Nicomedes I of Bithynia

Nicomedes I ( † 255/253 BC) was king of Bithynia in Asia Minor from 280 BC until his death.

He was the son of the first king of Bithynia Zipoites and waged wars with the Seleucids. 275 BC he conquered with the help of summoned from Europe Galatian mercenaries - which contributed unintentionally to permanently fixing the Galatians in Asia Minor - a significant part of Phrygia. He founded 264 BC Nicomedia as the new capital. Under him the Bithynian coinage begins with the portrait of the king. At Olympia a statue of him was erected in honor.

Nicomedes I was married twice. His first wife was the Phrygierin Ditizele, their common children Ziaelas, Prusias and Lysandra he had excluded from the succession. Ditizele died after she was attacked by a dog traveling; she had received an elaborate grave in Nicomedia.

His second wife was Etazeta ( Heptazeta ), with whom he had several sons, including Tiboites ( Zipoites ), which he bequeathed beneficiary to the children from the first marriage.