Where is bithynia

For a description of the country, which is mountainous, well wooded, and fertile, Hamilton's Researches in Asia Miinor may be consulted; also a paper by Ainsworth in the Roy. Journal, vol. The course of the River Rhyndacus is a marked feature on the western frontier of Bithynia, and the snowy range of the Mysian Olympus on the southwest.

See Smith's Dict. That Christian congregations were formed at an early period in Bithynia is evident from the apostle Peter having addressed the first of his Epistles to them 1Pe The apostle Paul was at one time inclined to go into Bithynia with his assistants Silas and Timothy, "but the Spirit suffered him not" Ac Paul, i, Paul and Silas essayed to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them not Acts Other evangelists, however, must have labored there early and with marked success.

Bithynia is one of the provinces addressed in 1 Peter Internal difficulties and disorders led to the sending of Pliny, the lawyer and literary man, as governor, to A. He found Christians under his jurisdiction in such numbers that the heathen temples were almost deserted, and the trade in sacrificial animals languished.

A memorable correspondence followed between the Roman governor and the emperor Trajan, in which the moral character of the Christians was completely vindicated, and the repressive measures required of officials were interpreted with leniency see E.

Under this Roman policy Christianity was confirmed in strength and in public position. Subsequently the first Ecumenical Council of the church was held in Nicea, and two later councils convened in Chalcedon, a suburb of what is now Constantinople. Wars with Mithridates, and subsequent Roman intervention, secured an ousted Nicomedes on his own throne on more than one occasion, and he had little choice in his allegiance. In fact relations between one young Roman ambassador Julius Caesar c.

Caesar would later be regularly accused of homosexual relations with the King, much to the delight of his enemies.

Caesar, certainly as a counter to such allegations developed a calculated strategy of building 'relationships' with as many Roman women as he could, including the wives of both friend and foe.

Nicomedes IV, nearing the end of his life in 74 BC, and despite his good relations with Rome, still faced considerable threat from Mithridates. The internal conflicts between Marius, Sulla, Cinna, etc. In order to achieve stability and unlimited protection for his people directly from Rome, Nicomedes bequeathed his kingdom to Rome on his deathbed in 74 BC.

The Senate immediately declared the kingdom a province, an action that would partially lead to the Third Mithiridatic War.