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| Prusias I Cholas | |
|---|---|
| Basileus | |
 Tetradrachm of Prusias I (young) | |
| King of Bithynia | |
| Reign | 228–182 BC |
| Predecessor | Ziaelas |
| Successor | Prusias II |
| Born | c. 243 BC Bithynia (modern-day Northern Anatolia,Turkey) |
| Died | 182 BC (aged 61) Bithynia |
| Consort | Apama |
| Issue | Prusias II |
| Greek | Λευκών |
| Father | Ziaelas |
| Mother | Unknown |
| Religion | Greek Polytheism |
Prusias I Cholus (Ancient Greek:Προυσίας ὁ Χωλός,romanized: Prousías ho Chōlós,lit. 'the Lame'; c. 243 – 182 BC) was aKing of Bithynia that reigned from c. 228 to 182 BC.
Prusias was the son of KingZiaelas of Bithynia and an unknown woman. He was crowned king inc. 228 BC, succeeding his father. A vigorous and energetic leader; he fought a war againstByzantium in 220 BC, seizing its Asiatic territory.[1] Then, Prusias defeated theGalatians, whomNicomedes I had previously invited across theBosphorus to a territory calledArisba, and putting to death all of their women and children and letting his men plunder their baggage.[2]
At some point during his reign, Prusias formed a marriage alliance withKingDemetrius II of Macedon, receiving the latter's daughter, Apama, as his wife.
Prusias expanded the territories of Bithynia in a series of wars againstKingAttalus I of Pergamon andHeraclea Pontica on theBlack Sea, taking various cities formerly owned by the Heracleans and renaming one of them,Cierus, to Prusias after himself.[3] While besieging Heraclea Pontica, Prusias was hit with a stone while climbing a ladder and broke his leg; the siege was lifted due to his injury, even though the besieged city was close to being captured. This is likely how he was given the title "the lame".[3] He was son-in-law of KingPhilip V of Macedon.[4] Philip V granted him the cities ofKios andMyrleia in 202 BC. Prusias renamed these cities as Prusias (present-dayBursa, Turkey) and Apameia respectively.[5] Although he granted sanctuary toHannibal, who successfully employed an odd stratagem against the Pergamene for him at sea,[6] he remained neutral duringthe war between the Roman Republic and the Seleucid Empire, refusing an alliance with theSeleucid KingAntiochus III.[7] He agreed on peace terms with presumablyEumenes II of Pergamon in 183 BC, in the city ofCyzicus.[8] Apama bore hima son with the same name, who later succeeded him.
He had also seized their Asiatic territory, a part of Mysia which had long been in their possession.
Prusias, therefore, led an army against them, and after destroying all the men in a pitched battle, put to death nearly all the women and children in their camp and allowed his soldiers who had taken part in the battle to plunder the baggage.
And Prusias restored them from their ruins and named the city Cius "Prusias" after himself and Myrleia "Apameia" after his wife.
This all happened in Cyzicus after the peace with King Prusias.
| Preceded by | King of Bithynia 228 BC – 182 BC | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| People | |
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