¶Of Bithinia. chap. 27.
BIthinia, (as Isidore sayeth) is a Prouince of the lesse As••a, in the be∣ginning of the Sea that is called Pon∣tus towarde the East, and lyeth afore Th••••••••, and hath had manye names some time, for it was first called, Bi∣thic••a, and afterwarde Bithinia, and had that name of a King that was cal∣led Bithinius. This is the more Phri∣gia, and the chiefe Citie thereof, was called Nicomedia: thether Hannibal, Prince of Carthage fledde, and dyed with venyme, as Isidore sayeth libro. 15. Fenix buylded first Bithinia, that was first called, Miramunda, as Isi∣dore sayeth.
(* 1.1Bithinia, a Realme in As••a, which now the Turke hath: on the North, it hath the Sea called Ponticum: on the South, Mists, and Phrigis. It was called also Bebrytia, and after Myg∣bonia.
Nicomedia a noble Citie in Bithi∣nia, where Constantinus Magnus the Emperour dyed. It is now called of the Turkes, Nicho••.
Hannibal the sonne of Hamilcar, the most noble and valyaunt Capitaine of the Carthaginensis who making warre with the Romanes sixtéene yeares, con∣tended with them in prowesse and pol∣licie, winning from them theyr Domi∣nions in Spaine and Italy. Finallye, béeing vanquished by Scipio, he fledde to Antiochus King of As••a, afterwarde to Prusias King of Bithinia; of whom vnder the coulour of amitie he was be∣trayed, and shoulde haue bene deliuered to Fleminius, that time Embassadour to Prusias: But Annibal perceiuing it, choosing rather to dye, than to come in∣to the handes of the Romanes, tooke poyson, which he had kept for that pur∣pose, sayeng: Let vs delyuer the Ro∣manes from the ••axe mid feare, which they haue of vs, with a fewe wordes of indignation, and so dyed, before he might be deliuered. D. Cooper.