DBA Armies

This list extends from the accession of Mithridates the Great to the throne of Pontus until the final defeat of his son Pharnaces. Mithridates was provoked into war with Rome when Nikodemes IV of Bithynia along with the governor of the Roman province of Asia (formerly Pergamon), invaded Pontus. Driving the invaders out, Mithridates followed up by invading and conquered Roman Greece, instituting a slaughter of all Roman citizens in Asia and executing the greedy governor by pouring molten gold down his throat. He raised a second phalanx from freed slaves, distinguished from his existing “Bronze Shields” by a lack of gold and silver decoration. Initially he left the army under the command of the professional soldier Archelaos, who was defeated by Sulla and his veterans of the Social War and bundled out of Greece. Mithridates now took personal command and reformed the army on Roman lines reorganising the infantry as imitation legionaries (Bd). He was defeated by Lucullus, but reoccupied Pontus after Lucullus moved on into Armenia, only to be defeated by Pompey, and forced to flee to his Bosporan sub-kingdom. He died in 63 BC and was succeeded by his son Pharnaces, who reoccupied Pontus and was defeated by Caesar. Pontic armies won several victories over lesser Roman generals and the earlier armies used standard Hellenistic tactics while making full use of their cavalry and scythed chariots. The heavy cavalry were Pontic, Bosporan or lazygian Sarmatian noble armoured lancers. The light horse were Pontic or Thracian javelinmen and Skythian horse archers. In later battles against the Romans, the scythed chariots proved less effective, but were used from time to time throughout the period. Reference: Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome P. Barker, He Died Old A. Duggan.