Prusias II of Bithynia

Prusias II, King of Bithynia, Reduced to Begging

Prusias II Cynegus (Greek: Προυσίας ὁ Κυνηγός; "the Hunter", lived c. 220 BC – 149 BC, reigned c. 182 BC – 149 BC) was the Greek king of Bithynia. He was the son and successor of Prusias I and Apama III.

Life

Prusias joined with King of Pergamon, Eumenes II in a war against King Pharnaces I of Pontus (181–179 BC). He later invaded the territories of Pergamon (156–154 BC), only to be defeated, and the Pergamenes insisted on heavy reparations. Prusias married his maternal cousin Apame IV, a princess from the Antigonid dynasty, by whom he had a son called Nicomedes II and a daughter, also called Apama, who married Dyegilos, son of Cotys IV, King of Thrace, and wife Semestra. He sent his son Nicomedes II to Rome to ask their help in reducing the amount of these reparations, but Nicomedes revolted and became King.

Towards the end of his life, Prusias II had children by a later wife, and wanted to make them his heirs in place of Nicomedes, son of his earlier wife. Prusias even tried to arrange his eldest son Nicomedes murdered. Nicomedes however revolted against his father. Prusias had to renounce the kingship in favor of his son and ended up being murdered himself instead.