Third Mithridatic War: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Third Mithridatic War

The original plan was that Cotta should tie down Mithridates' fleet, while Lucullus attacked by land. Cotta was therefore ordered to station his fleet at [[Chalcedon]], while Lucullus marched through [[Phrygia]] with the intention of invading Pontus. Lucullus had not advanced far when news came through that Mithridates had made a rapid march westward, attacked and defeated Cotta at the [[Battle of Chalcedon (74 BC)|Battle of Chalcedon]], and forced him to flee behind the walls of Chalcedon. Sixty-four Roman ships had been captured or burnt, and Cotta had lost three thousand men.<ref>Holmes, T. Rice, ''The Roman Republic and the Founder of the Empire, Vol. I'', 1923, p. 180</ref><ref>Appian ''Mithridates''. 71; Plutarch. ''Lucullus''. 8</ref> There Cotta was forced to remain until Lucullus could come to his rescue.<ref>[[Thomas Robert Shannon Broughton|T. Robert S. Broughton]], ''The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, Vol II'' (1952), p. 99</ref>

 

Having made his way to [[Nicomedia]], Cotta watched in frustration as Mithridates marched on taking [[Nicaea]], [[Lampsacus]], [[Nicomedia]] and Apameia, all major cities in the region. Only nearby [[Cyzicus]] held to the Roman cause, probably because many of its citizens (serving in Cotta's army as [[Auxiliaries (Roman military)|auxiliaries]]) had died fighting against Mithridates at Chalcedon. The Pontic army marched on Cyzicus and began a siege.<ref>Philip Matyszak, ''Mithridates the Great, Rome's indomitable Enemy'', pp. 106–113; Plutarch ''Life of Lucullus'', 8.</ref>

 

[[Category:Wars of succession involving the states and peoples of Asia]]

[[Category:Wars of succession involving the states and peoples of Europe]]