Bithynia , an ancient area in the northwest Anatolia , borders the Sea of Marmara , the Bosphorus and the Black Sea and thus occupies an important and precarious position between East and West. Late 2nd millennium v . Chr . Was Bithynia occupied by warlike tribes of Thracian origin who burdened Greek settlers and Persian envoys alike. Their remarkable pugnacity kept them from full Persian rule after the 6th century; Also, they never submitted Alexander the Great or his Seleucid successors. Up to the 3rd century v The small but powerful state had evolved from tribal government to Hellenistic kingship, reaching early 2nd century v . Chr . the pinnacle of his power . A century of inept leadership and rapid decline followed. Bithynia's last king, Nicomedes IV. , little more than a Roman puppet, bequeath 74 v . Chr . His kingdom to the Romans .
Britannica Quiz The Middle East:Fact or Fiction? Is the literacy rate very high in Afghanistan? Does Yemen take its name from the Arabic word "northern"? Sort the facts in this quiz about Syria, Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries.