Mithridatic Wars | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Roman–Greek wars | |||||||||
Map of the Kingdom of Pontus | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Belligerents | |||||||||
Roman Republic amid civil war | Kingdom of Pontus and momentary allies | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
The Mithridatic Wars were three conflicts fought by the Roman Republic against the Kingdom of Pontus and its allies between 88 and 63 BCE. They are named after Mithridates VI, the King of Pontus during the course of the wars, who initiated the hostilities with Rome. Mithridates led the Pontic forces in every war. The Romans were led by various generals and consuls throughout the wars, namely Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Lucius Licinius Lucullus, and Gnaeus Pompey Magnus.
The wars began over Pontus and Rome backing differing kings of Cappadocia and Bithynia. The conflicts ended with the death of Mithridates in 63 BCE and the annexation of Pontus and Syria into Rome. The Kingdom of Armenia and the Bosporan Kingdom ruled by Mithridates's son, Pharnaces II became allied client states of Rome after the conclusion of the wars.