3922. The Roman generals did not wait for the decree from the senate and the people about this war. They drew their forces from Bithynia, Cappadocia, Paphlagonia and Galatia. They added to these the army that L. Cassius had for securing Asia. They arranged their forces into several divisions. Cassius camped around Bithynia and Galatia. Manius Aquilius had his brigade to secure the passage by which Mithridates had to use to enter Bithynia. Q. Oppius camped in the borders of Cappadocia. Each of them had 40,000 foot soldiers and cavalry. They had a fleet also sailing about Byzantium under the command of Minutius Rulus and C. Popilius who were to secure the entrance to the Pontus. Nicomedes also sent 50,000 foot soldiers and 6000 cavalry to help them. (Appian.)
3923. Mithridates had in his army 250,000 foot soldiers and 40,000 cavalry 300 ships with decks and 100 galleys with two tiers of oars. He had made other preparations required for so numerous an army. Neoptolemus and Archelaus were two brothers and had the command of these forces. The king personally took charge of many things. Among the auxiliaries, Archathias, Mithridates' son, brought 10,000 cavalry from Armenia the lesser. Dorylaus came from Phalanges with heavily armed foot soldiers. Craterus had the command of 130 chariots with scythes. (Appian.)
3924. As soon as Nicomedes and Mithridates' generals found each other in the plain near the Amnias River, they drew into battle array. Nicomedes used every man he had but Neoptolemus and Archelaus only used their lightly armed foot soldiers and Arcathias' cavalry along with some chariots. They made a phalanx of 8000 men. It was not yet come up but was on the march. The victory was uncertain. Sometimes one side had the upper hand then the other side. At last Mithridates' commanders with their smaller number of soldiers, unleashed their chariots armed with scythes and mowed the enemy down. It was hard to believe how many were killed. Nicomedes was forced to flee with his forces into Paphlagonia. The deserted enemy camp was plundered and the victors took the money. (Appian. cf. Memnon. c. 33. & Strabo l. 12. p. 562.)
3925. Nicomedes was chased from the field of battle and camped near the place where Manius Aquilius was with his brigade. Mithridates took the Scoroba Mountain which divides the Bithynians and the Pontus. He sent 100 cavalry of Sarmatans as his scouts who attacked 800 of Nicomedes' cavalry and took some of them prisoners. Neoptolemus and Nemanes, an Armenian, first entered the village of Pacheus about 7 hours after the battle and overtook Manius Aquilius, as he was drawing off his forces when Nicomedes was gone to Cassius. They forced him to fight when he had with him 4000 cavalry and 40,000 foot soldiers. Of these 10,000 were killed and 3000 taken prisoner. After this disaster, Aquilius fled as fast as he could toward the Sangarius River and crossed by night and escaped to Pergamus. (Appian. cf. Livy l. 77.)
3926. Cassius, Nicomedes and all the Roman delegates moved their camps and marched to Leontocephale which was the best fortified citadel in all Phrygia. They exercised a company of new soldiers whom they had gathered together from among the tradesmen, husbandmen and the scum of the people and made a levy of the Phrygians also. When they saw they would make poor soldiers, they dismissed them all and retreated from there. Cassius marched away with his forces to Apamea, Nicomedes to Pergamos and Aquilius toward Rhodes. As soon as tidings of this were brought to those that were set to keep the entrance into Pontus, they dispersed themselves. They delivered the inlets of Pontus and Nicomedes' ships as a prize to Mithridates. (Appian.)
3927. Mithridates sent all the prisoners home that he had taken in this war with provisions for the journey. He hoped by that act of clemency to get a good reputation among his enemies. (Appian.) This kind jesture was so admired by all, that all the cities came flocking to his side. Ambassadors came to him from all cities and invited him by their public decrees to come to them and called him their god and deliverer. When Mithridates came near a city the people came flocking from various cities in white garments to greet him and received him with great joy and acclamation. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Valesii. p. 401.) The titles of honour which they conferred on him, were too notable and so high for a mere man but were more befitting a god. They called him their god and asked for his help. (Athen. l. 5. c. 11,) They called him their lord, father, preserver of Asia, Evius, Dionysius, Nysius, Bromius and Bacchus. (Cicero. pro. Flacco.) Plutarch gives the reason in the first book of his Symposiacs why the title of Bacchus was given more than all the rest.
3928. After Nicomedes had withdrawn to Italy, Mithridates seized on all of Bithynia, so that he had nothing else to do there but to ride in circuit from city to city to settle things and put them in order. (Memnon. c. 33. Livy l. 76, 77. Strabo, l. 12. p. 502. Appian. p. 183.) From there he marched with a considerable army into Phrygia, a province belonging to the people of Rome. (Livy l.77.) He stayed in the same quarters which Alexander the Great had done previously. He took this for a very good omen that it happened that he should lodge at night where Alexander himself had slept. So he overran all Phrygia, Mysia and Asia including the provinces which had recently been taken over by the Romans, as far as Caria and Lycia. (Appian. p. 183.)
3916a AM, 4625 JP, 89 BC
3929. Mithridates sent his commanders around to subdue Lycia, Pamphylia and other places as far as Ionia. (Appian. p. 184.) He also invaded Paphlagonia and drove out from there Pyloemen the king who was a confederate of the people of Rome. (Eutrop. l. 5. Oros. l. 6. c. 2. cf. Appian in Mithridatic. p. 209.)
3930. The Athenians sent an ambassador to Mithridates. He was Athenio, the son by an Egyptian slave of Athenio the peripatetic. After his master died, he was left as the heir and enrolled as a free citizen of Athens. He assumed the name of Aristion, and taught young boys rhetoric and the peripatetic philosophy. He had no sooner wormed his way into the list of the king's favourites but he immediately solicited them through his letters to new ways of running the state. (Atheneus, l. 5. c. 10. & 11. Exposidonii Apameni Historia.) He was a person who was most impudent and cruel. He imitated the most vile of Mithridates' vices. (Plutarch. in Sulla, and his transcriber Dio, in Valesii Excerptis, p. 649.)
3931. Mithridates promised security and protection to the Laodiceans who lived near the Lycus River on the condition they turn over the proconsul. Q. Oppio. The proconsul of Pamphylia had retreated with his cavalry and mercenary soldiers. They disbanded the mercenaries and brought Oppius to Mithridates. He ordered the lictors to go before him in derision. Mithridates took him wherever he went and was extremely proud that he had taken a Roman general prisoner. (Livy. l. 78. Athenaus ut supra, c. 11. Appian. p. 184.)
3932. Mithridates' side swept all before them in Asia as they went around without opposition. All the cities strangely revolted from the Romans. The Lesbians resolved to surrender to the king and to turn over Aquilius to him, who fled to Mitilene to recover from a disease. Thereupon they sent to Aquilius' lodging, a company of strong youths. They came rushing into the room where Aquilius was and took and bound him. The Lesbians thought that he would be a most rare present and very acceptable to Mithridates. (Diod. Sic. in Excerptis Valesii, p. 401.) Along with Aquilius the Mitylenians turned over other prisoners to Mithridates.
