Colchis (Rome)

This article is about the specific polity Colchis (Rome) and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.

If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here:All Statistics

An ancient polity located on the coast of the Black Sea, centered in present-day western Georgia that emerged through the consolidation of local tribes. It became a Roman client during the Mithridatic Wars.

Establishment

January 65 BC: Border corrections due to military occupations and reorganization.

Chronology

Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation

1. Mithridatic Wars

Were three conflicts fought by Rome against the Kingdom of Pontus and its allies between 88 BC and 63 BC. They are named after Mithridates VI, the King of Pontus during the course of the wars.

1.1.Third Mithridatic War

Was the last and longest of the three Mithridatic Wars, fought between Mithridates VI of Pontus and the Roman Republic. The conflict ended in defeat for Mithridates, ending the Pontic Kingdom, ending the Seleucid Empire (by then a rump state), and also resulting in the Kingdom of Armenia becoming an allied client state of Rome.

January 64 BC: Establishment of the Kingdom of Lesser Armenia (Roman Vassal).

January 64 BC: The Romans left control of the Lesser Armenia to various client kings.

1.1.1.Caucasian campaign of Pompey

Was a succesful Roman military campaign led by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the Caucasus during the Third Mithridatic War.

January 64 BC: After subduing Iberia, Pompey headed towards the small kingdom of Colchis and subjugated its main stronghold and various local peoples. Pompey gave the rule of Colchis to Aristarches, effectively making it a Roman province, part of Bithynia et Pontus.

2. Pontic War

Was a military campaign waged by Julius Caesar (at the same time of his war against Pompeius) that lead to the Roman submission of the Kingdom of Pontus.

January 47 BC: Pharnace of Pontus moved to the southeast along the Black Sea coast and without difficulty subjugated Colchis and all of Armenia.

January 47 BC: Pharnace II attempted to reconstitute the kingdom of Pontus by force: during the civil war between Caesar and Pompey, he invaded Asia Minor in 48 BC, conquering Colchis, Armenia Minor, Pontus and Cappadocia, defeating a Roman army in Nicopolis.

August 47 BC: Caesar decisively defeated Pharnaces of Pontus at the Battle of Zela. Pharnaces was killed and Caesar conquered Pontus. In addition, the territories occupied by Pharnaces were freed.