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

LUCULLUS.: LUCULLUS. 835
princes who-had been subject to the yoke of Ti- joined in the outcry. It was, therefore,' in vain
granes. Antiochus Asiaticus also, the last king of that he endeavoured to prevail upon his mutinous
Syria, who had been dethroned by the Armenian army to resume operations in the spring of the year
king, but had taken advantage of the advance of 67; and while he remained motionless at Nisibis,
the Romans to establish himself once more on the Mithridates, who had already taken advantage of
throne of his ancestors, now obtained from Lucullus his absence to invade Pontus and attempt the rethe confirmation of his power (Appian, Syr. 49).'covery of his own dominions, was able to overthrow
But by far the most important of the neighbouring the Roman lieutenants Fabius and Triarius in
monarchs was Arsaces, king' of Parthia, to whom several successive actions. [MITHRIDATES.] The
Lucullus, knowing that his friendship and alliance news of these disasters compelled Lucullus to rehad been earnestly courted by Mithridates and turn in all haste to Pontus, a movement doubtless
Tigranes, despatched Sextilius as ambassador. The in accordance with the wishes of his army, who
Parthian- monarch gave a friendly reception to the appear to have followed hims on this occasion withRoman envoy, and dismissed. him with fair pro- out reluctance. On his approach Mithridates
mises, but his real object was only to temporise, withdrew into the Lesser Armenia, and thither
and, so doubtful was his conduct, that Lucullus is Lucullus prepared to pursue and attack him, when
said to have designed to leave both Mithridates and his movements were again paralysed by the open
Tigranes for a time, and march at once against mutiny of his soldiers. All that he could obtain
Arsaces. But his projects were now cut short by from them by the most abject entreaties, was the
the mutinous spirit of his own army. It was late promise that they would not abandon his standard
in the season before it was. possible to renew mili- during the remainder of that summer,'and lie was
tary operations in the mountainous and elevated compelled to establish himself in a; camp, where he
regions where he now found himself, and mean- spent all the rest of the season in inactivity, while
while he sent orders to Sornatius to bring to his Mithridates and Tigranes were able to overrun
support the troops which he had left in Pontus, but without opposition the greater part both of Pontus.
the soldiers absolutely refused to follow him, and and Cappadocia, Such was the state of things,
the lieutenant was unable to enforce his authority. when ten legates (among whom was Marcus, the
Even those who were under the command of Lu- brother of Lucullus) arrived in Asia, to settle the
cullus himself in Gordyene, took alarm at the idea affairs of Pontus, and reduce it to the form of a
of marching against the Parthians, and not only Roman province;:and they had, in consequence, to
was their general compelled to abandon this design, report to the senate that the country supposed to
but it was with some difficulty that he could pre- have been completely conquered was again in the
vail -upon them to follow him once more against, hands of the enemy. The adversaries of Lucullus
Mithridates and Tigranes. These two.monarchs naturally availed themselves of so favourable an
had again assembled a considerable army, with occasion, and a decree was passed to transfer to
which they occupied the high table lands of the Acilius Glabrio, one of the consuls for the year,
centre of Armenia, and when Lucullus at length the province of Bithynia and the command against
(in the summer of 68) moved forward to attack Mithridates. But Glabrio was wholly incompetent
them, they met him on the banks of the river for the task assigned him: on arriving in Bithynia,
Arsanias. The victory of the Romans was again and learning the posture of affairs, he made no
as'decisive and as easily won as at Tigranocerta: attempt to assume the command or take the field
the two kings fled ignominiously from the field, against Mithridates, but remained quiet within the
and numbers of their' officers fell in the battle. confines of the Roman province, while he still farBuat when Lucullus pushed forward with the in- ther embarrassed the position of Lucullus, by
tention of making himself master of Artaxata, the issuing proclamations to his soldiers, announcing to
capital of Armenia, his soldiers again refused to fol- them that their general was superseded, and relow him, and he was compelled to return into a less leasing them from their obedience. Mithridates
inclement region; and turning his arms southwards, meanwhile ably availed himself of this position of
he laid siege to the city of Nisibis, in Mygdonia. affairs, and Lucullus had the mortification of seeing
It was defended by the same Callimachus who had Pontus and'Cappadocia occupied by'the enemy
so long defied the Roman arms at Amisus, and was before his eyes, and the results of all his previous
considered to be altogether impregnable; but Lu- campaigns apparently annihilated, without being
cullus surprised it during a dark and stormy win- able to stir a step in their defence.: But it was still
ter's night, and afterwards took up his quarters more galling to his feelings when, in the spring of
there, until the season should admit of a renewal B. c. 66, he was called upon to resign the command
of military operations. (Plut. Lzcull, 30-32; to his old rival Pompey, who had been appointed
Appian, Mithl. 87; Dion Cass. xxxv. 4-7.) by the Manilian law to supersede both him and
But the discontents among his troops which had Glabrio. (Plut. Lucull. 33 —35; Appian, Mithr.
already given Lucullus so much trouble, broke out 88-91.; Dion Cass. xxxv. 8-10, 12-17; Cic.
with renewed violence in the camp at Nisibis. p. Leg. Manil. 2, 5, 9, Ep. ad Att. xiii. 6; Eutrop.
They were fostered by P. Clodius, whose turbu- vi. 11.) The friends of the two generals succeeded
lent and restless spirit already showed itself in its in bringingabout an interview between them befull force, and' encouraged by reports from Rome, fore Lucullus quitted his government; but though
where the demagogues, who were favourable to the meeting was at first friendly, it ended in bick.
Pompey, or had been gained over by the equestrian erings and disputes, which only aggravated the
party (whose bitter hostility against Lucullus had' enmity already existing between them. Pompey
never relaxed), were loud in their clamours against still further increased the irritation of his rival by
that general. They accused him of protracting the proceeding to rescind many of the regulations which
war for his own personal objects either of ambition the latter had introduced, even before he had quitted
or avarice; and the soldiery, whose appetite for the province. (Plut. Lucull. 36, Pomp. 31; Dion
plunder had been often checked by Lucullus, readily Cass. xxxvi. 29.)
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