assigned by Meineke to the new comedy. A frag-
6. Of Smyrna, a physician and epigrammatist. ment of three lines is preserved by Athenaeus,
Brunck has inadvertently attributed to him eight from his play Kidapwdós (xi. p. 487, c. ), and
epigrams that belong to Nicodemus. We have Pollux gives a portion of the same passage (vi.
two epigrams written by him, both votive, and 99). (Meineke, Frag. Poet. Com. vol. i. p. 495, .
engraved on the same statue, which was one of p. 578. )
Aesculapius, fabricated by the sculptor Boëthus. 2. An Armenian abbot. He fled from his parents
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