This article is about the specific polity Kingdom of Pontus 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.
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Was a Hellenistic kingdom centered in the historical region of Pontus and ruled by the Mithridatic dynasty. King Mithridates VI entered a struggle with the Romans because he wanted to break the increasing Domain of Rome over the Hellenic world. After the Mithridatic Wars the territories of Pontus were divided among the Romans and their allies, and a much reduced Pontus became a Roman client.
Establishment
November 301 BC: Mithridates Ktistes establishes himself as ruler in the Pontic region.
Chronology
Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation
Were a series of conflicts that were fought between the generals of Alexander the Great, known as the Diadochi, over who would rule his empire following his death.
1.1.Consolidation of the borders after the Third War of the Diadochi
Were a series of events and military operations after the Third war of the Diadochi that led to the consolidation of the borders between the successor states of the Macedonian Empire.
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.
January 99 BC: Mithridates established himself as patron of his nephew's kingship on the throne. After this he murdered Ariarathes VII of Cappadocia and installed his son on the Cappadocian throne as Ariarathes IX under the guardianship of Gordius.
January 94 BC: Nicomedes appealed to the Roman Senate, which decreed that Mithridates be removed from Cappadocia and the Senate appointed Ariobarzanes I of Cappadocia as King of this same region.Sulla succeeded and Ariobarzanes was restored to his throne.
January 89 BC: In Bithynia Nicomedes III had died. He was succeeded by his son Nicomedes IV. Unfortunately for Nicomedes IV, his bastard half-brother, Socrates Chrestus, supported by Mithridates drove him from his kingdom.
2.1.First Mithridatic War
Was a war challenging the Roman Republic's expanding domain over the Greek world. In this conflict, the Kingdom of Pontus and many Greek cities rebelled against Roman rule under the leadership of Mithridates VI of Pontus.
December 90 BC: In the late summer 90 BC a Senatorial legation was sent east, under Manius Aquillius and Manlius Maltinus, to restore Nicomedes and Ariobarzanes to their kingdoms. Both kings were restored without any fighting in autumn 90 BC.
September 89 BC: After Pelopidas' return he sent his son Ariarathes into Cappadocia with a strong army. The occupation (summer 89 BC) was rapid.
January 88 BC: He was restored to his throne by Manius Aquillius due to Rome's influence in the region.
January 87 BC: Mithridates of Pontus finished capturing Asia Minor.
January 87 BC: Aquillius encouraged Nicomedes IV to raid Mithridates VI's territory, prompting Mithridates VI to retaliate again in 88 BC. Nicomedes IV fled once again to Rome.
January 84 BC: Pontic ruler Mithridates met with Roman general Sulla at Dardanus (a city in Troas) in 85 BC, and accepted peace terms which restored all his gains in Asia, Cappadocia and Bithynia to their original rulers, but left him his own kingdom.
2.1.1.Campaign in Greece (First Mithridatic War)
A military campaign in Greece by the Kingdom of Pontus under the command of General Archelaus.
January 87 BC: Archelaus was sent to Greece, where he established Aristion as a tyrant in Athens.
January 86 BC: Archelaus was a general in the Kingdom of Pontus, led by King Mithridates VI. The Battle of Chaeronea in -87 was fought against the Roman Republic, led by Lucius Cornelius Sulla. Archelaus' defeat marked a turning point in the First Mithridatic War.
January 86 BC: Mithridates VI of Pontus, a powerful ruler in the Kingdom of Pontus, successfully captured Asia Minor and expanded his influence into northern Greece, Macedonia, and Thessaly in -87. This marked the beginning of his campaign to challenge Roman dominance in the region.
March 86 BC: The Romans quickly declared war. In 87 BC, Consul Lucius Cornelius Sulla landed in Epirus and marched on Athens. Sulla captured Athens on March 1, 86 BC.
January 84 BC: Battle of Orchomenus. Greece was fully restored to Roman rule.
2.1.2.Flaccus mission
Was a Roman military campaign in Greece and Asia minor led by Lucius Valerius Flaccus during the First Mithridatic War.
January 84 BC: After crossing the Hellespont, Flaccus was killed in a mutiny led by Flavius Fimbria, who went on to defeat Mithridates and recapture Pergamum.