3933. The king carried Aquilius wherever he went, bound on an ass. He had been the head of the embassy and the chief instigator of this war. He forced him with his own mouth to proclaim to the on lookers that he was Manius Aquilius. He was bound to Bastarnes who was about 7 and a half feet tall. Sometimes he was led on foot in a chain by a trouper. At last after he had been scourged and put on the rack at Pergamos, Mithridates ordered melted gold to be poured down his throat in atonement for the Roman corruption and bribery. (Athenaus & Appian. ut supr. cf. Cicero in Orat. prolege Manilia, & l. 5. Tusculan. quaest. Livy l. 78. & Pliny l. 33. c. 3.)
3934. After the king had appointed governors of the various places he had subdued, he went to Magnesia, Ephesus and Mitylene and was royally welcomed. When he came to Ephesus, the Ephesians took down all the statues of the Romans which they had set up among them. (Appian.)
3935. Mithridates' generals were received favourably by the cities. They found in these cities a good supply of gold and silver which the former kings had horded up and a good provision for war. Using this Mithridates did not need any tribute, so he forgave the cities their arrears of both public and private accounts and granted a release from tribute for 5 years. (Justin. l. 38. c. 3.) He says this of himself, in his letter to Atsaces. (l. 4. Histor. Calust.)
``I, in revenge of the injuries done to me, drove Nicomedes from Bithynia, recovered Asia, King Antiochus' spoil and eased Greece of that heavy burden under which it groaned.''
3936. When Mithridates returned from Ionia, he captured Stratonicea and imposed a fine on it and left a garrison in it. He saw here a very beautiful virgin, called Monima, Philoponeses' daughter, whom he took along with him and put her among his women. He continued his war with the Magnetians, Paphlagonians and with the Lycians because they made some resistance and would not allow him to place his garrisons among them. (Appian.) In this dispute near the Sipylus Mountain, the Magnetians wounded Archelaus, Mithridates' general, who was pillaging their borders and they killed many of his men. (Pausanias in Atticis, p. 18.)
3937. Cleopatra the Egyptian queen, thought she had thwarted a plot by her son Alexander and planned his overthrow. However, she was taken by him and put to death. Neither was she in anyway to be pitied, who had done such wicked deeds. She drove her own mother from her marriage bed. She made her two daughters widows by forcing them to barter their husbands. She engaged in a war against one of her sons and did not stop until she had banished him. She deprived the other of his kingdom and his father plotted his murder. (Justin. l. 39. c. 4. cf. Pausanias in Atticis, p. 8. cf. Athenaus, l. 12. c. 27. cf. Eusebius in Chronico.) had Alexander reigned together with his mother for 18 years. (Porphyr. in Greek Euseb. Scaliger, p. 225.)
3938. As soon as it was known that Cleopatra was killed by her son, Alexander, the people were in an uproar which made Alexander flee the place. After he left, the Alexandrians sent ambassadors to Cyprus to Ptolemy Lathurus the older brother and turned over the kingdom of Egypt to him. He ruled for 8 years or as Porphyrius has more exactly stated, 7 years and 6 months. (Justin. l. 39. c. 5, Pausan. Porphyr. & Euseb. ut supr.)
3916b AM, 4626 JP, 88 BC
3939. After the death of her husband, Anna the prophetess, daughter of Phanuel did not leave the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day for 84 years until the time she saw Christ in the temple. Lu 2:37
3940. The Italians who revolted from the Romans, sent to Mithridates to ask him to march with his forces into Italy against the Romans. With his help they thought their united forces could easily defeat the Romans. Mithridates replied that he was resolved to march into Italy after he had completed his conquest over Asia with which he was now fully occupied. After Mithridates' refusal to help, the Italians began to despair and lost courage. Thereby the war with the confederates or the Marsian war died away. (Diod. Sic. in Bibliotheca, Photii, cod. 244.) In this war, among the supplies sent to the Romans from foreign parts as mentioned by Livy (l. 72.) there was sent from the Heracleots of Pontus, two galleys with 4 tiers of oars. Concerning this, Memnon mentioned in his history of them. (c. 31.) Among others on the Italian side, Agamemnon the Cilician pirate helped them. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 398. & P. Orosius, in l. 5. c. 18.)
3941. Mithridates found that the citizens of Rome who were scattered through the cities of Asia were an hinderance to his plans. He sent private letters from Ephesus to the governors and magistrates of the cities. He ordered them that they all on the same day, 30 days from then, would to kill all the Roman and Italian sojourners with their wives, children and all other free born citizens of the Italians. Their bodies were to be left unburied. One part of their goods was to go to the king and the other to the assassins. He also threatened by a public crier to fine anyone who dared to bury any of the dead or hid any of them that had escaped the massacre. He promised a reward to those that would find any that did this. He promised a slave his liberty if he would murder his Roman master and to the debtor one half of his debt to kill his creditor. These instructions were secretly sent to all of them. When the appointed day came, it was not possible to count the great numbers of Roman citizens who were massacred at that time and in what a sad state most of the provinces were in. How pitiful a state of those that were killed and those that killed them. Everyone was compelled either to betray his innocent guests and friends or they would be fined. (Appian. in Mithridatic, p. 185. 206, 209, 212. cf. Cicero, in Orat. prologue Manilia, & pro Flacco, and with Memnon in Excerpt. c. 33. with Livy, l. 78. with Velleio Patercul. l. 2. c. 18. with Flor. l. 3. c. 5. with Eutrop. l. 5. & Orosius, l. 6. c. 2.)
3942. The Ephesians dragged those that had taken sanctuary in Diana's temple from the very embraces of their shrines and killed them. The Pergamenians were killed with arrows as they clung to the statues in the temple of Esculapius where they had fled for help and could not be persuaded to leave. The Adramytrians killed them with their children in the waters as they attempted to swim across the sea. The Caunians after their victory over Antiochus, were placed under the Rhodians and a little before that they were restored by the senate to their privileges and counted as Italians. They had escaped to the sacred court of that city from the very altars. After they had killed the infants before their mother's eyes, they killed the mothers and then their husbands. (Appian. ut supra, p. 185.) The Trallians did not kill anyone but to avoid the scandal of killing those who lived with them, hired a bloody fellow, Theophilus, a Paphlagonian to do the job. He acted so savagely that he shut them up in the temple of concord and then attacked them with his sword and cut off their hands as they embraced the statues. (Id. ibid. compared with Dion. in Excerptis Valesii, p. 642.)
