NICÆA, in Ancient Geography, the metropolis of Bithynia; situated on the lake Ascanius, in a large and fertile plain; in compass 16 stadia: first built by Antigonus, the son of Philip, and thence called Antigonea; afterwards completed by Lysimachus, who called it Nicæa, after his consort the daughter of Antipater. According to Stephanus, it was originally a colony of the Botticci, a people of Thrace, and called Ancone; and afterwards called Nicæa. Now Nice in Asia the Less*. Famous for the first general council.—A second Nicæa, (Diodorus Siculus), of Corfica.—A third, of the Hither India, (Arrian); situated on the west side of the Hydaspes, opposite to Bucephale, on the east side.—A fourth Nicæa, a town of Liguria, at the Maritime Alps, on the east side of the river Paulon, near its mouth, which runs between the Varus and Nicæa, (Mela). A colony of the Massilians, (Stephanus); the last town of Italy to the west. Now Nizza or Nice, capital of the county of that name, on the Mediterranean.—A fifth, of Locris, (Strabo); a town near Thermopylæ; one of the keys of that pass. It stood on the Sinus Maliacus.