2.2.Second Mithridatic War
Was one of three wars fought between Pontus and the Roman Republic.
January 82 BC: Mithridates thus decided to send an embassy to the Senate and to Silla, complaining about Murena's actions. Meanwhile the latter had crossed the Halys river.
February 82 BC: After this raid, Murena was able to return undisturbed to Phrygia and Galatia laden with booty.
January 81 BC: Although Calidio did not have a decree from the Senate with him, he invited him not to harass the king of Pontus anymore, to avoid that this had the meaning of breaking the existing treaty. Murena, however, again invaded the territories of Mithridates, who, this time believed that the war had been so ordered by the Roman Senate itself.
February 81 BC: Mithridates defeats Murena in battle.
February 81 BC: Murena expelled out of Cappadocia.
January 80 BC: Sulla, believing that it was not right to wage war against Mithridates, since he had not violated any treaty, sent a new embassy to Murena, this time led by Aulus Gabinius, forbidding him to resume any kind of hostility, on the contrary to reconcile Mithridates with the king Ariobarzanes I.
2.3.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.
December 74 BC: Towards the end of autumn, Eumacus, a general of the King of Pontus, invaded Phrygia and killed a large multitude of Roman citizens, including wives and children. Then Eumacus also subjugated the populations of Pisidia, Isauria, and Cilicia.
January 73 BC: Mithridates arranged to invade Bithynia following the death of its king, Nicomedes IV, who was childless and therefore decided to bequeath his kingdom to the Romans. The then provincial governor, Marcus Aurelius Cotta, a completely cowardly man, could do nothing but flee to Chalcedon with all the forces he had at his disposal. Thus Bithynia returned again under the rule of Mithridates.
January 72 BC: The Romans subjugated Prusa, located at the base of a mountain, and then also occupied Nicaea.
April 72 BC: The Roman general Lucullus moved his armies towards the eastern front through Bithynia and Galatia, subjugating the territories previously under Roman control and reaching the plain of Themiscyra and the river Thermodon.
January 71 BC: The Battle of Cabira was a clash between the army of the Roman Republic, commanded by Lucius Licinius Lucullus, and that of Mithridates VI of Pontus, fought in 72 BC near the city of Cabira. It saw the Roman forces prevail.
January 70 BC: Roman General Lucullus marched against the last enemy resistance, subjugating the Chaldeans and Tibareni and occupying Armenia Minor.
January 70 BC: However, in 72-71 BC, during the Third Mithridatic War, these cities were occupied by the forces of Marcus Terentius Varro Lucullus, the Roman proconsul of Macedonia. A foedus was signed between the Greek colonies and the Roman Empire.
January 69 BC: Siege of Amiso: the city is conquered by the Romans after three years of siege.
January 69 BC: During 70 BC, the city of Sinop continued to resist. The Roman general Lucullus, upon entering the city, killed 8,000 Cilicians. After capturing the city, he then liberated it and repopulated it.
January 67 BC: Mithridates hurried back to what little territory he had left, also reconquering parts of Pontus and Armenia Minor.
January 67 BC: The Battle of Comana Pontica was fought between the Roman army commanded by Lucius Licinius Lucullus' legate, Gaius Valerius Triarius, and the army of the Kingdom of Pontus commanded by Mithridates VI in 68 BC. It saw the Roman commander prevail over the Pontic king.
January 66 BC: According Appian, while Roman general Lucullus was camped not far from Mithridates, the proconsul of Asia sent him some messengers to inform him that, since he had uselessly prolonged the war, Rome deprived him of command and gave the peremptory order his soldiers to dissociate and abandon him. Mithridates then decided to invade Cappadocia again, managing to conquer almost all of his old domains.
January 65 BC: Pompey passed through the Taurus Mountains and waged war both against Antiochus I of Commagene, forcing him to seek peace, and against Darius of Media, whom he put to flight because he had aided Antiochus or Tigranes before him.
January 65 BC: To Ariobarzanes, Pompeus gave back, once again, Cappadocia, now adding Sophene and Gordiene, as well as the city of Ierapolis Castabala and others of Cilicia.
January 65 BC: Border corrections due to military occupations and reorganization.
January 65 BC: Battle of the Lycus. The last major battle of the war. The Roman Republican army under the command of Gnaeus Pompeius defeated the forces of Mithridates VI of Pontus. Mithridates fled to Crimea and committed suicide in 63 BC, finally ending the Third Mithridatic War.