3943. P. Rutilus Rufus who had been the consul, lived in banishment among the Mitylenians. He escaped the king's fury against all Roman men by dressing like a philosopher. (Cicero. pro. C. Rubinio Posthumo.) The fable of Theophanes the Mitylenian who wrote the affairs of Pompey the Great, is not to be credited at all. He wrote that in the fort Kaita, which was taken by Pompey, there was found among other precious secrets of Mithridates a speech of Rutilius in which he blamed the king for this cruel massacre of the Romans. (Plutarch in Pompey) Other Romans like Rutilius changed their clothes to better escape the danger which was at that time so imminent. (Athena. l. 5. c. 11.) The floating islands of Calaminae, in Lydia, saved many of the citizens. (Pliny l. 2. c. 95.) However, for all this, in that one day 80,000 were killed, (Memnon. c. 33. Valer. Maxim. l. 9. c. 2.) and not 150,000 as stated by Plutarch, (in Sulla) and by Dion who followed his history. (Legat. 36. or 37.)
3944. Mithridates sailed over to Cos where he found a party willing to receive him. The Cosians gave him the son, Alexander, of that Alexander, who had reigned in Egypt previously whom his grandmother, Cleopatra, had left in Cos with a large supply of money. He adopted him as his own son and raised him. Mithridates was well supplied from Cleopatra's treasures with wealth, exquisite pieces made by the craftsmen, jewels, all things belonging to women's dresses and a huge hoard of money. He sent all this away to Pontus. (Appian. in Mithridaticis, p. 186. 252., 253. & Bell. Civil. l. 1. p. 414.) Josephus from the books of Strabo's histories stated that Mithridates carried away in addition to those treasures which belonged to Cleopatra, 800 talents of the Jews' money. He thought that it was deposited by the Jews in Asia in that island from fear of the Mithridatic war and that the money was intended for the temple of Jerusalem. (l. 14. c. 12.)
3945. In the 19th year of his reign in Egypt and his 26th in Cyprus, Alexander, the father of this young Alexander, was defeated in a naval battle by the Egyptians under their admiral Tyrhus who was of royal blood. Alexander was forced with his wife and daughter, to flee to Myra, a city in Lycia. From there as he was sailing toward Cyprus, he was found by Chaereas, a sea captain and was killed. (Porphyr. in Grac. Eusebius, Scaliger, p. 225.)
3946. Athenio or Aristio, the Athenian ambassador was returning home to the Athenians from Asia from seeing Mithridates. He was driven by a storm to Carystia in Eubaea. The Athenians sent some long ships and a chair supported by silver feet to bring him home. Most of the city ran out of yje town to greet him. No sooner had he gotten the power of the city into his own hands, but he acted like a tyrant. He either killed those who favoured the Romans or else turned them over to Mithridates. To avoid this, many escaped to Amisus, a colony of the Athenians in Asia and were allowed into the city. (Possidonius, Apamenus, apud Athenaum, l. 5. c. 11. cf. Plutarch in Lucullo, cf. Pausianias in Atticis, p. 18.)
3947. Those Italians who escaped from Asia, found a sanctuary at Rhodes. L. Cassius the proconsul of Asia was one of these. The Rhodians fortified their walls and ports and positioned their engines. They were helped by some Telmissrans and Lycians. When Mithridates and his fleet approached, they pulled down the suburbs so that they might not be a shelter to the enemy or serviceable to them. They put their ships into fighting formation, some in the front and others on the sides. (Appian) The Rhodian ships were out numbered but in everything else they were superior. They had experienced pilots and better knew how to arrange their ships and work the oars. They had more valiant soldiers and the more skilled and courageous commanders. On the contrary, the Cappadocians were but fresh water soldiers and had little experience in naval battles. They did everything in a disorderly way which proved their undoing. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Vales. p. 402.)
3948. The Cappadocians were now ready to engage with the enemy at sea in the presence of their king and desired to prove their loyalty and affections to him. Since their only advantage was in the number of their ships, they tried to intercept the enemy's fleet by surprise. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Vales. p. 402) Finally after sunset, Damagoras the admiral of the Rhodian fleet, attacked 25 of the king's ships with his 6. He sank 2 and and forced another 2 to flee to Lycia. After spending the night at sea, he returned back again. In this encounter, one of the Chian ships, an ally of Rhodes, on the way attacked Mithridates' ship as he was encouraging his soldiers. The king almost fell into the enemy's hands and he later punished the captain and pilot and was displeased with all the Chians. After this, as Mithridates' land forces were sailing to him from Asia in ships and galleys, a sudden storm drove them onto Rhodes. The Rhodians attacked them as they were disordered and dispersed by the storm. They boarded some ships, sank others and burned others. They captured 400 prisoners. At last, Mithridates brought his engines and scaling-ladders to take the city. He was driven off and forced to retreat from Rhodes in disgrace. (Appian. cf. Memnon c. 33. & Livy l. 78.)
3949. From there he went to Patara and besieged it. Since he did not have materials for engines, he began to cut down Latona's grove. He had a dream that ordered him to stop and not to cut down those consecrated trees. He left Pelopidas to carry on the war in Lycia and he sent Archelaus into Greece to draw either by any means as many cities as he could into his alliance. While he entrusted his commanders with many great businesses, he busied himself in levying of soldiers, making arms and sporting about with his Stratonicean women. He also was busy in the examination of all persons who were charged of treason, either by attempting to kill him or overthrow the state or were in any way so inclined. (Appian. p. 188.)
3950. Archelaus, the king's general, was sent ahead into Achaia with 120,000 foot soldiers and cavalry. He had the city of Athens surrendered to him by Aristo the Athenian. (Livy l. 78. Eutrop. l. 5. Oras. l. 6. c. 2.) From there he went with his fleet and provisions to Delos which had revolted from the Athenians and destroyed other citadels. He also took money which had been dedicated to Apollo and sent it away by Aristo to the Athenians with an escort of 2000 soldiers for safety. (Appian. p. 188, 189.) Apellicon Teius, (Appian. l. 5. c. 11.) an Athenian citizen was a most intimate friend of Athenion or Aristo since they were both peripatetics. He quickly came with some companies of foot soldiers to Delos. He stayed there a while and thought he was safe enough. He did not place the guards with the care he should have and did not secure the hinder part of the island with a garrison or trench. Orobius or Orbius, the general of the Roman army was entrusted with Delos. He saw the man's negligence and imprudence and came with his forces on a dark night. He attacked them when they were in a deep sleep and had been drinking. He cut the throats of 600 of the Athenians and their auxiliaries, as if they had been so many sheep. He took about 400 alive. However, Apellicon escaped who so unworthily commanded that force. Many of them fled to the nearby villages for safety but Orobius pursued them and set fire to the houses, and burnt both them their siege engines and other engines that belonged to the league. When he was all done, he erected a monument and altar with this inscription:
Here lies with sea, a foreign nation near The shores of Delos; which died fighting here.
When those of Athens spoiled the holy isle, The Cappadocian king received a foil.
