Today´s town Bolu (Greek: ΒιθÏνιον /Vithinion, Latin Bithynium or Claudiopolis) is a town in Turkey, and administrative center of the Bolu Province. The population is 84,565 (2000 census). It is situated on the old highway from Istanbul to Ankara.
Bolu was part of one of the Hittite kingdoms around 2000 BC and later 500 BC became one of the leading cities of the Kingdom of Bithynia. Strabo (XII, 4, 7) mentions a Hellenistic town, Bithynium (Claudiopolis), celebrated for its pastures and cheese, which according to Pausanias (VIII, 9) was founded by Arcadians from Mantinea.
In the Ancient Roman era, as is shown by its coins, the town was commonly called Claudiopolis after Emperor Claudius. It was the birthplace of Antinous, the posthumously deified favourite of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who was very generous to the city, and his name was later added to that of Claudius on the coins of the city. Emperor Theodosius II (408-50) made it the capital of a new province, formed out of Bithynia and Paphlagonia, and called by him Honorias in honour of the Emperor Honorius.
Catholic bishopric: As Claudiopolis it remains a titular see of Bithynia. It was the religious metropolis of the province (so in all Notitiae episcopatuum). Lequien (I, 567) mentions twenty titulars of the see to the thirteenth century; the first is St. Autonomus, said to have suffered martyrdom under Diocletian; we may add Ignatius, a friend and correspondent of Photius.
The Turkish era: In 1325 the town was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, becoming known under the present Turkish name (sometimes called Bolou or Boli). By this time it was the chief town of a sanjak in the vilayet (province) of Kastamonu, with 10,000 inhabitants (700 Greeks, 400 Armenians, few Catholics).
Kontakt 
![Bithynion in Bithynia, 235-238 AD., Maximus Caesar, Diassarion, Rec. Gén. 66.
Bithynion (Hadriane) in Bithynia, Maximus Caesar, 235-238 AD.,
Æ Diassarion (22-24 mm / 6,56 g),
Obv.: Γ IOY OVH MAXIMO[C K] , draped bust of Maximus right.
Rev.: BIΘYNIEΩN A - ΔPIANΩN , nude Hermes standing frontal, head right, with winged petasos and chlamys, holding kerykeion in his left arm and purse in his lowered right hand.
BMC 18 pl. 26, 8 ; SNG Cop. 344 ; SNG v. Aulock 337 ; Rec. Gén. 66 pl. 43, 16 .
Bithynium or Claudiopolis (today Eski-hissar near Bolu) started to strike bronze coins in the first century BC. under the Roman proconsul C. Papirius Carbo.
Roman imperial issues are known from the eras of Vespasian to Gallienus. Inscriptions: ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΠΟΛΕΙΤΩÎ; ΒΙΘΥÎΙΕΩÎ; ΑΔΡΙΑÎΩΠΒΕΙΘΥÎΙΕΩÎ. This town was the birth- place of Antinoüs, and medallions were struck there in his honour.
Today´s town Bolu (Greek: ΒιθÏνιον /Vithinion, Latin Bithynium or Claudiopolis) is a town in Turkey, and administrative center of the Bolu Province. The population is 84,565 (2000 census). It is situated on the old highway from Istanbul to Ankara.
Bolu was part of one of the Hittite kingdoms around 2000 BC and later 500 BC became one of the leading cities of the Kingdom of Bithynia. Strabo (XII, 4, 7) mentions a Hellenistic town, Bithynium (Claudiopolis), celebrated for its pastures and cheese, which according to Pausanias (VIII, 9) was founded by Arcadians from Mantinea.
In the Ancient Roman era, as is shown by its coins, the town was commonly called Claudiopolis after Emperor Claudius. It was the birthplace of Antinous, the posthumously deified favourite of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who was very generous to the city, and his name was later added to that of Claudius on the coins of the city. Emperor Theodosius II (408-50) made it the capital of a new province, formed out of Bithynia and Paphlagonia, and called by him Honorias in honour of the Emperor Honorius.
