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| Second Mithridatic War | |||||||||
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| Part of the Mithridatic Wars | |||||||||
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| Roman Republic | Mithridates VI of Pontus | ||||||||
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| Lucius Licinius Murena | Mithridates VI of Pontus | ||||||||
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The Second Mithridatic War (83-81 BC) was one of three Mithridatic Wars fought between Pontus and the Roman Republic. The second Mithridatic war was fought between King Mithridates VI of Pontus and general Lucius Licinius Murena.
At the end of the First Mithridatic War, Sulla had left Mithridates in control of his kingdom of Pontus. Murena was left in Asia in command of the two legions formerly controlled by Gaius Flavius Fimbria. Murena claimed that Mithridates was re-arming, and invaded Pontus. When Mithridates defeated him, he decided it would be wise to obey Sulla's order to leave Mithridates alone. This was followed by the Third Mithridatic War.
References
Ancient sources
- FHG = Karl Müller (ed.) Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum
- FGrH = Felix Jacoby (ed. & critical commentary) , Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker (commenced 1923)
- Granius Licinianus fragmenta
post-Hadrian annalist survives in retrieved fragments, from books XXVI, XXVIII, XXXIII, XXXV and XXXVI of his history, in 5th century uncials of African origin at the bottom of a ter scriptus manuscript palimpsest: see L. D. Reynolds (ed.) Texts and Transmission: A Survey of the Latin Classics (Oxford, 1983).
- ed. Michael Flemisch Grani Liciniani quae supersunt (G.B. Teubner, Stuttgart, 1904; reprint 1967)
- ed. N. Crinti (Leipzig, 1981)
- Memnon of Herakleia Pontike epitome
9th century epitome in the ΒΙΒΛΙΟΘΗΚΗ of Photius of Byzantium (codex 224)
- ed. René Henry Photius Bibliotheque Tome IV: Codices 223-229 (Association Guillaume Budé, Paris, 1965), pp.48-99: Greek text with French translation
- ed. K. Müller FHG III, 525: Greek text with Latin translation
- ed. F. Jacoby FGrH no.434: Greek text, detailed commentary in German
- Phlegon of Tralles fragmenta
- ed. K. Müller FHG III, 602ff.
- ed. F. Jacoby FGrH no.257
- English translations and commentary by William Hansen, Phlegon of Tralles' Book of Marvels (University of Exeter Press, 1996)
Modern works
Abbreviations
RE = Real-Encyclopädie der klassischen Altertumswissenschaft, eds. Pauly, Wissowa, Kroll
Major studies.
- Gelzer, Matthias: "L. Licinius Lucullus cos.74", RE vol.XIII (1926), s. v. Licinius no.104, colls.376-414.
- Van Ooteghem, J: Lucius Licinius Lucullus, (Brussels, 1959)
- Keaveney, Arthur: Lucullus. A Life. (London/New York: Routledge, 1992). ISBN 0-415-03219-9.
Shorter articles & summaries.
- Scardigli, B: "Sertorio: Problemi cronologici", Athenaeum 49 (1971), 229-270
- Glew, Dennis G: "Between the Wars: Mithridates Eupator and Rome, 85-73 B.C.", Chiron 11 (1981), 109-130