3917a AM, 4626 JP, 88 BC
3951. Mithridates sent Methrophanes with another band of soldiers and slaughtered many in Eubae, the country of Demetrias and Magnesia who were opposed to the king. Bryttius (or Brutius Sura, praetor of Sentius Macedonias and delegate, as Plutarch shows) with some small forces which he brought from Macedonia attacked him at sea. He sank one large ship and one ship called Hemiolia. He killed all the men that were in them while Metrophanes stood by looking on. The sight seemed so dreadful to him that he hoisted sail and got away as fast as he could. Bryttius chased him but the wind favoured Metrophanes. Bryttius was happy to give up the chase and attack Sciathus an island which was the common hang out for the barbarian thieves and robbers. As soon as he conquered the place, he hung all the slaves that were found there and the he punished the free men with the loss of their hands. (Appian.)
3952. One of the sons of Mithridates held that ancient kingdom of Pontus and Bosphorus as far as the waste above the lake of Maeotis and no one opposed him. The other Ariarathes, proceeded in the conquest of Thracia and Macedonia. The various generals whom Mithridates sent with armies stayed in other quarters. Archelaus was the head of them and with his fleet controlled almost all of the sea. He brought the islands of Cyclades under his jurisdiction and as many others as lay within Malea. (Plutarch in Sulla.) Eretria, Chalcis and all Eubaea came and sided with Mithridates. (Memnon c. 34.)
3917b AM, 4627 JP, 87 BC
3953. Lucius Sulla the proconsul with L. Cornelius Cinna the consul marched into Greece with 5 legions and some other companies to manage the Mithridatic war. (Plutarch, in Sulla. Dio. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 642. Appian. in Mithridatic. p. 390. & l. 1. Civ. Bell. p. 399.) Mithridates at that time stayed at Pergamos where he was very busy distributing among his friends his wealth, principalities and places of command. Among the many signs which happened to Mithridates while he stayed at Pergamos, it is said that at the same instant that Sulla put to sea with his fleet from Italy, the men of Pergamos in the theatre were letting down with an engine a statue of victory bearing a crown upon Mithridates' head. It happened that when the crown had just come to his head, it fell to the ground and was broken in pieces. This accident was taken as a bad omen and the people were struck with horror. Although everything was going well for him at that time, Mithridates was also greatly amazed. (Plutarch in Sulla.)
3954. Among the other strange visions which appeared to Mithridates when he first planned his war against the allies of the people of Rome, are these ones. Julias Obsequens says this happened at the time of the consulship of L. Sulla and Q. Pompey. At Stratopedo, where the senate usually sat, the crows killed a vulture with their beaks. The form of Isis seemed attacked with thunder and a huge star fell from heaven on the same place. At that time Mithridates was busy in burning the grove dedicated to the Furies, a great laughing was heard but no one could be found who laughed. When by the advice of the soothsayers, he would have sacrificed a virgin to the Furies, a sudden fit of laughing burst forth from the throat of the damsel which disturbed the sacrifice.
3955. M. Cicero at Rome, studied under Molon the Rhodian, who was the most famous for pleading of causes and the best instructer. (Cicero in Bruto.) This was that Alabandensian Orator from Caria, as described later by Strabo. (See note on 3927 AM << >>).
3956. When Sulla entered Attica, he sent part of his forces to oppose Aristion in the city. He personally marched immediately to Pineum where Archelaus, Mithridates' general, had retreated within the walls. (Appian.)
3918a AM, 4627 JP, 87 BC
3957. The winter season was drawing on and Sulla camped near Eleusine where he made a deep trench from the mountains to the sea. He wanted ships that he sent to Rhodes, to bring him supplies. (Appian.)
3958. Finally in March, Sulla took Athens which was very short of provisions: He relates this in his commentaries.
``htij hmera sumpiptz malisa th noumtwia tou Anbesheiatnos mtwosà su wht tucgw upomtimata pollad pou lga t epom beian oliqrou kn t fqoeas dxeiuhj drazsinà ws tote kn pxi t ceonqn sheinon malisa tou hataklusmossumpesontos'' (Plutarch)
3959. Comparing that day with the beginning of the month Anthesterion, it was the time when the memory of Ogygis' flood is celebrated by the Athenians. The Athenian lunar month of Anthesterion in Plutarch's time corresponded to March. However, the incorrect calendar of the Romans, the month of March happened on the Athenian month Poseidon which on the Julian calendar was in December.
3918b AM, 4628 JP, 86 BC
3960. The Rhodians found it impossible to bring supplies to Sulla by sea because of Mithridates' fleets which policed the seas. They advised L. Lucullus, a man of great repute among the Romans and one of Sulla's ambassadors to sail secretly to Syria, Egypt and Libya. He was to gather what ships he could from the king's cities and bring them to join with the Rhodian fleet. He set out in the midst of winter and was not deterred by the unfavourable sailing weather. He left with 3 Greek and 3 Rhodian galleys. He risked his life on the sea and the many enemy ships that patrolled the area. In spite of this, he arrived at Crete and got that island to help him. (Appian. Mithridatic. p. 192. Plutarch in Lucullo.)
3961. When Athens was taken, Aristio the tyrant and others retreated into the fort of Athens. After they had been besieged by Curio for a long time, they were forced to surrender for lack of water. On the same day at the very time Curio brought the tyrant from the fort, the sky suddenly became overcast and there was a violent rain storm which supplied the fort with fresh water. Sulla executed Aristion and his company and any who held an office among them or had any ways violated the constitutions which the Romans established among them after their conquest of Greece. To all the others he granted his free pardon. (Appian Mithridatic p. 195. 196. Plutarch in Sulla. Strabo. l. 9. p. 398.) Pausan stated that when Aristio fled to the temple of Minerva for sanctuary, Sulla commanded him to be dragged there and put to death. (in Attic. p. 18.) Others say that he was poisoned by Sulla. (Plutarch. in Sulla.)
3962. Magnesia was the only city in all Asia which remained loyal to the Romans and valiantly fought against Mithridates. (Livy l. 81.)
3963. Lucullus noted that the Cyrenians were always ruled by tyrants and continually embroiled in war. He settled the affairs of their state and enacted laws to secure the peace of the state for the future. (Plutarch in Lucullo.) After they had been taken over by the Romans 10 years earlier, they had been grievously oppressed by Nicocrates and his brother Leandri. They had recently been relieved from their oppression through Aretaphila, Nicocrates' wife. Plutarch show this in his little book of women's virtues. 10 years later, Cyrene was made a province by the Romans as noted by Appian. (See note on 3928 AM << >>) Josephus stated from books of Strabo's histories that at this time Cyrene was disturbed by a rebellion of the Jews and that Lucullus was quickly sent there by Sulla to pacify it. (Joseph. l. 14. c. 12.)
3964. As Lucullus was sailing from Cyrene to Egypt, he nearly lost all his ships by a sudden attack of pirates. He escaped safely in person to Alexandria where he was received with a great deal of honour. The whole fleet was gloriously decorated and went to meet him as was their custom anytime their king returned from the sea. Ptolemy Lathurus, whom Plutarch incorrectly calls a youth, treated him very courteously. He gave him his lodging and his table at court, which was never before known to be done to any foreign commander. He allowed him 4 times the usual amount to pay his expenses. Lucullus only took what was necessary and refused all presents although some were worth 80 talents. It is said that he did not go to Memphis nor went to see any of the famous wonders of Egypt. He considered those things as sights for tourists and not for one who had left his general in the open field marching against the garrisons of the enemy. (Plutarch in Lucullo.)
