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Prusias II of Bithynia

300 BC – 149 BC

Bithynian king

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About Prusias II of Bithynia

Lived 300 BC – 149 BC. Prusias II of Bithynia was a monarch.

Prusias II Cynegus (Greek: Προυσίας ὁ Κυνηγός; "the Hunter", c. 220 BC – 149 BC, reigned c. 182 BC – 149 BC) was the Greek king of Bithynia. He was the son and successor of Prusias I and Apama III.

Life Prusias was born to Prusias I and Apama III in 220 BC. His father died in 189 BC, at which point he became the king of Bithynia. Prusias II joined with the king of Pergamon, Eumenes II in a war against King Pharnaces I of Pontus (181–179 BC). He later invaded the territories of Pergamon (156–154 BC), only to be defeated, with Pergamon insisting on heavy reparations, including 500 talents and "twenty decked ships".

Prusias II married his maternal cousin Apame IV, a sister of Perseus of Macedon and a princess from the Antigonid dynasty, by whom he had a son, Nicomedes II, and a daughter, Apama, who would marry Dyegilos, son of Cotys IV, King of Thrace, and his wife, Semestra.

Prusias II was honoured by the Aetolian League with a stele at Delphi on account of his behavior and benefactions towards them.

Towards the end of his life, Prusias II had children by a later wife, and wanted to make them his heirs in place of Nicomedes. He sent Nicomedes to Rome to ask its help in reducing the amount of these reparations, and directed the co-ambassador, Menas, to kill Nicomedes if the mission was unsuccessful. Despite the failure of the mission, Nicomedes persuaded Menas to betray Prusias, and Nicomedes declared himself king. Prusias had to renounce the kingship in favour of his son and was himself murdered in 149 BC.

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Important facts

Born
300 BC, Bithynia
Birth century
Died
149 BC, Nicomedia
Occupation
Positions held
King of Bithynia
Also known as
Prusias II Cynegus, Prusias II the Hunter, Prusias the Hunter

Family & relationships

Child
Nicomedes II
Parent
Apama III
Parent
Prusias I

People in Prusias II of Bithynia's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Prusias II of Bithynia's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Prusias II of Bithynia?

Bithynian king

When was Prusias II of Bithynia born?

Prusias II of Bithynia was born in 300 BC in Bithynia.

When did Prusias II of Bithynia die?

Prusias II of Bithynia died in 149 BC in Nicomedia.

What was Prusias II of Bithynia's occupation?

Prusias II of Bithynia was a monarch.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Prusias II of Bithynia

· Wikidata: Q359222

· DBpedia: Prusias II of Bithynia

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Prusias II of Bithynia. https://biography.guide/prusias-ii-of-bithynia/

MLA: "Prusias II of Bithynia." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/prusias-ii-of-bithynia/.

Chicago: "Prusias II of Bithynia." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/prusias-ii-of-bithynia/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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