A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

MITHRIDATES. MITHRIDATES. 10.99
this force by the assassination of Flaccus [FiM- left in command by Sulla, was eager for some opBRIA], now advanced through Bithynia to assail portunity of earning the honour of a triumph, and
Mithridates, B. C. 85. The king opposed to him a he now (B. c.. 83), under the flimsy pretext that
powerful army, under the command of his son, Mithridates had not yet evacuated the whole of
Mithridates, seconded by three of his generals; but Cappadocia, marched into that country, and not
this was totally defeated by Fimbria, who quickly only made himself master of the wealthy city of
followed up his advantage, and laid siege to Per- Comana, but even crossed the Halys, and laid
gamus itself: from hence, however, Mithridates waste the plains of Pontus itself. To this flagrant
fled to Pitane, where he was closely blockaded by breach of the treaty so lately concluded, the Roman
Fimbria; and had Lucullus, the quaestor of Sulla, general was in great measure instigated by Archewho commanded the Roman fleet in the Aegaean, laus, who, finding himself regarded with suspicion
been willing to co-operate with the Marian general, by Mithridates, had consulted his safety by flight,
it would have been impossible for the king to avoid and was received with the utmost honours by the
falling into the hands of his enemies. But the dis- Romans. Mithridates, who had evidently been
sensions of the Romans proved the means of safety wholly unprepared to renew the contest with
to Mithridates, who made his escape by sea to Rome, offered no opposition to the progress of MuMitylene. (Appian, Mit/sr. 51, 52; Plut. Lucull. rena; but finding that general disregard his re3; Memnon, 34; Oros. vi. 2; Liv. Epit. lxxxii. monstrances, he sent to Rome to complain of his
lxxxiii.) It was not long afterwards that he re- aggression. But when in the following spring
ceived the tidings of the complete destruction of his (B. C. 82) he found Murena preparing to renew his
armies in Greece, near Orchomenus; and the news hostile incursions, notwithstanding the arrival of a
of this disaster, coupled with the progress of Fim- Roman legate, who nominally commanded him to
bria in Asia, now made Mithridates desirous to desist, he at once determined to oppose him by
treat for peace, which he justly hoped to obtain force, and assembled a large army, with which he
on more favourable terms than he could otherwise met the Roman general on the banks of the Halys.
have expected, in consequence of the divided state The action that ensued terminated in the complete
of his enemies. He accordingly commissioned victory of the king; and Murena, with difficulty,
Archelaus, who was still in Euboea, to open nego- effected his retreat into Phrygia, leaving Cappatiations with Sulla, which led to the conclusion of docia at the mercy of Mithridates, who quickly
a preliminary treaty: but on the conditions of this overran the whole province. But shortly afterbeing reported to the king, he positively refused to wards A. Gabinius arrived in Asia, bringing
consent to the surrender of his fleet. Sulla here- peremptory orders from Sulla to Murena to desist
upon prepared to renew hostilities, and in the from hostilities; whereupon Mithridates once more
spring of the following year (B. C. 84) crossed the consented to evacuate Cappadocia. (Appian, Mith/r.
Hellespont; but Archelaus succeeded in bringing 64-66, 67; Memnon, 36.)
about an interview between the Roman general He was now at leisure to complete the reduction
and Mithridates at Dardanus, in the Troad, at which of the Bosporus, which he successfully accomplished,
the terms of peace were definitively settled. Mi- and established Machares, one of his sons, as king:
thridates consented to abandon all his conquests in of that country. But he suffered heavy losses ill
Asia, and restrict himself to the dominions which ail expedition which he subsequently undertook
he held before the commencement of the war; be- against the Achaeans, a warlike tribe who dwelt at
sides which he was to pay a sum of 2000 talents the foot of Mount Caucasus. (Appian, ib. 67.)
for the expences of the war, and surrender to the Meanwhile, he could not for a moment doubt that,
Romans a fleet of 70 ships fully equipped. Thus notwithstanding the interposition of Sulla, the
terminated the first Mithridatic war. The king peace between him and Rome was in fact a mere
withdrew to Pontus, while Sulla turned his arms suspension of hostilities; and that that haughty
against Fimbria, whom he quickly defeated; and republic would never suffer the massacre of her
then proceeded to settle the affairs of Asia, and citizens in Asia to remain ultimately unpunished.
re-establish Nicomedes and Ariobarzanes in their (See Cic. pro L. Alanil. 3.) Hence all his efforts
respective kingdoms; after which he returned to were directed towards the formation of an army
Rome, leaving L. Murena, with two legions, to capable of contending not only in numbers, but in
hold the command in Asia. (Appian, Mithr. 54- discipline, with those of Rome; and with this view
63; Plut. Sull. 22-25, Lucdll. 4; Memnon, 35; he armed his barbarian troops after the Roman
Dion Cass. Frag. 174-176; Liv. Epit. lxxxiii.; fashion, and endeavoured to train them up in that
Oros. vi. 2.) discipline of which he had so strongly felt the effect
The attention of Mithridates was now attracted in the preceding contest. (Plut. Lucull. 7.) In
towards his own more remote provinces of Colchis these attempts he was doubtless assisted by the
and the Bosporus, where symptoms of disaffection refugees of the Marian party, L. Magius and L.
had begun to manifest themselves: the Colchians, Fannius, who had accompanied Fimbria into Asia;
however, submitted immediately on the king ap- and on the defeat of that general by Sulla, had
pointing his son Mithridates to be their governor, taken refuge with the king of Pontus. At their
with the title of king, and even received their new instigation also Mithridates sent an embassy to
ruler with such demonstrations of favour as to ex- Sertorius, who was still maintaining his ground in
cite the jealousy of Mithridates, who, in conse- Spain, and concluded an alliance with him against
quence, recalled his son, and placed him in con- their common enemies. (Appian, Mith/r. 68; Oros.
finement. He now assembled a large force both vi. 2; Pseud. Ascon. ad Cic. Verr. i. 34, p. 183,
military and naval, for the reduction of the revolted ed. Orell.) It is remarkable that no formal treaty
provinces; and so great were his preparations for seems ever to have been concluded between Mithrithis purpose, that they aroused the suspicions of the dates and the Roman senate; and the king had in.
Romans, who pretended that they must be in fact vain endeavoured. to obtain the ratification of the
designed against them. Murena, who had been terms agreed on between him and Sulla. (Appian,