3965. Aurelius Victor writes that Lucullus won Ptolemy king of Alexandria, over to his side with Sulla the consul. (de. vir. illistr. c. 74.) However, at that time, Sulla was not a consul but a proconsul. Also Ptolemy would not ally himself with Sulla for fear of being attacked. However Ptolemy allowed Lucullus ships to take him to Cyprus. When he was leaving, Ptolemy greeted him and gave him an emerald set in gold. Lucullus first refused this but when the king showed him the king's own picture engraved on it, Lucullus dared not refuse lest the king thought he left unhappy with him and he be attacked at sea. (Plutarch, in Lucullo.)
3966. Lucullus with those ships he had gathered from among the port towns as he sailed by, condemned all who had been engaged in piracy. He sailed over into Cyprus. He was told that the enemy was lurking under the promontories to catch him. He sailed his fleet into harbour and wrote to the cities around there to provide him with winter quarters and provisions. He pretended that he would stay there with his fleet until spring. However, as soon as the wind was favourable, he put to sea again. In the daytime he sailed with low sails and in the night he spread all the canvas he had. By this trick, he arrived safely with his fleet at Rhodes. (Plutarch, in Lucullo.)
3967. Cinna the consul, sent his colleague Lucius Valerius Flaccus with 2 legions into Asia to govern the province and to manage the war against Mithridates. He was a novice soldier and therefore C. Fimbria, one of the senators went along with him. He was a man of reputation among the soldiers. Livy, Aurelius, Victor and Orosius, call him Flaccus' delegate, Dio, his lieutenant general, Strabo, his quaestor, Velleius Paterculus, general of the cavalry. When they undertook this task, the senate ordered them to help Sulla as long as he was loyal to the senate otherwise they should fight with him. Soon after they had put to sea from Brundusium, many of their ships were ravaged by a storm. Ships from Mithridates burned the ships which were damaged. (Memnon, c. 36. Livy l. 82. Strabo, l. 13. p. 594. Vellei Patercul. l. 2. c 24. Dio. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 650. Appian. l. 1. Bell. Civil. p. 396. & in Mithridatic. p. 204. cf. Orosius, l. 6. c. 2.)
3968. Mithridates' general, Taxiles, marched from Thracia and Macedonia with 100,000 foot soldiers, 10,000 cavalry and 90 chariots with scythes. He asked Archelaus to help him and they combined their forces. They had 120,000 men (Memnon acknowledges more than 60,000) consisting of Thracians, Pontics, Scythians, Cappodicians, Bithynians, Galatians, Phrygians and others who came from Mithridates' new provinces. Sulla brought along with him L. Hortensius, who had 6000 men from Italy. They fought with Taxiles near Chaeronea even thought he only had about 1500 cavalry and 15,000 foot soldiers according to Plutarch. However, Appian stated that his whole body was so small that it was less than a third the size of the enemy. Sulla won and killed 110,000 of the enemy, (or 100,000 as in Livy's Epitome) and pillaged their camp. Archelaus escaped to Chalcis with not many more than 10,000 men. Sulla stated that he lost about 14 men, others say 15. Two of the supposed dead returned to the camp at evening. (Memnon, c. 34. Livy l. 82. Plutarch in Sulla. Appina. in Mithridatic, Eutrop. l. 5. Oros. l. 6. c. 2.)
3969. Sulla received news that Flaccus, the consul who was in an opposing political party, was sailing across the Ionian Sea with some legions under the pretence that he came against Mithridates but he came to fight Sulla. Sulla marched into Thessalia to meet him. (Plutarch.) Flaccus was a poor person to lead the army. He was poorly qualified, covetous, rigorous and cruel when punishing his soldiers. His soldiers detested him so much that part of those who were sent by him into Thessalia, defected to Sulla. The rest would have also revolted had it not been for Fimbria, who was reputed the better soldier and of a softer temper. (Appian. p. 204.)
3970. Since the Romans had no navy, Archelaus roved about the islands quite secure and made havock anywhere he pleased all along the coast. He ventured ashore and laid siege to Cerinthus. He was attacked in the night by some Romans who were strangers in those parts. He hurried to his ships again and sailed back to Chalois more likely a pirate than a warrior. (Appian)
3971. Mithridates was much appalled by the news of his defeat but he was not discouraged too much. He made new levies from all the countries under his dominion. He feared lest some be encouraged by his defeat to revolt from him. Therefore he though it best to secure all those he suspected before the war broke out afresh. (Appian.)
3972. He began with the tetrarchs of the Galatians, as well those whom he had about him as his friends, as those who were not as yet subdued by him. He killed them all with their wives and children, except 3 who escaped. He surprised some by treachery and the rest he massacred in one night at a party. He was jealous that none of them would remain loyal to him if Sulla chanced to come into those parts. After he confiscated their gods, he placed garrisons into their cities and made Eumachus governor over the whole country. Shortly after the tetrarchs escaped, they gathered a force and drove him and his garrisons from Galatia. Hence, Mithridates had nothing from that country but money. (Appian.)
3973. He was angry with the Chians, ever since that time a ship of theirs in the naval battle with the Rhodians happened to attack the king's ship. He first set to sell the goods of all the citizens who defected to Sulla. After that, he sent some persons to spy on the Roman faction among the Chians. At last, Zenobius, or as Memnon wrote, Dorylaus, came there with an army under the pretence of going into Greece. He surprised the Chians by night and captured their strongest forts. After this, he placed guards at the gates of the city and he assembled the citizens together. He compelled them to turn over their arms and the best men's sons for hostages. These were sent to Erithiae. After this, Mithridates sent letters to the Chians about asking for 2000 talents in compensation. They were forced to take down the ornaments from their temples and make their women give up their jewellery to pay this. In spite of this, Zenobius picked a quarrel with them pretending that their money was not enough. He ordered the men to separate themselves from the women and children to be carried by ship into the Euxine Sea to Mithridates. He divided their lands among the Pontics. (Appian. cf. Memnon. c. 35.)
3974. The Heraclians, who were good friends of the Chians attacked the Pontic ships which carried the captives on the way and brought them into their city. They did not make any resistance at all for they were out numbered. At that time they relieved the Chians and gave them what they needed. In time, they restored them to their own country after being very generous to them. (Memnon. c. 35.)
3975. The Ephesians ordered Zenobius as he approached the city with his soldiers, to lay down his arms at the gate of the city and to enter with a very small company. He was contented to do so and went to Philopoemenes, the father to Monima, one of Mithridates' concubines. From there he had a town crier summon the Ephesians together. Since they expected no good thing from him, they deferred the assembly until the next day. That night, they met together and urged each other to attack Zonobius. So they cast him into prison and killed him there. They placed their guards on the walls and they armed the common people. They arranged them into companies and brought home the grain from the fields. They secured the youth of the city from making any riots. The Trallians, Hypaepenians, Mesopolites and some others, among whom the Smyrdeans, Sardians and Colophonians, are mentioned by Orosius (l. 6. c. 2.) were terrified by the terrible disaster that had recently happened to the Chians. When they heard of the Ephesians exploits, they followed their example. (Appian.)
