Nicomēdes, a celebrated geometrician in the age of the philosopher Eratosthenes. He made himself known by his useful machines, &c.——An engineer in the army of Mithridates.——One of the preceptors of the emperor Marcus Antoninus.
Nicomēdia (now Is-nikmid), a town of Bithynia, founded by Nicomedes I. It was the capital of the country, and it has been compared, for its beauty and greatness, to Rome, Antioch, or Alexandria. It became celebrated for being, for some time, the residence of the emperor Constantine and most of his imperial successors. Some suppose that it was originally called Astacus, and Olbia, though it is generally believed that they were all different cities. Ammianus, bk. 17.—Pausanias, bk. 5, ch. 12.—Pliny, bk. 5, &c.—Strabo, bk. 12, &c.
Nicon, a pirate of Phære in Peloponnesus, &c. Polyænus.——An athlete of Thasos, 14 times victorious at the Olympic games.——A native of Tarentum. See: [Nico].
Niconia, a town of Pontus.
Nicophanes, a famous painter of Greece, whose pieces are mentioned with commendation. Pliny, bk. 35, ch. 10.
Nicŏphron, a comic poet of Athens some time after the age of Aristophanes.
Nicŏpolis, a city of Lower Egypt.——A town of Armenia, built by Pompey the Great in memory of a victory which he had there obtained over the forces of Mithridates. Strabo, bk. 12.——Another, in Thrace, built on the banks of the Nestus by Trajan, in memory of a victory which he obtained there over the barbarians.——A town of Epirus, built by Augustus after the battle of Actium.——Another, near Jerusalem, founded by the emperor Vespasian.——Another, in Mœsia.——Another, in Dacia, built by Trajan to perpetuate the memory of a celebrated battle.——Another, near the bay of Issus, built by Alexander.
Nicostrăta, a courtesan who left all her possessions to Sylla.——The same as Carmente mother of Evander.
Nicostrătus, a man of Argos of great strength. He was fond of imitating Hercules by clothing himself in a lion’s skin. Diodorus, bk. 16.——One of Alexander’s soldiers. He conspired against the king’s life, with Hermolaus. Curtius, bk. 8.——A painter who expressed great admiration at the sight of Helen’s picture by Zeuxis. Ælian, bk. 14, ch. 47.——A dramatic actor of Ionia.——A comic poet of Argos.——An orator of Macedonia, in the reign of the emperor Marcus Antoninus.——A son of Menelaus and Helen. Pausanias, bk. 2, ch. 18.——A general of the Achæans, who defeated the Macedonians.
Nicotelea, a celebrated woman of Messenia, who said that she became pregnant of Aristomenes by a serpent. Pausanias, bk. 4, ch. 14.