In the II century. BC e. a new contender, Rome, began to be nominated for the role of world leader. His iron legions marched across North Africa, Macedonia, Greece and part of Asia Minor submitted to him. But not only the Romans wanted to rule over nations. From the wreckage of the Persian state on the southern coast of the Black Sea, the Pontic kingdom emerged. It reached its special splendor under the rule of Mithridates VI Eupator.
It was a very colorful figure. He amazed everyone with his gigantic growth and strength, he could drink and overeat anyone, tamed wild horses. He was of unknown origin, seized the throne as a result of a coup, but invented a magnificent pedigree for himself, on his father - from the Persian kings, on his mother - from Alexander the Great. He also combined the Persian with the Greek traditions. He loved art, paid generously, philosophers and poets flocked to him. The best sculptors, painters and architects adorned its capital, Pharnacea. He also attracted good military personnel, created a strong mercenary army, and subjugated the entire eastern part of Asia Minor.
At the same time, the king in Persian was married to his own sisters, kept a huge harem. However, many noble ladies from different countries strove to get into his entourage - everywhere there was a fame of the unthinkable luxury of his court, where intellectual conversations, poetry, theater, quite got along with fabulous feasts and mind-blowing prodigal amusements. But Mithridates was also distinguished by a frenzied disposition. On suspicion of conspiracy, he executed his mother, brother, sister-wife, three sons and three daughters. Subsequently, death sentences prepared in advance were found in his papers on almost all those close to him. Although much depended on the mood of the sovereign. He could send thousands of accused to death in one fell swoop, or he could suddenly pardon the rioters. In order not to irritate the Romans, Mithridates formally recognized himself as their vassal, but behaved independently and gradually prepared to fight them.
The Greek city-states on the Black Sea have not yet fallen under the heel of Rome, but they have other problems. Tiras, Olbia, Borisfenida received the main income from the resale of Scythian bread. After the destruction of the agricultural economy on the Dnieper, Bug and Dniester, their affairs went very badly. Chersonesos (near Sevastopol) established friendship with its neighbors, the Crimean Taurus, even included their bloodthirsty goddess Virgo in his pantheon along with Zeus, Apollo, Aphrodite. Thanks to this alliance, the Khersonites occupied the western shores of the Crimea, founded the cities of Kerkenitida (Evpatoria) and the Beautiful Harbor (Primorsk) there, arranged villas between them, cultivated fields, vineyards, and no longer depended on the external environment, traded their own bread and wine.
The Bosporan kingdom was in the most favorable position. He had enough fertile lands in the Azov region, and the Savromats were his allies, they did not touch his possessions. The Bosporus bypassed all competitors in the grain trade. It also became a major center of the slave trade, buying up prisoners from the Caucasian pirates, Sarmatian tribes. Panticapaeum grew rich and was a beautiful city. His military and merchant fleet dominated the Black Sea, maintaining ties with Pontus, Greece, Egypt. But only the Greeks had civil rights in the Bosporus. They were merchants, nobles, officials. And the overwhelming majority of the population were Meots, Sindians, Scythians, Slavs, Sarmatians. They were considered second-class people, they were robbed of taxes. Conflicts arose, discontent accumulated.
When the Roxolans became the neighbors of the Bosporus, many Bosporians either passed under their rule or fled to Crimean Scythia. She, in alliance with the Roxolans, found safety. In the steppes of Crimea and Tavria, cattle multiplied. The population grew. Remembering the old friendship, the Slavs from the Dnieper region moved to the Scythians, here they could live, plow, sow. The state recovered from the defeat. Cities and fortresses were built, there were about a dozen of them. And the capital was Naples-Scythian near Simferopol. Its real name was different. Naples in translation from Greek means “new city”, “Novgorod”. It was in no way inferior to the best ancient cities of its time. Archaeologists have found the remains of fortress walls, beautiful palaces and temples, large residential areas, baths, workshops, bazaars. Around Naples, cultivated fields were spread, gardens grew.
Under Tsar Skilura, Scythia strengthened enough, he began to mint a coin with his name. And he reminded the neighbors who is the boss in the Black Sea region. Skilur made a campaign to the west of the Crimea, subdued the coastal areas to the Southern Bug. The large Greek colony Olbia submitted to him without a fight and agreed to pay tribute. But at the same time, she did not lose. Now the Scythians and Roksolans defended it from other nomads, and the merchants of Olbia received advantages in the Crimea, transported Scythian goods to the Mediterranean countries. Skilur also demanded from Chersonesos and the Bosporus to become his tributaries. Chersonesos refused. It was surrounded by impregnable walls and repulsed several attacks. Well, the rulers of the Bosporus realized that their own population sympathized not with them, but with the Scythians. In this situation, it was too dangerous to fight, they preferred to pay.