3919a AM, 4628 JP, 86 BC
3976. Fimbria, out distanced Flaccus and got a long way ahead of him in his march. He thought that now was a good time for some civil disorder. Therefore to endear his soldiers to him, he permitted them to make incursions into the countries of their allies. They could do what they pleased and take anyone they met captive. The soldiers really liked this idea so that within a few days they had gathered an abundance of wealth by their plundering. Those who had been robbed of their goods, went to meet the consul, Flaccus. They complained bitterly to him of the wrongs they had received. He was very upset by this and ordered them to follow him. He personally would see that restitution was made to everyone that had been robbed. He threatened and ordered Fimbria immediately to return to the owners whatever had been taken away from them. Fimbria placed full blame on the soldiers who did this without any orders from him. However, he secretly told them to ignore the consuls commands nor allow that to be taken from them which they had gotten by law of arms. After this when Flaccus demanded that restitution be made for their rapine and added threats to his commands, the soldiers refused to obey. There was a great rebellion in the camp. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Valesii. p. 406, 409.)
3977. On his march to meet Flaccus, when Sulla had come as far as the town of Melitea, he received news from various places that the country which he left behind was over run with another army of the kings as much as before. For Dorylaus had arrived at Chalcis with a large fleet, in which he carried 80,000 armed men who were the most exercised and best experienced of all Mithridates' soldiers. He attacked Reotis and after he captured all that region, he marched to fight with Sulla. (Plutarch in Sulla.)
3978. This Dorylaus was the son of Philaetor who was the brother to that Dorylaus, the general. (See note on 3879 AM <<3620>>). He was raised by Mithridates who liked him very much. When he was a man, the king promoted him to the highest honours of which the highest was being appointed the priesthood of Comana in Pontus. The king invited his relatives, the sons of Dorylaus the general and Sterota, a woman of Macetis, Lagera, whose daughter was the mother to Strabo the geographer and Stratarcha, after their father's death to come to him at Cnossus. (Strabo. l. 10. p. 477, 478. & l. 12. p. 557.)
3979. Dorylaus with his 80,000 (Plutarch and Appian) or with 70,000 (Eutropius and Orosius) choice soldiers joined with Archelaus' forces. He had only 10,000 left of his former army and tried in vain to convince Dorylaus not to attack Sulla. They attacked Sulla near Orchomenus and lost 15,000 men (Appian and Orosius) or 20,000 (Eutropsus). Archelaus' son, Diogenes was killed. Soon after this, they had a second battle, and in this the rest of Mithridates' forces were destroyed. For 20,000 were driven into a nearby moor and there butchered. They cried for mercy but the Romans did not understand their language and so they killed them. Many more were forced into a river and drowned. The rest of the miserable wretches were killed on every side. (Appian, cf. Livy. l. 82. & Eutropius, l. 5. & Orosius, l. 6. c. 2.) Plutarch stated that the marshes overflowed with the blood of the dead and that a pool was filled up with dead bodies. So much so that 200 years later in his time many of the barbarians' bows, helmets, pieces of coats of mail and swords were found buried in the mud.
3980. Archelaus spent 2 days (Plutarch on Sulla) or 3 days (Eutropius l. 5.) hiding in the marshes of the Orchomenians, stripped and naked. At last, he found a little boat and sailed into Chalcis. Wherever he met with any of Mithridates' forces, he hastily assembled them into a body of troops. Sulla, pillaged and made what havock he could in Boeotia. It used to revolt at every new crisis. From there he passed into Thessaly and there made his winter quarters. He expected Lucullus' arrival with ships. When he heard no news of his coming, he built other ships. (Appian.) Livy stated (l. 82.) that Archelaus surrendered himself and the king's fleet to Sulla. Aurelius Victor wrote that by Archelaus' treachery, Sulla intercepted the fleet. (de vir. illustrib. c. 76.) It was evident that there was frequent secret communications between Sulla and Archelaus as well for other reasons. For Sulla had given to Archelaus 10,000 acres in Eubaea, where Chalcis was. However, Sulla tried to remove all those suspicions in his commentaries. (Plutarch. in Sulla, & Dio followed him. Legat, 33. or 34.) Although some expressions in a letter of Mithridates to Arsaces implied that those suspicions were so firmly rooted into men's minds that they were not easily removed. (Salust's Histories. l. 4.)
``Archelaus the most unworthy of those that were under me, thwarted my plans by his betraying my army.''
3981. Strabo stated that Archelaus, who waged war against Sulla, was highly admired by the Romans, Sulla and the senate. (Strabo. l. 12. p. 558, & l. 17. p. 796.)
3982. In the interim, Flaccus came to Byzantium, where Fimbria had caused the soldiers to revolt against him. Flaccus ordered his soldiers to stay outside the walls, while he entered the city. Thereupon Fimbria began to accuse Flaccus of receiving money from the citizens of Byzantium and that he had gone to pamper himself in the city while they endured the harshness of winter in the open fields in their tents. These speeches so highly enraged the soldiers that they broke into the city and killed a few whom they met by chance on the way. They dispersed themselves into various houses, (Dio. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 650.)
3983. L. Valerius Flaccus passed through the region of Byzantium into Bithynia and camped at Nicaea. (Memnon c. 36.) Cicero (in his Oration for Flaccus, this man's son) stated:
``It was the same time when all Asia shut her gates to L. Flaccus, the consul or now rather proconsul, but not only received that Cappadocian (Mithridates) into their cities but sent deliberately to invite him to them.''
3919b AM, 4629 JP, 85 BC
3984. When some differences arose between Fimbria and Flaccus' treasurer, Flaccus was chosen as an arbitrator. He had so little regard for Fimbria's honour, that Fimbria threatened (as Appian has it), to return home to Rome) or (as it is in Dion) Flaccus threatened to send him to Rome whether he wanted to go or not. Thereupon Fimbria so vilely reproached Flaccus that Flaccus took away his command from him and assigned another to replace him. (Appian. p. 204. Dio. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 650.)
3985. After this dispute, Fimbria was discharged (Aurelius Victor, de vir. illustirb. c. 70.) and went to the soldiers at Byzantium. He greeted them as if he was going to Rome and desired letters from them to take to their friends there. He complained moreover of the great injustice done to him and reminded them of the good turns he had done for them and that they should take heed and look out for themselves. He secretly hinted by this that Flaccus had some plot against them. His words were well received and they wished him well. However they were jealous of Flaccus. Then he ascended the platform and in plain words incited them against Flaccus and among other things he charged Flaccus with bribing him to betray them. (Dio. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 650.)
