| Nicomedes IV Philopator | |
|---|---|
 Nicomedes IV depicted on a silver coin | |
| King of Bithynia | |
| Reign | c. 94–74 BC |
| Predecessor | Nicomedes III |
| Successor | Monarchy abolished |
| Issue | Nysa[1] |
| Father | Nicomedes III |
| Mother | Nysa[2] or Aristonica |
Nicomedes IV Philopator (Ancient Greek:Νικομήδης Φιλοπάτωρ) was the king ofBithynia from c. 94 BC to 74 BC.[3] He was the first son and successor ofNicomedes III of Bithynia.[4]
Memnon of Heraclea wrote that Nicomedes IV was the son of Nicomedes III by his wifeNysa,[5] but according toGranius Licinianus he was a son of Nicomedes III by a first wife calledAristonica, who Granius Licinianus claims died nine days after his birth. He had three half siblings,Nysa by his father's second marriage to Nysa, and a half brother namedSocrates Chrestus from his father's concubine, Hagne,[6] and possiblyPylaemenes III by an unknown woman.
His reign began at the death of his father. The first few years of his kingship were relatively peaceful, but soon KingMithridates VI of Pontus (the maternal grand-uncle of Nicomedes IV), one ofRome's greatest enemies during the late Republic, began harassing Bithynia's borders.
Nicomedes IV's brother,Socrates Chrestus, assisted by Mithridates VI, defeated Nicomedes IV's army in 90 BC, and Nicomedes IV was forced to flee toItaly. He was restored to his throne byManius Aquillius due to Rome's influence in the region.[7] However, Aquillius encouraged Nicomedes IV to raid Mithridates VI's territory, prompting Mithridates VI to retaliate again in 88 BC. Nicomedes IV fled once again to Rome. Mithridates invaded and conquered Bithynia and the Roman provinces of Asia, starting theFirst Mithridatic War.[8]
The East was seen by the Romans as a province providing an abundance of gold and silver. As such, two powerful Romans,Gaius Marius and theconsulLucius Cornelius Sulla aimed at a command in the region. After marching on Rome and outlawing Marius, Sulla sailed east and fought Mithridates VI on several occasions over the next three years, and finally in 85 BC, Mithridates VI sued for peace, and was allowed to retain his kingship in Pontus after paying a heavy fine.
Nicomedes IV was restored to his throne in Bithynia in 84 BC.[3] The years that followed were relatively peaceful, though Bithynia came more and more under the control of Rome. In 80 BC, young GaiusJulius Caesar was an ambassador to Nicomedes IV's court. Caesar was sent to raise a fleet using Bithynia's resources, but he remained so long with the King that a rumor of a sexual relationship between the two men surfaced, leading to the disparaging title for Caesar, "theQueen of Bithynia", an appellation which Caesar's political enemies made use of later in his life. During Caesar's GallicTriumph a popular verse began: "Gallias Caesar subegit, Caesarem Nicomedes," (Caesar laid the Gauls low, Nicomedes laid Caesar low), suggesting that Caesar was the submissivereceiving partner in the relationship.[9]It is unknown if a sexual relationship existed or was only a story told by his opponents, and Caesar vigorously denied its truthfulness.[10]
As one of his last acts as king of Bithynia, in 74 BC, Nicomedes IV bequeathed the entireKingdom of Bithynia to Rome.[3] TheRoman Senate quickly voted it as a new province. Rome's old enemyMithridates VI ofPontus had other plans for Bithynia, however, and Nicomedes IV's death and bequeathal led directly to theThird Mithridatic War.
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | King of Bithynia 94–74 BC | Annexation byRoman Republic |