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Περίληψη : City in Bithynia Situated at the Heart of the Bay of Astacus, Second Capital of the Roman Empire Until the Foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD

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Περίληψη : City in Bithynia Situated at the Heart of the Bay of Astacus, Second Capital of the Roman Empire Until the Foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ Συγγραφή : ΙΒΕ , Γιούργαλη Χ. Μετάφραση : Χρυσανθόπουλος Δημήτριος Για παραπομπή : ΙΒΕ , Γιούργαλη Χ. , "Nicomedia (Byzantium)", Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Μ. Ασία URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=8688> Περίληψη : City in Bithynia situated at the heart of the bay of Astacus, second capital of the Roman Empire until the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD. Nicomedia suffered great catastrophes throughout its history due to powerful earthquakes. It was a centre of great administrative, commercial and military importance. It was the capital of the province of Bithynia and later on the capital of the theme of Optimaton, situated on major routes. In 1337 AD, it was conquered by the Ottomans. Only the city’s fortifications survive nowadays. Άλλες Ονομασίες Iznikmit (mean. “into Nicomedia”), Iznimit, modern Izmit Γεωγραφική Θέση Northeastern Asia Minor, mod. northeastern Turkey Ιστορική Περιοχή Bithynia Διοικητική Υπαγωγή Province of Bithynia, theme of Opsikion, theme of Optimaton 1. General information Nicomedia was built on the northeast side of the bay of Astacus, which became known as the bay of Nicomedia ever since. The city was situated 91 kms east of Chrysoupolis, 96 kms northeast of Prousa and 55,5 kms from the confluence of the rivers Saggarios and Gallos. Its geographical location was of great commercial, administrative and strategic importance. Nicomedia was referred to in coins and inscriptions as “the greatest and foremost metropolis of Bithynia and the Pontos”even as early as the Late Roman period. It was the administrative and ecclesiastical metropolis of the province of Bithynia in the Early Byzantine period, as registered in Hierokles’Synekdemos 1 in the 6th cent. AD. However, Nicaea challenged its pre-eminence. The conflict between the two cities is reflected in historical sources and continued throughout the byzantine period, when Nicaea flourished considerably.2 Nicomedia, on the other hand, is presented in the sources as a major port and transport junction. 2. Nicomedia as a transport junction Nicomedia was easily accessible by land or water from Constantinople as well as the other cities in Asia Minor. The road connecting Chalcedon and Nicomedia, a part of which Ramsay calls pilgrims’itinerary, was used by the emperors and the army and was critical for the defence of the byzantine capital during the Late Byzantine period, as can be established by the number of fortresses along the road.3 In the Tabula Peutingeriana, compiled around 200 AD, Nicomedia appears on the route leading from Western Europe, most particularly Bordeaux, to Jerusalem.4 Another road led from Nicomedia to Amaseia through River Sangarius. A bridge was constructed on this road by Justinian I (527-565 AD), some time prior to 560 AD, and the “iron fortress”, constructed by Alexios I (1081-1118 AD), was probably somewhere along the same road, west of lake Vaani (Sapanca).5 Nicomedia was also connected by land with Nicaea. During the 6th cent. AD, this road led to Eribolos, registered as an emporion, allowing access to the south side of the bay of Nicomedia. Later on, this road became obsolete. In 1097, a part of this road was repaired by the crusaders of Crusade I.6 3. The commercial nature of Nicomedia Seals available to modern day research illustrate the commercial activity in Nicomedia. The kommerkiarioi of Nicomedia Sergios (8th cent. AD), Georgios (of 8th- beginning of 9th cent. AD) and Andronikos (end of 8th - beginning of 9th cent. AD) are already known by their seals. Another seal dating from the 9th cent. AD, belonging to a man named James, royal spatharios and xenodochos Δημιουργήθηκε στις 4/10/2021 Σελίδα 1/20 IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ Συγγραφή : ΙΒΕ , Γιούργαλη Χ. Μετάφραση : Χρυσανθόπουλος Δημήτριος Για παραπομπή : ΙΒΕ , Γιούργαλη Χ. , "Nicomedia (Byzantium)", Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Μ. Ασία URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=8688> (hotelier) of Nicomedia,7 proves the existence of a state hospice in the city during the 9th cent. AD.8 Ablikalamos,9 the tax collector of the region around the bay of Nicomedia during the years 750-760 AD, is also known, whereas a century later, the book of the eparch (around 895 AD) depicts Nicomedia as a supply centre of the capital.10 4. Seismic activity in Nicomedia The region of Nicomedia and Bithynia in general is characterized by a great seismic activity throughout the centuries.11 At the time of Vitellius Augustus (69-70 AD), Nicomedia was destroyed by a powerful earthquake and rebuilt by means of imperial donation. On 24th August 358 AD, at the time of Constantius II (337-361 AD), another powerful earthquake occurred, described most vividly by Ammianus Marcellinus. As a result, the city was destroyed and many of its citizens died, including Kekropios, the city’s bishop. On 2nd December 363, another powerful earthquake completed the destruction of the city. Nicomedia was again destroyed by a powerful earthquake at the time of Theodosios II (408-450 AD), who reconstructed a number of public buildings, baths, galleries, boxes in the arenas, temples, as well as the martyrion of St. Anthimos. At the time of Zeno (479-491 AD), another destructive earthquake occurred, whereas in 554 AD, a destructive earthquake of great magnitude is recorded with post-seismic activity which lasted 40 days. Much later, around 740 AD, Nicomedia was again hit by a powerful earthquake and suffered great damage.12 5. History of Nicomedia 5.1 Early Christian times The history of Nicomedia is closely associated with the story of protector Diocles, who was proclaimed Emperor by the military officials in the city on 20th November 284 AD and was renamed Diocletian (284-305 AD).13 His visits to the city became more frequent,14 until 293 AD when he established Nicomedia as the second capital of the Roman Empire and stayed there for long periods of time. The city, in which a mint and an arms workshop already existed, was reconstructed. A number of public buildings and palaces, along with a naval dockyard were built and the city was fortified with new walls.15 In 294 AD, Galerius Maximianus (Galerius Valerius Maximianus) and Constantius (Flavius Valerius Constantius) were proclaimed caesars in Nicomedia. There followed a period during which the christian community of the city suffered many hardships due to the persecutions against christians by Diocletian in 303 AD, Maximinus (309-313 AD) and Licinius (313-324 AD).16 5.2 Nicomedia at the time of Constantine the Great (324-337 AD) Constantine, later known as Constantine I (the Great), was trained in Nicomedia under the supervision of Diocletian (284-305 AD).17 Following his victory in Chrysoupolis in 324 AD, he settled in Nicomedia as the only emperor. However, his subsequent choice of Constantinople as the capital of the Roman Empire, in the same strategic location as Byzantium, the old colony of Megara, along with the favor he showed towards Nicaea, deprived Nicomedia of its protagonist role.18 It is possible that Constantine the Great wished to distance himself from the pagan past and anti-christian tradition of Nicomedia. In any case, his choices were not favorable for the city’s progress, although he maintained his ties with Nicomedia, where he chose to stay from time to time. In 323 AD, he renovated the city’s basilica and in 337 AD, just before his death, he converted to christianity and was baptized by metropolitan Eusebios in the suburban imperial villa (proasteion) Achyron at the age of 65.19 5.3. Nicomedia until the 7th cent. AD In the 4th cent. AD, Nicomedia continued to constitute a centre of philosophical and classical studies. The city’s history is associated with Julian (361-363 AD) and his mentor, the orator Libanius. In 344-5 AD, young Julian came to Nicomedia to study next to his godfather, bishop Eusebios. He became a deacon of the bishopric of Nicomedia and was converted to the greek philosophy and religion by Maximos of Ephesus.20 Libanius was also forced to come to Nicomedia due to the enmity he faced by christian philosophers in Constantinople and Nicaea. His stay in Nicomedia, which Libanius calls “μουσείο = τόπο των μουσών”, was Δημιουργήθηκε στις 4/10/2021 Σελίδα 2/20 IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ Συγγραφή : ΙΒΕ , Γιούργαλη Χ. Μετάφραση : Χρυσανθόπουλος Δημήτριος Για παραπομπή : ΙΒΕ , Γιούργαλη Χ. , "Nicomedia (Byzantium)", Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Μ. Ασία URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=8688> associated with his most pleasant memories due to the Nicomedians’thirst for learning and philosophical inclination.21 The city’s prosperity, reflected in the sources, came to an abrupt halt with the earthquake of 358 AD. In 362 AD, Julian (361-363 AD) started reconstructing the city shortly after his visit there, but Nicomedia was yet again destroyed by the earthquake of 2nd December 363 AD.22 On 1st March 365 AD, the byzantine army arrived in Nicomedia and Valentinianuos (364-375 AD) proclaimed his brother Valens (379-395 AD) Caesar and tribunus stabuli of Nicomedia.23 Nicomedia became at that time the site of the military operations of Valens against the insurgent Prokopios, who occupied Nicaea.24 Following his victory, Valens decided to demolish the walls of Chalkedon in order to retaliate against the supporters of Prokopios, a decision which upset the citizens of Bithynia. Citizens of Nicomedia and Nicaea went to Constantinople in order to prevent the implementation of Valens’measures, since they considered them disastrous for the defence of their cities.25 From the end of the 4th cent. AD onwards, Nicomedia became for short periods of time the seat of emperors, such as Arcadius during the years 397-8 AD and Theodosius II in 426 AD.26 Nicomedia’s prestige was reinforced at the time of Justinian I (527-565 AD).
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