3986. When Fimbria had again crossed the Hellespont, he stirred up his soldiers to acts of plunder and all kind of villainies. He exacted money from the cities and divided it among the soldiers whom he let do as they wished without restraint. They were attracted by the hopes of a large income and loved Fimbria all the more. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 409.)
3987. When Flaccus had gone towards Chalcedon with his fleet, Fimbria took the advantage of his absence. He began first with Thermus who was left in charge. He took away from him the fasces or ensigns of his authority as if he had taken that office on him from the army. Fimbria chased after Flaccus. However, Flaccus fled and hid in a private man's house. In the night, he scaled the wall and stole away first to Chalcedon and from there to Nicomedia and had the gates shut. Fimbria followed him closely and made the Roman consul (or rather one that had been consul, as Velleius terms him) and the commander-in-chief of this war to hide himself in a well. Fimbria dragged him from there and killed him. After he had cut off Flaccus' head, he threw it into the sea, but left the body lying unburied on the ground. (Appian. p. 204, 205. cf. Memnon, c. 36, 42. Livy l. 82. Velleius, Patercul. l. 2. c. 24. Strabo, l. 13. p. 594. Aurelius, Victor. de viris illustrib. c. 70. & Orosius, l. 6. c. 2.) Fimbria allowed his solders to plunder Nicomedia. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Vales. p. 409.)
3988. Mithridates sent an army against those that had revolted from him. After he had defeated them, he acted most rigorously against them. (Appian. p. 202.) He forced all the cities in Asia and miserably pillaged the province. (Livy l. 82.) He feared lest others should prove disloyal and made the cities of Greece free. He promised by a public crier to cancel all the debts of all the debtors, all prisoners would be allowed to live freely in their own cities and all slaves would be set free. He hoped that by these acts of grace he might buy the loyalty of all debtors, prisoners and slaves so they would help keep him in power. This happened not long after. (Appian. p. 202.)
3989. In the meantime the king's intimate friends, Mynio and Philotimus who were Smyrneans, and Clisthenes and Asclepiodotus who were from Lesbos conspired against Mithridates. Asclepiodotus had been sometimes commander of his mercenary soldiers. Asclepiodotus himself was the first to talk. To obtain credit for what he said, he had the king lie under a bed and listen to what Mysion would say. The treason was thus exposed and all the conspirators died on the rack. Many others were shrewdly suspected to have a hand in it. 80 Pergamedians were seized because they were thought to be in on this conspiracy and others in other cities. Then the king sent his inquisitors into all parts who executed about 1600 men for this conspiracy. Everyone of the inquisitors charged their enemies with treasonable conduct. Not long after this, the accusers were either punished by Sulla or killed themselves or accompanied Mithridates in his flight to Pontus. (Appian. p. 202, 213. cf. Orosius, l. 6, c. 2.)
3990. Among others, Diodorus, Mithridates' praetor, who claimed to be an academic philosopher, a lawyer and a rhetorician, killed all the elders of the Adramitteans to please the king. He went with the king into Pontus when the king was deposed. He starved himself to death to prevent the disgrace which was likely to happen to him because of some great crimes which he was charged with. (Strabo, l. 13. p. 614.)
3991. L. Lucullus with the help of some Rhodian ships and that fleet which he gathered together from Cyprus, Phoenicia and Pamphylia, wasted all the enemy's coasts. Now and then by the way, he fought with Mithridates' fleet. (Appian. 207, 208.) He persuaded the citizens of Cos and the Cnidians, to expel the king's garrisons and to take up arms with him against the Samians. He drove the king's party from Chios. He relieved the Colophonians and set them at liberty. He seized Epigonius, their king. (Plutarch in Lucullo.) Through Marena's help, he brought Mithridates' fleet to Sulla. (Aurel. Victor. de viris illustrib. c. 74.)
3920a AM, 4629 JP, 85 BC
3992. After C. Fimbria had killed Flaccus in Bithynia and taken his army, he was made their general. (Velleius, l. 2. c. 24.) He controlled some cities. Some voluntarily submitted to him while others were forced to submit. (Memnon. c. 36.) He killed many people not for any just reason but merely to gratify his passion and from cruelty. For one time he ordered some posts to be fastened to the ground, to which he was used to have men bound and scourged to death. When he saw that there were more posts available than condemned persons, he ordered his soldiers to seize some of the crowd that stood by and bind them to the posts lest the posts appear to have been set up in vain. (Dio. in excerptis Valesii. p. 653.)
3993. When Fimbria entered Cizicum, he claimed to be their friend. As soon as he was in, he began to charge all the wealthiest of them with some crime or other. After he had condemned two principal men of the city, he had them whipped with rods to terrify the rest. After this he had them decapitated and sold their goods. This forced others from fear to give to him all that they had. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt Valefii, p. 409.)
3994. Mithridates, the son of Mithridates, joined with Taxiles, Diophantes, and Menander, three most expert commanders. With a good army they marched against Fimbria. Because of the huge number of enemy soldiers, Fimbria lost some men in the battle. They came to a river which parted both armies. In a great storm of rain which happened before morning, Fimbria crossed the river and so surprised the enemy as they lay asleep in their tents so that they never knew he was there. He made such great slaughter of them that very few, only of the commanders and cavalry escaped. (Memnon. c. 36.)
3995. Among those who escaped, was Mithridates, the king's son. He was chased from Asia to Miletopolis and arrived safely from there with a company of cavalry to his father at Pergamos. Fimbria attacked the king's ships as they lay in harbour and drove him from Pergamos. After he had taken the city, he pursued him as he fled into Pitane. He besieged him and endeavoured to make a trench about the place. ( Memnon. c. 36. Livy l. 38. Appian. p. 205. Plut. in Lucullo. Aurel. Victor. de vir. illustr. c. 70. Oros. l. 6. c. 2.)
3996. Mithridates was now driven from the land by Fimbria and trapped in a corner facing the sea. He summoned together all his fleet from their various places. He did not want to fight with Fimbria who was clever and a conqueror. When Fimbria saw this happen, he quickly sent to Lucullus to ask him to bring his fleet and unite with him in taking this king who was the most bitter and cruel enemy of the people of Rome. If Lucullus had placed the public good ahead of his private animosities, they would have captured Mithridates. However, he did not and Mithridates escaped. (Plut. & Oros. l. 6. c. 2.)
3997. After Mithridates escaped with his fleet to Mitylene, Fimbria went up and down the province and levied fines on those that supported Mithridates. He destroyed the grounds of any who would not let him into their city. (Appian. ut. sup.) He recovered most of Asia for the Romans because of the various defections of the cities from Mithridates. (Memnon, c. 36. Livy l. 83.)
