In These He Was Successful, Gaining Two Victories Over
Mithridates's Fleet, Near The Coast Of Troy.
These defeats, and the
treachery of Archelaus, nearly annihilated the maritime force of
Mithridates.
But this monarch was not easily dispirited; in a short time he
collected another fleet, and invaded Bithynia. It was therefore necessary
for the Romans to send a fleet thither, which they did, under the command
of Cotta. This fleet, however, was far inferior to that of the king, which
consisted of 400 ships of thirty oars, besides a great many smaller
vessels. On learning this, Lucullus, who had the chief command, ordered
Cotta to remain in the harbour of Chalcedon; but Mithridates, relying on
his strength, sailed into the very harbour, and burnt the Roman fleet. The
loss of the Romans consisted of sixty ships, and 8000 of their mariners
slain, besides 4500 taken prisoners. As this success of Mithridates
encouraged the cities of Asia to revolt, Lucullus resolved, if possible, to
counterbalance it with still more decisive success on his part by land; he
accordingly besieged him in his camp. Being reduced to great straits,
Mithridates was forced to escape by sea towards Byzantium; but on his
voyage he was overtaken by a violent storm, in which sixty of his ships
were sunk; he himself must have perished, if he had not been rescued by a
pirate, who landed him safe in Pontus. Mithridates still had a small float
of fifty ships, on board of which were 10,000 land forces.
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