View source for Ziaelas of Bithynia

{{Infobox royalty
|name        = Ziaelas
|title       = [[Basileus]] of [[Kingdom of Bithynia|Bithynia]]
|succession  = [[List of rulers of Bithynia|King of Bithynia]]
|reign       = c. 254 BC - 228 BC
|predecessor = [[Etazeta of Bithynia|Etazeta]]
|successor   = [[Prusias I of Bithynia|Prusias I]]
|father      = [[Nicomedes I of Bithynia|Nicomedes I]]
|issue       = [[Prusias I of Bithynia|Prusias I]]
|birth_date  = c. 265 BC
|death_date  = 228 BC (age 37)
}}

'''Ziaelas''' ({{langx|grc|Ζιαήλας}}; lived c. 265 BC &ndash; 228 BC, reigned c. 254 BC – 228 BC), [[List of Kings of Bithynia|third]] king of [[Kingdom of Bithynia|Bithynia]], was a son of [[Nicomedes I of Bithynia|Nicomedes I]] and Ditizele.

==Life==
Following the death of [[Nicomedes I of Bithynia|Nicomedes I]], his second wife [[Etazeta of Bithynia]] acted as regent on behalf of her infant sons. Nicomedes' adult son from his first marriage Ziaelas, was denied the chance to ascend the throne, leading him to flee to [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Armenia]] and take refuge at the court of King [[Arsames I]] in [[Sophene]]. Upon his father's death he immediately endeavored to regain his rights by force, and returned, aided by some [[Galatians (people)|Galatians]]. Although Etazeta was supported by neighboring cities and [[Antigonus II Gonatas]], Ziaelas rapidly conquered Bithynia, forcing Etazeta and her sons to escape to the court of Antigonus in about 254 BC.{{r|memn}}

During the Fraternal War between [[Seleucus II Callinicus]] and [[Antiochus Hierax]], he seized the opportunity to attack the latter, trying to conquer Asia Minor{{r|justin}} They later became allies and his daughter, born c. 245 BC, married Hierax.{{r|euseb}}

He was succeeded by his son [[Prusias I of Bithynia|Prusias I]] about 228 BC after being killed by the Galatians.{{r|athen}}{{r|trogus}} Like his father and his grandfather he also founded a new city named after him, Ziaela, but the location of the city is unknown.{{r|steph}}

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="memn">[[Memnon of Heraclea|Memnon]], ''History of Heracleia'', [http://www.attalus.org/translate/memnon1.html#14 14]</ref>
<ref name="athen">[[Athenaeus]], ''[[Deipnosophistae]]'', II. 58, citing [[Phylarchus]]</ref>
<ref name="steph">[[Stephanus of Byzantium|Stephanus]], ''Ethnica'', s.v. [https://topostext.org/work/241#Z295.1 "Zeleia"]</ref>
<ref name="justin">[[Junianus Justinus|Justin]], ''Epitome of Pompeius Trogus'', [http://www.attalus.org/translate/justin4.html#27.2 xxvii. 2-3]</ref>
<ref name="euseb">[[Eusebius of Caesarea|Eusebius]], ''[[Chronicon (Eusebius)|Chronicon]]'' (Schoene ed.), pag. [http://www.attalus.org/translate/eusebius2.html 251]</ref>
<ref name="trogus">[[Gnaeus Pompeius Trogus|Pompeius Trogus]], ''Prologi'', [http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/justinus_08_prologi.htm 27]</ref>
}}

==Sources==
* {{citation|last=Cohen|first=Getzel M.|title=The Hellenistic Settlements in Europe, the Islands and Asia Minor|chapter=Zipoition|year=1996}}
* {{SmithDGRBM|title=Zeilas|volume=3|page=1310|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=zeilas-bio-1&highlight=zeilas}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box |
 title=[[List of rulers of Bithynia|King of Bithynia]] |
 before=[[Etazeta of Bithynia|Etazeta]] |
 after=[[Prusias I of Bithynia|Prusias I]] |
 years=254 BC&nbsp;– 228 BC}}
{{s-end}}
{{Hellenistic rulers}}

[[Category:260s BC births]]
[[Category:3rd-century BC Greek people]]
[[Category:Ancient child monarchs]]
[[Category:3rd-century BC Kings of Bithynia]]
[[Category:228 BC deaths]]
[[Category:Monarchs of Bithynia]]
[[Category:3rd-century BC murdered monarchs]]