Around 110 BC e. Skilur presented an ultimatum to the Bosporan king Perisad V - to increase the tribute. And at Chersonesos, the Scythians found vulnerabilities. Sacked and captured Kerkenitis and Fair Harbor, which fed the city. Having pulled the Taurus into the union, Skilur laid siege to Chersonesos itself. But its inhabitants appealed for help to Mithridates. Well, the Pontic tsar did not miss such an opportunity, he sent his best commander Diophantus with a select 6,000 corps to the Crimea. In the first battle with Skilur, Diophantus was defeated. But he stayed behind the walls of Chersonesos, received reinforcements by the sea. Skilur's son Palak, who succeeded his deceased father on the throne, turned for help to the king of the Roxolans, Tazius, and he sent an army. However, Diophantus managed to understand the peculiarities of the tactics of his opponents, imposed a battle on them in mountainous terrain, where the heavy cavalry could not turn around. The Scythian-Sarmatian army suffered a heavy defeat.
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The Pontians with the militia of Chersonesos moved into the interior regions of Crimea, destroying and burning cities. The Scythians left the peninsula and went to the Roksolans. And Diophantus went to Panticapaeus and announced that "for the liberation from the barbarians" the Bosporan kingdom should go under the protection of Mithridates. Perisad V had no choice but to accept his terms, and also to thank. But the patronage turned into an occupation. Diophantus remained ambassador and advisor under Perisades, dictating how he should henceforth act. Additional tribute was squeezed out for the Pontians. This overflowed the people's patience. In 107 BC. e. the city rabble arose, the slaves joined. Perisad was killed, Diophantus barely managed to escape. The rebels proclaimed their leader Savmak as king.
The Scythians also returned to the Crimea. They killed the Pontic garrisons left in their cities and supported the Bosporians.
The government of Chersonesos panicked, and ships rushed across the sea again, begging Mithridates to come to the rescue. He didn't refuse. Diophantus landed in the Crimea with a fresh army, broke into Panticapaeum and drowned the uprising in blood. The captured Savmak was taken to Mithridates and put to death. The Scythians again had to retreat to the Roxolans. But after the second "salvation", both the Bosporus and Chersonesos fell under the full authority of the Pontic king. And Mithridates did not stop there. He made Crimea a springboard for further conquests.
In the steppes, it was difficult to defeat the Scythians and Roxolans. But the Pontic commanders Diophantus and Neoptolemus began to seize the coast step by step. Greek cities that did not want to surrender were taken by storm. Mithridates was also a skillful politician, seeking out supporters among the local population. He entered into negotiations with some Meotian, Sarmatian tribes. Their leaders were flattered - the Bosporan kings lifted their noses in front of them, and the ruler of Pontus himself offers friendship! They became loyal allies of Mithridates. With their help, his power absorbed Taman, Kuban, Western Georgia, Azov, the lower reaches of the Dnieper, Southern Bug, Dniester. Possession of Pontus almost covered the Black Sea.
The Scythians, expelled from the Crimea, held out in Tavria and on the Don. But they also knew how to be politicians and diplomats. They sent ambassadors to Rome. They complained about Mithridates, asked to support them. They assessed the international situation very competently. The Romans really did not like the strengthening of Pontus. The Senate, having considered the appeal of the Scythians, decided to intercede for them. He demanded from Mithridates to clear their lands. The tsar verbally resigned himself, agreed to return the Crimea, but let the promise go on the brakes.
He already considered himself powerful enough to openly confront the Romans. He entered into alliances with the king of Armenia Tigran II, the Thracian kingdoms, the communities of the Cilician pirates, and with a number of sovereigns.
And Rome has played a dirty trick on itself. He humiliated junior allies, in the annexed countries, Roman officials became insolent, disgraced, earning general hatred. And it burst, several tribes of Italy revolted. Inappropriate and in Rome itself, a civil war broke out. Mithridates decided that the moment was right. In 89 BC. e. he gave the signal, and the extermination of the Romans began throughout Asia Minor. Destroyed without exception, together with their families, servants, killed 80 thousand people. The Pontic king moved an army to the Balkans, and almost all of Greece went over to his side. And his ally Tigran II took possession of Syria and Palestine.
