a distinguished Greek artist, the son of the painter Aristodemus, was a native of Thebes, and flourished in the latter half of the fourth century B.C. He rose to be unrivalled both for the celerity and completeness of his execution. If we may believe Plutarch, he closely resembled Homer in the spontaneous, and, at the same time, graceful and vigorous play of his genius; and, according to Cicero, his pictures attained the very pitch of perfection. His success as a teacher was also great. Among his pupils he numbered several who were afterwards famous painters, such as his brother Arystides, his son Aristocles, Philoxenes of Eretria, and Corybas. Yet Vitruvius enumerates him among those artists who were prevented by fortune from rising to their proper place in the public estimation. The following pictures of Nicomachus are mentioned by Pliny:—"The Rape of Proserpine," "Victory riding in a four-horsed Chariot," "Apollo and Diana," "Cybele," "Female Bacchanals," and "Scylla." He was engaged in a magnificent picture of the "Tyndarids," when he died.

NICOMEDES I., the earliest of the Bithynian kings who bore that name, succeeded his father Zipoetes in 278 B.C. He inaugurated his reign by the assassination of two of his brothers. This act of jealous cruelty rendered him unpopular. An insurrection, headed by his remaining brother Zipoetes, broke out and established itself in the maritime provinces. Before tranquillity could be restored, he was forced in 277 B.C. to employ the assistance of a horde of Gauls who were then besieging Byzantium, and thus to give that race for the first time a footing in Asia Minor. The rest of the reign of Nicomedes seems to have been spent in peaceful enterprises. In 264 B.C. he founded the great city of Nicomedia to be the capital of his kingdom, and to perpetuate his name. Other beneficial undertakings were progressing under his superintendence, when he died about 250 B.C.

NICOMEDES II., surnamed Epiphanes, assassinated his father Prusias II., and seized upon the throne of Bithynia in 149 B.C. He had spent his youth at Rome as a hostage, had secured the favour of the senate, and was therefore inclined at first to trust for the prosperity of his kingdom to an alliance with the great republic. Not until about 102 B.C., did he attempt to act independently of his powerful allies. Joining himself to Mithridates, the great king of Pontus, he laid hold upon Paphlagonia; and though he pretended to relinquish his conquest at the command of Rome, he set one of his own sons upon the vacant Paphlagonian throne. The next encroachment of the crafty king was not so successful. By marrying Laodice, the widow of Ariarathes VI. of Cappadocia, and by taking her orphan sons under his protection, he thought to gain possession of that kingdom. But the strong hand of Mithridates was by that time upon the coveted crown; the Romans then interfered; and Nicomedes, besides being foiled in his project, was deprived of his former acquisition, the kingdom of Paphlagonia. He died shortly after this of disappointment, about 91 B.C.