January 62 BC: At the end of the Third Mithridatic War, the Kingdom of Pontus was dismantled and reduced to only its eastern portion, while the western part, including the capital Sinope, was incorporated into the Roman province of Bithynia and Pontus.
2.3.1.Military Campaign of Pompey in Cilicia
Was a succesful Roman military campaign led by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in Cilicia during the Third Mithridatic War.
January 66 BC: Cilicia proper (Trachea and Pedias), which had been a hideout for pirates for over forty years, was subjugated by Rome.
Following the Roman general Lucullus' defeat of both Mithridates and Tigranes in 69 BC, a rump Seleucid kingdom was restored under Antiochus XIII.
January 68 BC: Following the Roman general Lucullus' defeat of both Mithridates and Tigranes in 69 BC, a rump Seleucid kingdom was restored under Antiochus XIII.
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.
August 48 BC: Start of the Pontic War.
August 48 BC: After the death of Mithridates, Pompey made his son Pharnaces king of the Bosporus. Apparently, soon after receiving news of the defeat of Pompey (by Ceasar), Pharnaces began active operations. The first target was Phanagoria.
November 48 BC: By October 48 BC Pharnaces of Pontus captured Sinop and took possession of Paphlagonia and Pontus.
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.
January 47 BC: Pharnace of Pontus moved to the southeast along the Black Sea coast and without difficulty subjugated Colchis and all of Armenia.
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.
January 300 BC: Following the defeat of Antigonus and Demetrius in the battle of Ipsus (301 BC), there was a vacuum of power in Asia Minor, which Mithridates exploited to create an independent domain.
January 279 BC: In the following years he expanded the influence of his domain, defending it from the aims of Seleucus I, and in 281 or 280 BC he was able to declare himself Βασιλεύς (Basileus «ruler») of the territories of northern Cappadocia and eastern Paphlagonia.
January 278 BC: Sakarya wiver and Amastris conquered by Kingdom of Pontus.
January 182 BC: Sinope eventually fell to Pharnaces I in 183 BC, after which it became the capital of the Pontic Kingdom.
January 107 BC: Shortly after 108 BC, Odessos recognised the suzerainty of Mithridates VI of Pontus.
January 106 BC: Colchis conquered by Kingdom of Pontus.
January 106 BC: The Bosporan Kingdom, ruled by King Pairisades V, surrendered their independence to Mithridates VI of Pontus in -107. Mithridates promised protection against the Scythians in exchange for their allegiance.
January 105 BC: Lesser Armenia is occupied by Mithridates of Ponthus.
January 99 BC: Around 100 BC King Mithridates VI of Pontus extended his authority over the Greek cities in Dobruja.
August 47 BC: At the end of the Pontic War, the territories conquered by Pharnaces were freed.
Disestablishment
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.
August 47 BC: At the end of the Pontic War, the territories conquered by Pharnaces were freed.
Selected Sources
Appian, XII - The Mithridatic Wars, 100, 102, 111
Appian, XII - The Mithridatic Wars, 105
Appian, XII - The Mithridatic Wars, 106
Appian, XII - The Mithridatic Wars, 118
Appian, XII - The Mithridatic Wars, 15
Appian, XII - The Mithridatic Wars, 71
Appian, XII - The Mithridatic Wars, 75
Appian, XII - The Mithridatic Wars, 77
Appian, XII - The Mithridatic Wars, 83
Appian, XII - The Mithridatic Wars, 90
Appian, XII - The Mithridatic Wars, 94-96
Cassius Dio: Roman History, XXXVI, 10.2
Cassius Dio: Roman History, XXXVI, 8.1-2.
Plutarch: Parallel Lives, Lucullus, 12.2
Plutarch: Parallel Lives, Lucullus, 14.2
Plutarch: Parallel Lives, Lucullus, 19.1
Plutarch: Parallel Lives, Lucullus, 23.3
Plutarch: Parallel Lives, Lucullus, 32.5
Plutarch: Parallel Lives, Pompey, 24-29
Titus Livius: Ab Urbe Condita, 93.4
Titus Livius: Ab Urbe Condita, 97.5
Kingdom of Pontus