But the Romans managed to overcome their own civil strife and fell on Mithridates. The struggle was extremely stubborn, it turned into three difficult wars. Roman legions alternately pressed on the friends of Pontus - Thracians, Cilicians. They drove the tsar himself back, expelled from the occupied territories. Finally, they invaded Asia Minor and in 71 BC. e. the Pontic army was completely defeated. However, Mithridates did not surrender. He abandoned his magnificent capital. From the harem, he left with him only the mighty Sarmatian Hipsikratia, both a concubine and a bodyguard. As a sign of special mercy, the king allowed other wives and concubines to choose the type of death themselves, to be stabbed, strangled or poisoned. But, having donated women, he took care to take out the huge treasury. She was evacuated to the Crimea, and Mithridates with a few soldiers fled to the Armenian king Tigran and continued the war.
In 65 BC. e. the Roman general Pompey once again crushed the Pontians and their allies. Mithridates disappeared with only three entourage, Tigran capitulated. Pompey decided to conquer all of the Transcaucasia along the way, but faced fierce resistance from the Georgians and Albanians. They called for help from the tribes of the North Caucasus, and on the Abant River the Romans were met by a large militia, Sarmatian cavalry, women warriors, who were considered "Amazons". The legions suffered such losses in the battle that Pompey abandoned his plans. He took the troops away and instead of Transcaucasia he took up the countries of the Middle East, which after the fall of Armenia turned out to be "ownerless".
Mithridates was considered dead. The Bosporus was ruled by his son Mahar. He believed that he could already act independently, contacted the Romans, agreed to recognize their power. But the king was still alive. He made his way north and in 64 BC. e. suddenly appeared in the Crimea. He forced Mahar to commit suicide, and undertook to rule in the Bosporus himself. He tried to bargain with the Romans, expressed his readiness to be their vassal if the kingdom was returned to him. In response, he received a formidable order - unconditionally surrender to the will of the victors. The Roman fleet approached and blocked the approaches to the Bosporus. The fleet commander announced that any ship that tried to break the blockade would be sunk and the crew would be executed.
Then Mithridates set out to fight again. With his treasures taken to Panticapaeum, he recruited 36 thousand mercenaries. He came up with a daring plan: to attract the Scythians, Sarmatians, Danube Bastarns, Thracians and go to Italy itself. But the Bosporan people were already worn out by years of extortion for the war, and the blockade became a real disaster for them. She hit merchants, sailors, fishermen, dock workers. The city of Phanagoria (Taman) rebelled, Chersonesos and Theodosia joined it.
Mithridates was furious. Now he saw treason everywhere, reprisals began on the slightest suspicion. But the general executions finally pushed the subjects away from the king. Among those whom Mithridates accused of conspiracy were his sons Xiphar and Pharnacs. Xifar was killed, and Pharnak did not want to go to the slaughter. He urged the guards to flee and led a rebellion. The army immediately passed under his banners, and the inhabitants of Panticapaeum opened the gates for him. Mithridates was besieged in the palace. The wives, whom he acquired again in Crimea, were also "changed": they did not want to die with her husband and disappeared. Only the faithful Hypsikratia and two daughters drank poison with the king. But the poison did not work on Mithridates, and he ordered the Celtic mercenary to kill himself.
Pharnaces handed over his father's corpse to the Romans. He hoped that the victors would elevate him to the throne of Pontus. But he was wrong. He had to admit his dependence on the Romans, and instead of the Pontic kingdom, he was left only with the Bosporus, and even that was cut. Taman and Chersonesos were separated, Scythia was revived in the steppe part of Crimea. Pharnaces harbored a grudge. He dreamed of returning the lost inheritance. When another civil war broke out in Rome, between Pompey and Gaius Julius Caesar, Pharnaces felt that the time had come for this. He made concessions to the Sarmatians, Scythians, and involved them in an alliance. As viceroy in Panticapaeum, the king left his nobleman Asander, and he himself led the army and moved to occupy the former possessions of his father. Subdued Taman, Kuban, Western Georgia, entered Asia Minor.
