Bithȳnia

, a country of Asia Minor, formerly called Bebrycia. It was bounded by the Euxine on the north, on the south by Phrygia and Mysia, on the west by the Pro pont is, and the east by Paphlagonia. The country was first invaded by the Thracians, under Bithynus the son of Jupiter, who gave it the name of Bithynia. It was once a powerful kingdom. Strabo , bk. 12 .— Hero dot us , bk. 7 , ch. 75 .— Mela , bks. 1 & 2. According to Pausanias , bk. 8 , ch. 9 , the inhabitants were descended from Mantinea in Peloponnesus.