Greek High Culture in Hellenistic and Early Imperial Bithynia

What is it about?

The article attempts to set out out evidence for various forms of Greek high culture in Bithynia, in north-west Asia Minor, from the fifth century BC to the middle of the third century AD. taking as a cut-off point the tetrarchic period in the late third century when Diocletian’s choice of Nicomedia as am imperial capital had a marked impact on its and other Bithynian cities’ cultural life. The main section of the article is a preliminary prosopography, based on both literary sources and inscriptions, listing representatives of Greek culture by city, subdividing into the categories doctor, grammarian, historian, philosopher, poet, rhetorician or sophist, and scholar (with a sprinkling of other public performers). Only Nicaea, with 30 names, makes a strong and persistent showing; of other cities only Nicomedia musters more than 10 names, though Prusa and Prusias ad mare produce several doctors. Prusias ad Hypium, by contrast, can boast only a single philosopher, a rhetor who moved to Nicaea, and a visiting tragic performer.

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