In the Roman showdown at this time, the winner was identified - Caesar. He demanded that Pharnaces leave the occupied territories. The Bosporan tsar pretended to be his friend and supporter, but did not follow the order. Caesar was far away, in Egypt, carried away by the beautiful Cleopatra, the Egyptians rose up against them. Maybe the invincible warlord will perish there? But Caesar, despite the difficulties, monitored the situation in Pontus. Sent Domitius Calvin with five legions against Pharnaces Gnaeus. In the battle of Nikopol, the Bosporan and Sarmatians destroyed this army.
And yet the dreams of the Bosporan king did not come true. Caesar defeated the Egyptians and in 47 BC. e. himself arrived in Asia Minor. At the Battle of Zele, he utterly defeated Pharnaces. It was on this occasion that he sent his famous report to the Senate: "I came, I saw, I conquered." Pharnace gave up. He bought forgiveness, agreeing to be an obedient servant of Caesar, and was sent home. But the governor, Asander, who had been left by him, had already become addicted to power and was not going to give it up. He angered the citizens - they say, the king gave them into captivity to the Romans, and Panticapaeum met Pharnaces with a locked gate. He was killed while trying to break into the city.
And Caesar, after all the victories won, took up the organization of the Roman state and the countries dependent on it. On reflection, he planned to restore the Pontine kingdom, but give it to his protege Mithridates of Pergamon, another son of Mithridates Eupator (how many children Eupator had in total is unknown, since the number of his wives cannot be counted). The crown was payment for important services - Mithridates of Pergamon rescued Caesar and Cleopatra when they were pinned down in Egypt. With such a patron as the ruler of Rome, he felt omnipotent, and reasoned that he should own all the lands of Pontus, including the northern shores of the Black Sea.
It wasn't like that. Bosporians, Scythians, Sarmatians firmly remembered the Pontians' mastery and refused to obey him. Mithridates of Pergamon put a large army on ships and sailed to the shores of the Crimea. But the Bosporan fleet was better. The Pontians were not allowed to land, defeated and drowned in a sea battle, Mithridates died. This victory brought Asander popularity, in the wake of general joy he proclaimed himself king, and to make it look legitimate, the elderly ruler married the 16-year-old daughter of Pharnaces Dynamis.
Caesar, of course, did not like what had happened. But he did not become distracted by the Bosporus. I figured that Crimea would still not go anywhere from him. Caesar was hatching a much more ambitious project. He intended to attack Parthia, conquer it, then turn north along the Caspian Sea and strike at the "Scythia". Conquering the territory of present-day Russia, he was going to move west and return to his homeland through Germany and Gaul - as Plutarch wrote, "closing the circle of Roman possessions so that the empire bordered on the Ocean on all sides." But in preparation for the campaign, Caesar fell at the hands of the conspirators, and Rome was split by a new series of civil wars.
In the Black Sea region, their troubles were in full swing. The adventurer Scribonius appeared there. He declared himself a descendant of Mithridates Eupator, rebelled against Asander Bosporus. The aged king died of excitement, Scribonius sat on his throne, and legalized the position in the same way as his predecessor - he married Dynamis [44].
And in Rome, Octavian Augustus became emperor. He returned to Caesar's idea of restoring the kingdom of Pontus. He appointed the local Roman hanger Polemon as king. But the state was already fictitious, all matters were decided by the Roman governors, and Augustus did not even allow Polemon to stay in Pontus. He ordered to go to the Bosporus, reign there and … marry Dynamis. It was already considered something like a crown, a must-have for the local sovereigns. When the Bosporans learned that a fleet was heading towards them, they were frightened. To avoid war with the Romans, they themselves overthrew and killed Scribonia. And Polemon did not dare to violate the order of Augustus, entered into marriage with the queen.
But by this time she was no longer a young girl, her husband was much younger than her. He waited until the emperor forgets, and divorced his wife, married another. Dynamis was offended and raised the Azov tribes against Polemon. By suppressing them, the king found his death. But Dynamis chose a fourth husband and sat down to reign with him. She was very afraid that the coup would not anger the Romans, so she hurried to assure them that she would obey the emperor in everything, and set her cities with statues of Augustus and his wife Livia. The Bosporan kingdom did not benefit from these troubles, it began to decline.
And the Crimean Scythia overcame the consequences of enemy invasions, achieved a new heyday. She, too, established ties with Augustus, in 26 BC. e. sent an embassy to him and concluded a treaty of peace and friendship.
V. E. SHAMBAROV
