Bithynion
/bɪˈθɪniən/noun
An ancient city in Bithynia, later renamed Claudiopolis under Roman rule.
Did you know?Bithynion was associated with the Bithynian region of northwestern Anatolia and was later renamed Claudiopolis in honor of the Roman emperor Claudius.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Antiquity
Greek
Βιθύνιον (Bithýnion)
“The ancient Greek name of a city in Bithynia; the form is commonly interpreted as a diminutive connected with Bithynia.”
Hellenistic Period
Greek
Βιθυνία (Bithynía)
“Bithynia, the historical region in northwestern Anatolia.”
1st Century CE
Greek
Βιθύνιον
“The city remained known by its Greek name during the early Roman period.”
1st Century CE
Latin
Claudiopolis
“City of Claudius, the Roman name adopted under Emperor Claudius.”
Modern Scholarship
English
Bithynion
“The conventional English scholarly form for the ancient city.”
Explore more surprising origins