Battle of Mount Scorobas | |||||||
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Part of the First Mithridatic War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Pontus | Roman Republic | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Archelaus | Manius Aquilius | ||||||
Location within Turkey |
The Battle of Mount Scorobas was fought in 88 BC between the Roman Republic and Pontus during the First Mithridatic War. The Romans were led by Manius Aquilius, while the Mithridatic forces were led by Archelaus. Pontus was victorious. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
After the battle, Aquillius fled and attempted to make his way back to Italy. At Lesbos he was captured and delivered to Mithridates. After being taken to the mainland, Aquillius was then placed on a donkey and paraded back to Pergamon. Aquillius was then moved to and executed at the Theater of Dionysus, which sits on a hill of the Acropolis. A large bonfire was made in the center of the theater. Aquillius was dragged behind a horse, which was ridden by a soldier, and dragged around the bonfire, as gold coins were melted down in crucibles. Aquillius was then held down and the molten hot gold was poured down his throat for an agonizing death. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [3] [4] [5]
The gens Gabinia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens first appear in the second century BC. The nomen derives from the city of Gabii, east of Rome.
The Mithridatic Wars were three conflicts fought by the Roman Republic against the Kingdom of Pontus and its allies between 88 – 63 BCE. They are named after Mithridates VI, the King of Pontus during the course of the wars who initiated the hostilities with Rome. Mithridates lead the Pontic forces in every war. The Romans would be lead by various generals and consuls throughout the wars, namely Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Lucius Licinius Lucullus, and Gnaeus Pompey Magnus.
The gens Scribonia was a plebeian family of ancient Rome. Members of this gens first appear in history at the time of the Second Punic War, but the first of the Scribonii to obtain the consulship was Gaius Scribonius Curio in 76 BC.
The gens Pompeia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, first appearing in history during the second century BC, and frequently occupying the highest offices of the Roman state from then until imperial times. The first of the Pompeii to obtain the consulship was Quintus Pompeius in 141 BC, but by far the most illustrious of the gens was Gnaeus Pompeius, surnamed Magnus, a distinguished general under the dictator Sulla, who became a member of the First Triumvirate, together with Caesar and Crassus. After the death of Crassus, the rivalry between Caesar and Pompeius led to the Civil War, one of the defining events of the final years of the Roman Republic.
Manius Aquillius was a Roman senator who served as consul in 129 BC. He put an end to the war which had been carried on against Aristonicus, the son of Eumenes II, king of Pergamon, and which had been almost terminated by his predecessor, Marcus Perperna. On his return to Rome, he was accused by Publius Lentulus of maladministration in his province, Asia, but was acquitted by bribing the judges. He obtained a triumph on account of his successes in Asia, but not until 126 BC.
Manius Aquillius was a Roman politician and general during the late Roman Republic. He was a member of the ancient Roman gens Aquillia, probably a son of Manius Aquillius, consul in 129 BC. Aquillius served as Consul of Rome with Gaius Marius in 101 BC. Before his consulship, during the Cimbrian War, he had served as a legate under Marius in Gaul. He played a pivotal role during the Battle of Aquae Sextiae where he surprised the Teutones by attacking them from behind. As consul he crushed a slave revolt in Sicily. At the start of the First Mithridatic War he was defeated and captured by Mithridates VI of Pontus who had him executed by pouring molten gold down his throat.
The gens Marcia, occasionally written Martia, was one of the oldest and noblest houses at ancient Rome. They claimed descent from the second and fourth Roman Kings, and the first of the Marcii appearing in the history of the Republic would seem to have been patrician; but all of the families of the Marcii known in the later Republic were plebeian. The first to obtain the consulship was Gaius Marcius Rutilus in 357 BC, only a few years after the passage of the lex Licinia Sextia opened this office to the plebeians.
Gaius Cassius Longinus was a Roman consul in 73 BC.
The gens Popillia, sometimes written Popilia, was a plebeian family in Rome. The first of the Popillii to obtain the consulship was Marcus Popillius Laenas in 359 BC, only eight years after the lex Licinia Sextia opened that magistracy to the plebeians.
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The gens Rutilia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens appear in history beginning in the second century BC. The first to obtain the consulship was Publius Rutilius Rufus in 105 BC.
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The gens Oppia was an ancient Roman family, known from the first century of the Republic down to imperial times. The gens may originally have been patrician, as they supplied priestesses to the College of Vestals at a very early date, but all of the Oppii known to history were plebeians. None of them obtained the consulship until imperial times.
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