Catholic bishopric: As Claudiopolis it remains a titular see of Bithynia. It was the religious metropolis of the province (so in all Notitiae episcopatuum). Lequien (I, 567) mentions twenty titulars of the see to the thirteenth century; the first is St. Autonomus, said to have suffered martyrdom under Diocletian; we may add Ignatius, a friend and correspondent of Photius.
The Turkish era: In 1325 the town was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, becoming known under the present Turkish name (sometimes called Bolou or Boli). By this time it was the chief town of a sanjak in the vilayet (province) of Kastamonu, with 10,000 inhabitants (700 Greeks, 400 Armenians, few Catholics).
Schlüsselwörter: Bithynion Bithynia Maximus Caesar Diassarion Hermes Petasos Chlamys Kerykeion Purse](images/image.gif?id=1098141524809 "Klicken für Bild in voller Größe
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Bithynion in Bithynia, 235-238 AD., Maximus Caesar, Diassarion, Rec. Gén. 66.
Bithynion (Hadriane) in Bithynia, Maximus Caesar, 235-238 AD.,
Æ Diassarion (22-24 mm / 6,56 g),
Obv.: Γ IOY OVH MAXIMO[C K] , draped bust of Maximus right.
Rev.: BIΘYNIEΩN A - ΔPIANΩN , nude Hermes standing frontal, head right, with winged petasos and chlamys, holding kerykeion in his left arm and purse in his lowered right hand.
BMC 18 pl. 26, 8 ; SNG Cop. 344 ; SNG v. Aulock 337 ; Rec. Gén. 66 pl. 43, 16 .
Bithynium or Claudiopolis (today Eski-hissar near Bolu) started to strike bronze coins in the first century BC. under the Roman proconsul C. Papirius Carbo.
Roman imperial issues are known from the eras of Vespasian to Gallienus. Inscriptions: ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΠΟΛΕΙΤΩÎ; ΒΙΘΥÎΙΕΩÎ; ΑΔΡΙΑÎΩΠΒΕΙΘΥÎΙΕΩÎ. This town was the birth- place of Antinoüs, and medallions were struck there in his honour.
Today´s town Bolu (Greek: ΒιθÏνιον /Vithinion, Latin Bithynium or Claudiopolis) is a town in Turkey, and administrative center of the Bolu Province. The population is 84,565 (2000 census). It is situated on the old highway from Istanbul to Ankara.
Bolu was part of one of the Hittite kingdoms around 2000 BC and later 500 BC became one of the leading cities of the Kingdom of Bithynia. Strabo (XII, 4, 7) mentions a Hellenistic town, Bithynium (Claudiopolis), celebrated for its pastures and cheese, which according to Pausanias (VIII, 9) was founded by Arcadians from Mantinea.
In the Ancient Roman era, as is shown by its coins, the town was commonly called Claudiopolis after Emperor Claudius. It was the birthplace of Antinous, the posthumously deified favourite of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who was very generous to the city, and his name was later added to that of Claudius on the coins of the city. Emperor Theodosius II (408-50) made it the capital of a new province, formed out of Bithynia and Paphlagonia, and called by him Honorias in honour of the Emperor Honorius.
Catholic bishopric: As Claudiopolis it remains a titular see of Bithynia. It was the religious metropolis of the province (so in all Notitiae episcopatuum). Lequien (I, 567) mentions twenty titulars of the see to the thirteenth century; the first is St. Autonomus, said to have suffered martyrdom under Diocletian; we may add Ignatius, a friend and correspondent of Photius.
The Turkish era: In 1325 the town was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, becoming known under the present Turkish name (sometimes called Bolou or Boli). By this time it was the chief town of a sanjak in the vilayet (province) of Kastamonu, with 10,000 inhabitants (700 Greeks, 400 Armenians, few Catholics).
Schlüsselwörter: Bithynion Bithynia Maximus Caesar Diassarion Hermes Petasos Chlamys Kerykeion Purse")