Third Mithridatic War: Difference between revisions

With Mithridates out of his reach Lucullus set about consolidating his hold on Pontus. [[Amisus]], an important Greek city in Pontus, was still holding out against [[Lucius Licinius Murena (consul 62 BC)|Murena]] whom Lucullus had put in charge of the siege. Mithridates had sent the Greek Callimachus, a master of siege warfare, to [[Amisus]] to help with its defence. Callimachus created a number of mechanical defensive devices which gave the Romans a lot of hardships. Lucullus took over from Murena and proved his tactical genius once again by launching an attack at precisely the right time (when Callimachus let his defenders take a rest) and took Amisus, but not without regret; his soldiers ransacked the city and turned it into a ruin. Lucullus, a great admirer of Greek culture, lamented that Sulla had been blessed because he was able to save Athens, while the gods had ordained the faithfate of [[Lucius Mummius Achaicus]], the destroyer of [[Corinth]], for him.<ref>Lee Fratantuono, ''Lucullus: The Life and Campaigns of a Roman Conqueror'', p. 72; Keaveny, ''Sulla, the Last Republican'', p. 124.</ref>