Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 15, PLA-RAM

Pont*5-
45
Tigrane*
pon r 363
ing the inhabitant- very honouraMe terms ; but, being
refufed, he made a general aflault at the time when he
knew that Callimachus ufed to draw off great part of
his troops to give them Come refpite. The Romans
applying their fcaling ladders, got over the wall be-
fore Callimachus could come to the affiftance of thofe
whom he had left to guard it ; however, by fetting
the city on fire, he found means in that confufion to
make his efcape. Lucullus commanded his men to ufe
their utmolt endeavours to fave the city ; but they be¬
ing intent only upon plundering, regarded nothing
but the furniture. At laft the fire was extinguilhed
' by a violent fhower ; and Lucullus, having with much
ado reftrained his foldiers from committing any farther
excefles, repaired the city in feme meafure before he
left it, and fuffered the inhabitants to enjoy their pof-
'feffions in peace.
hut-uc. Nothing was now wanting but the captivity of Mi-
•defeared by thridates himfelf to put a final period to the war ; and
Lucullus, therefore Lucullus demanded him from his fon-in-law,
Tigranels. But though that prince could not be pre-
'vailed to fee Mithvidates on account of his mifeon-
duft, he could as little be induced to deliver him up
to his enemies. After this refufal, however, lie for
the firft time condefccnded to fee his father-in-law,
after he had refided a year and eight months in his
dominions. In a private conference held by the two
kings, it was agreed, that Tigranes fhould march a-
■gairift the Romans, and Mithridates with 10,000 horle
return into Pontus, where he fhould make what levies
he could, and rejoin Tigranes, before Lucullus, who
was then employed in the fiege of binope, could enter
Armenia. But, in the mean time, Sinope having fur-
rendered, Lucullus with all pofiible expedition marched
againft Tigranes, and, having drawn him into a general
engagement, gave him an entire defeat, as is related un¬
der the article Armenia.
Mithridates was marching to his affiftance, when he
met his fon-in-law flying with a fmall retinue to fiiel-
ter himfelf in feme remote corner of the kingdom.
"But revives tie encouraged him to raife new forces ; not doubting
to try a: o- that another campaign would repair ail tormer
Ioffes, provided he would commit to his management
every thing relating to the war. a o this I igranes
agreeing, as he thought him more fit to deal wkh the
Romans than himfelf, orders were iffued out for raffing
& new army, and all the Armenians able to bear arms
fummoned to meet at the place of the general rendez¬
vous. Out of thefe Mithridates chofe 70,00c foot
and 35,000 horfe; and having trained them up during
the winter, after the Roman difeiphne, in the begin¬
ning of the fpring he left part of them with 1 igranes,
and marched himfelf with the reft into Pontus, where
he recovered many important places, and overcame in a
pitched battle M. Fabius, whom Lucullus had appoint¬
ed governor of that province. Being flufhed with this
fuecefs, as foon as the wounds he received in the en-
PON
Pontn*.
ther cam
paign
gagement fuffered him to move, he purfued 1‘ abius, and
befieged him in the city of Cabira, whither he had
retired ; but in the mean time Triarius, who was march¬
ing out of Alia to join Lucullus, hearing what diftrefs
the Romans were in, haftened to their relief, and ap¬
pearing unexpe&edly on the neighbouring hill, ftruck
inch terror into the enemy, that they railed the fiege,
and made the heft of their way into Cappadocia. Tri¬
arius purfued them, and got fo near them as to be
parted only by a river. Here he halted, with a defign
to pafs the river after he had allowed his men feme
reft ; for they were tired out with long marches. But
Mithridates was before-hand with him, and crofting
the river on a bridge, where he had placed a ftrong 47
guard, attacked the Romans with great refolution be- Mithridate*
fore they had time to refrefti themfelves. The battle
was bloody, and the event doubtful, till the bridge
breaking down with the weight of the multitude that
paffed, the king’s troops who had engaged, relying
chiefly on their numbers, began to lofe courage, feeing
they could receive no further afliftance ; and the Ro¬
mans charging them with frefh vigour, they betook
themfelves to a precipitate flight. After this engage¬
ment, as winter came on, both armies were glad to re¬
tire to their winter-quarters.
During the winter, Mithridates raifed new forces ;
and having received confiderable fupplies from Tigranes,
took the field early in the fpring, in hopes of driving
the Romans quite out of Pontus, before Lucullus, who
had work enough on his hands in Armenia, could come
to their afiffhnee. With this view he marched ftraight
againft Triarius and Sornatius, to whom Lucullus had
committed the care and defence of that province ; and
finding them encamped near the city of Gaziurfa, prof¬
fered them battle; which they declining, he fent a
ftrong detachment to befiege a caftle where the Ro¬
mans had left all their baggage, hoping they would
rather venture an engagement to relieve the place, than
lofe till they had got with fo much toil and labour du¬
ring the war: neither was he difappointed in his hopes;
for though Triarius was for keeping clofe in his camp
till the arrival of Lucullus, whom he daily expetted,
having acquainted him with the danger, the foldiers
hearing that the caftle was befieged, declared in a tu¬
multuous manner, that if he did not lead them they
would ma-ch to the relief of the place without his 4S
leave. Triarius being thus forced by his own men to defeats
fight, drew out his forces againft the king, whofe army I fiaiius*
was three times his number; but while they were upon
the point of engaging, both armies were by a violent
florin forced to retire to their refpeeftive camps ; but
Triarius receiving that very day intelligence of the
approach of Lucullus, and fearing he would fnatch
the vaftory out of his hands, refolved to make a bold
pulh, and next morning by break of day attack the
king in his camp. If he conquered, the glory he
thought would be entirely his own ; if he were over-
corn , the enemy could reap no great advantage from
h;s vidlory, Lucullus being at hand with a powerful
army. The king, in that furprife, putting himfelf at
the head of a few troops of his guards, fuftained the
brunt of the Romans, till the reft of his army drawing
up came to his relief, and attacked the enemy with
fuch fury, that the Roman foot were forced to give way,
and were driven into a mo. ais, where they were furround-
ed, and great numbers of them cut in pieces.
The'r horfe were likewife put to flight, and purfued
with great flaughter, till a Roman centflrion in the
king’s fervice, pitying his countrymen, attempted to
kill him. The king’s life was faved by his breaft-
plate ; but as he received a deep wound in the thigh,
he was obliged to give over the purfuit himfelf, and
thofe that were about him caufed the retreat to be
Z z 2 founded,