3998. When Fimbria tried to take Troy, they sent to Sulla for help. After Sulla agreed to help, he warned Fimbria not to meddle any further with those that had submitted to him. He commended Troy for returning to that alliance they formerly had with the people of Rome. He also said it did not really matter who they submitted to, since both Sulla and Fimbria were Roman citizens and they all descended from the Trojans. In spite of all this, Fimbria stormed the city and entered it upon the 11th day. He bragged had he had taken the city in only 11 days when Agamemnon with a fleet of a 1000 ships and the whole power of Greece had much trouble taking it in 10 years. A certain man said the reason was:
``There was not among us an Hector who would stand bravely to defend the city.''
3999. He indiscriminately killed all that he met and burned almost the whole city. He tormented to death those who were in the embassy to Sulla. Neither did he spare the holy things nor those who had fled to the temple of Minerva for sanctuary but burnt them and the temple together. Moreover he pulled down the walls. The next day he surrounded the city and looked for anything that had escaped his fury. He did not allow any fair court or consecrated house or statue to be left in the city. (Livy l. 83. Strabo, l. 13. p. 554. Appian. p. 205. Dio. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 653. Oros. l. 6. c. 2.)
4000. Fimbria ordered Troy burned to be because they were somewhat slow in opening the gates to him. Aurelius Victor wrote that Minerva's temple stood untouched. (De viris illistrib. c. 70.) He said:
``It was without all doubt preserved by the goddess herself.''
4001. However, Julius Obsequens and Appian affirm that the temple was burned. Among its ruins the Palladium that ancient image, which was supposed to be taken by Diomedes and Ulysses in the time of the Trojan war, was found safe and unharmed. Fimbria found this out, as Servius noted on the second book on the Aeneid, and it was later carried to Rome. However, Strabo stated that several similar images of Minerva were shown at Lavinium, Luceria and Siritis, as though they had been brought from Troy. (l. 6. p. 264.) Appian wrote that this destruction of Troy happened in the 173rd Olympiad, (p. 206.) and 1050 years after its destruction by Agamemnon. However, according to Eratosthenes, Apollodorus and Diodorus Siculus, there were 1099 years between that first destruction of Troy and the 4th year of the 173rd Olympiad when Troy was destroyed again.
4002. Lucullus first routed the king's fleet near Lection in Troas. At Tenedos, he saw Neoptolemus sailing toward him with a larger ship than before. He sailed some distance ahead of his fleet in a Rhodian ship with five tiers of oars. Damagoras was the captain of the ship and was very skilled in naval fights. He favoured the Romans. Neoptolemus sailed on him very fast and ordered the pilot to direct his forecastle against the enemy ship. Demagoras feared the size of the king's ship and the force of its brazen prow. He dared not to close in the front but ordered to the pilot to stop the course of the ship by turning her hastily about. So by breaking the blow, the enemy sailed quickly on. The ship was not harmed since he only struck some parts of the ship which were underwater. As soon as the rest of the fleet came to him, Lucullus commanded the pilot to steer about. After displaying his valour, he compelled the enemy to hoist sail and sailed as fast as he could in the pursuit of Neoptolemus. (Plutarch in Lucullo.)
4003. Aretas, king of Coelosyria was invited by the citizens of Damascus to be over the government because they disliked Ptolemy Mennaeus. Aretas entered with an army into Judaea. After he had defeated Alexander Jannaeus at Adida, he marched home after securing terms of peace with Alexander. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 23.)
4004. When Cinna and Carbo started a civil disorder in Rome, they violently attacked the most eminent persons of the city without any restraint. Most of the nobility stole away first into Achaia and later to Asia to Sulla. In a short time, there was in his camp many senators. (Vellet. Patercul. lib. 2. c. 23. Plutarch, in Sulla, & from him Dio. in Excerpt. Vales. p. 649.) All urged him to come to the relief of his own country which was in extreme danger and almost lost. (Eutrop. l. 5. Oros. l. 15. c. 20.) Metella, his wife, barely escaped with her own life and her children and came to his house. She told Sulla that his house and its village were burned by the enemy and therefore begged him to come and help the city. (Plutarch.)
4005. After Mithridates considered how many men he had lost in so short a time since he first advanced into Greece, he wrote to Archesaus to make peace with Sulla on as honourable conditions as he could get. (Appian. p. 206.) Sulla was now in a great perplexity. He did not want to abandon his country in that sad state it was in, nor did he want to leave Asia with an unfinished war with Mithridates. Thereupon Archelaus of Delos offered to negotiate the treaty and had some hopes and secret instructions from Archelaus the king's general. Sulla was very well pleased by this and he hurried to go and confer with Archelaus. They met at sea near Delos, where Apollo's temple stands. Archelaus began by demanding of Sulla that he would abandon his Asian and Pontic expedition and go home to put down the civil war there. He said that the king, his master, would supply him with what silver, ships, or men, he needed. Sulla replied and told him to abandon Mithridates and reign in his stead. He would call Archelaus an ally and friend of Rome, if he would turn over the king's fleet to him. Archelaus detested so treacherous an act. Finally, Sulla set forth some conditions of peace to be made with the king. (Plutarch in Sulla.) Among the conditions was one that the king should withdraw all his garrisons from all places except those in which he had soldiers before the war broke out. When Archelaus heard this, he immediately removed the garrisons. Archelaus wrote the king concerning the other articles to know what the king wanted to do. (Appian. p. 207.)
4006. When the articles were agreed on, Sulla withdrew to Hellespont, and crossed through Thessalie and Macedonia. Archelaus accompanied him and Sulla treated him very civilly. When Archelaus became quite sick near Larissa, Sulla stopped his march and took just as much care of him as if he had been one of his own commanders or praetors. All this increased the suspicion that Mithridates had of Archelaus in that he did not fight as well as he could in the battle at Chaeronea. (Plutarch, in Sulla, Dio. Legat. 33. or 34.)
4007. The ambassadors from Mithridates came to Sulla. They said the terms about the surrender Paphlagonia and the ships were unacceptable. They added that they could get easier conditions from the other general, Fimbria. Sulla replied in a rage that Fimbria would smart for this and that he himself would see, as soon as he came into Asia, whether Mithridates stood in greater need of peace or war. Archelaus interceded with Sulla and took him by the hand and calmed his fury with his tears. At last he intreated that he might be sent to Mithridates. He said that Mithridates would either conclude a peace on Sulla's terms or else if he refused to sign those articles, he would either kill Mithridates, or else (for the Greek copies vary) kill himself. (Plutarch in Sulla, Dio. Legat. 34. or 35. Appian. p. 207.)
3920a AM, 4629 JP, 85 BC
4008. Six years before he died, Alexander Jannaeus, after he concluded a peace with Aretas, led an army against the neighbouring people and took the city Dia by storm. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 23.)
4009. Archelaus returned from Mithridates and met with Sulla at Philippi in Macedonia. He told him that everything happened as he wished and that Mithridates wanted to meet with him. Thereupon Sulla marched through Thracia to Cypsela and sent Lucullus who had come with his fleet to him before him to Abydos. Lucullus gave him a safe passage from the Chersonesses and helped him in transporting the army. (Plutarch in Sulla, & Lucullo. Appian. p. 207, 208.)