~ Mithridates ~ King of Pontus

1. ~ Mithridates ~King of Pontus

2. The Kingdom of Pontus

3. Mithridates the man. • Pontus was a mix of Greek and Persian influence. • The Persian influence resulted in a strong despotic kingship that had strong links with religion. • The Greek aspect resulted in a mixed culture and philosophy between Persian and Greek ideas. Indeed the officials language of the Pontus was Greek. • Pontus had been friendly with Rome under Mithridates V (150-121BC). Rome had been in the area from 133BC when Attalus III had bequethed his kingdom of Pergamum to Rome. • Mithridates VI came to the throne in 121 by murdering his brother and imprisoning his mother. • He was a man of exceptional physical strength, force of character and ambition

4. Rome had long been trying to settle her eastern frontier since she was bequeathed the kingdom of Pergamum in 133 BC. • To do this Rome used client kingdoms namely • Bithynia • and Cappadocia.

5. Around the year 91 BC Mithridates (who had established himself as sole ruler of the kingdom of Pontus) began to look to expand his empire. • He supported the overthrowing of the kings of Bithynia and Cappadocia. Both these kingdoms were client kings of Rome. • Rome responded by sending a delegation to negotiate a peace with Mithridates who still technically held the title “Friend of the Roman people”. • Notice how Rome ‘uses’ client Kings and ‘friends’ here.

6. Although this was initially successful Aquillius, the senator sent out to deal with the situation, overstepped the mark and in an attempt to try and gain some military and economic profit encouraged Nicomedes (the king of Bithynia) to invade Pontus • Mithridates retaliatedand defeated Nicomedes and Aquillius sweeping into the province of Asia. Asia Minor

7. The senate, in response, took the decision to make the war against Mithridates the province of the Consuls of 88. It fell to Sulla. • Eventually, after much political infighting between Marius and Sulla, which even resulted in Sulla marching on Rome [not for the first time]. He secured the command and left in 88 BC. • Marius and Cinna meanwhile marched on Rome themselves and declared Sulla an outlaw. One of the consuls from this time [Flaccus] was sent out against Mithridates. There was ,therefore, two commanders facing the same enemy, ostensibly on the same side but bitter opponents.

8. Before we move on to the general campaign it is worth noting the impact that Roman politics is having on the administration of this province (the war against Mithridates). • Mithridates, however, was in control of Asia minor now and knew that Rome would respond. In response from an invitation from Athens to liberate Greece Mithridates sailed to the mainland to take on Rome there rather than on his own doorstep. Sulla who was already on his way to meet Mithridates landed in Greece in 87BC Despite being outnumbered by around 3to 1 Sulla managed to defeat Mithridates in two major battles.

9. First Sulla, having secured Athens with the sue of a fleet, then moved to meet the Pontic army sent by Mithridates. He met them at Chaeronea and defeated them by way of excellent tactics and decisive intervention. He then had to meet a second army sent by Mithridates on the island of Euboea where again he was successful and was preparing to meet Pontic envoys to negotiaste a settlement However, there was still much to do, largely because Flaccus, who had been sent out by Marius and Cinna, had now landed in Asia and was preparing to face Mithridates there.

10. Sulla fighting in Greece Flaccus travels to the East

11. Flaccus did not last long and was soon assassinated by his lieutenant Fimbria. • Sulla however, was in no mind to play games with his opponent Fimbria, indeed he was so keen to return to Rome to sort out these problems that he met Mithridates and offered very lenient terms • Mithridates was to surrender 70 ships. • Evacuate all the territory he had gained in the campaign. • Pay and indemnity of 2000 talents • In return he was recognised as king of Pontus and an official friend and ally of Rome. • For out purposes it is important to note that here is an individual deciding on important policy and doing so because of political matters in Rome. • If Mithridates could become an ally what did the title really mean?

12. Interestingly the province of Asia was treated with greater severity than Mithridates himself. • The province had to pay 20,000 talents (for the cost of the war and 5 years taxes) • Many cities that had freedom before lost their privileges and became subject to the ravages of the publicani. • For the following year Sulla billeted his troops in Asia which had to feed, hose and clothe them at considerable cost. • Unable to meet these financial demands the provincials had to borrow money and consequently became victims of Roman businessmen. • In this way Rome was able to reduce the province to a more subservient dependency.

13. Matters were settled for the meantime but in 74 the king of Bithynia died bequeathing his kingdom to Rome. • Rome decided to accept but in doing so upset the balance of power in the region which, considering the effect it would have ha on the Kingdom of Pontus naturally stirred a reaction from Mithridates. • Mithridates took action without delay and when he marched into Bithynia Rome had another Mithridatic war on her hands (This is known as the third Mithridatic war. Trouble had flared up in Asia when Sulla lef for Rome in 83 BC. Although it was quelled without too much trouble it was given the title the second Mithridatic war.)

14. The consuls of 74 were given the necessary commands in the East with M Aurelius Cotta receiving Bithynia and Lucullus receiving Cilicia and the command against Mithridates.

15. The Third Mithridatic war • Lucullus with 5 legions advanced through Phrygia on Mithridates’ flank while cotta, based in Bithynia, blockaked Mithridates by Sea. • Cotta, was eager to gain the victory himself and rushed into action. • Why do you think Cotta was eager to gain the victory himself? Perhaps to protect himself from attack once he had left office. He was after all the consul who had proposed the restoration of tribunican power. Was there something behind the scenes that we are not away of? Did Cotta want the tribunate restored because he knew he would be attacked in the future? Did he aim for the command against Mithridates as a means for protection? There is certainly more to Aurelius Cotta than meets the eye.

16. So Mithridates appeared trapped by two of Rome’s finest troops • Unfortunately Cotta was defeated. • Lucullus, on the other hand managed to round on Mithridates and besiege him on the coast. • Mthridates began to lose the upper hand in the face of Lucullus’ superior organisation and command skill. Eventually Mithridates retired to Pontus with the lose of perhaps 100,000 men. • Leaving Lucullus in command of Asia Minor. Luccullus in command.

17. Lucullus, however, was not prepared to make the same mistake as Sulla had done before him and resolved to take the fight to Mithridates. • Mithridates, meanwhile, had resolved to defend his kingdom at all costs. Unfortunately he was in no position to do this and Lucullus, over a period of three years, successfully invaded the kingdom of Pontus.