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==Background==Ancient biographer Plutarch regarded Lucullus was born into (118-56 BC) as one of the noblest families in Rome greatest generals and he was related to some political leaders of the most powerful clans in the late Republic. He received contributed to the traditional education of a young member rise of the elite Roman Empire and as expected, of someone from his class, began a public career. Lucullus was a member of the optimatesdecisive influence on its culture, which supported the traditional Senatorial class against the Populists, who sought the support of the common people. This was a very unstable period in Roman history but today Lucullus is largely unknown and there was political violence in the city and the Republic descended into near civil warforgotten. Lucullus served with the Optimate general Sulla and it appears that After he fought with him during the Social War<ref>Plutarch. Life fell out of Lucullus, 5. 4</ref>. Lucullus seemed to have been highly rated by Sulla and favor in Roman politics he was later elected as Quaestor of Rome (88 BC). Sulla had made transformed himself absolute ruler into a noted patron of the Republic and he wanted to reform Rome arts and end its endemic political instabilitybuilder. However, Plutarch argued that Lucullus was a crisis key figure in the Eastern Mediterranean forced him to leave Italyhistory of Rome. This He was instrumental in the beginning of a great conflict with, defeat Mithridates IV of Pontus, one of Rome’s most formidable enemies. Lucullus also laid the foundation for Roman supremacy in the Near East and Black Sea region, that lasted for centuries. He also played a vital role in ways as formidable as the great Carthaginian Hannibalcultural development of Rome.

==Mithridates IV of Pontus ==Background====Rome after the defeat Lucullus was born into one of the Kingdom noblest families in Rome, and he was related to some of Macedonia became the dominant power most powerful clans in the Eastern MediterraneanRepublic. This was resented by many and particularly resented by He received the King traditional education of Pontus, Mithridates IV (135-63 BC). He ruled a powerful kingdom on young member of the Black Sea coast of modern Turkey elite and was as expected, of Iranian descent. He was a larger than life figure and he was famed for someone from his cunningclass, Herculean strength, his brutality and began a public career. Lucullus was a legend in his own lifetime <ref> Mayor, Adrienne, The Poison King: The Life and Legend member of Mithradatesthe optimates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy (Princetonwhich supported the traditional Senatorial class against the Populists, PUP, 2009), p 14 </ref>. The King of Pontus seized the Greek state in who sought the Crimea and also subjugated large parts support of the Caucusescommon people. Mithridates wanted to end Roman influence in what he saw as his region and to seize all of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). He decided to act and ordered the massacre of all the Latins living in Asia Minor and several thousand were murdered, and simultaneously he invaded Bithynia which This was allied to Rome (88 BC). This led the Senate to declare war on the king, in response the Pontic monarch gathered a huge army and invaded Greece. However, Sulla moved quickly and defeated Mithridates and his allies volatile period in two great battles and swept the Pontic king’s forces from EuropeRoman history. Lucullus played a critical role Political violence was common in what became known as the First Mithridatic WarRome, named after Mithridates VI <ref> Mayor, 119 </ref>. He assembled a navy and defeated the Pontic naval forces and ferried Sulla’s army from Greece Republic had descended into Asia. This amphibious operation persuaded Mithridates to seek an end to the war and he was granted generous terms by Sulla who wanted to quickly return to Rome, which was in a state of near civil war. Lucullus reputation was much enhanced by his role in the war<ref>Plutarch, 3. 5</ref>.

==Third Mithridatic Lucullus served with the Optimate general Sulla, and he fought with him during the Social War .<ref>Plutarch. <i>Life of Lucullus</i>, 5. 4</ref> Sulla highly regarded Lucullus, and supported Lucullus later when he was elected as Quaestor of Rome (73-63 88 BC)==Lucullus held several posts in . Sulla had made himself absolute ruler of the Republic and he wanted to reform Rome and in end its Provinces and he gained a reputation as a competent and fair administratorendemic political instability. MeanwhileHowever, Mithridates was able to regroup and fought a brief conflict with a Roman general, which is known as crisis in the Second Mithridatic warEastern Mediterranean forced him to leave Italy. The balance This crisis signaled the start of power changed in the Roman East when Lucullus became an ally war with Mithridates IV of Tigranes the Great, an Armenian monarch who established a large Empire that ranged from the Caucuses into modern Syria and east into IraqPontus. Mithridates once more attacked Roman allies in Asia Minor posed a significant to Rome and quickly overran most of them in 73 AD. Lucullus was as formidable as consul was sent with his co-consul in 70 BC to deal with the threatgreat Carthaginian Hannibal. His colleague blundered into a trap in Cynicus and was soon besieged by  ====Mithridates. Lucullus responded quickly and soon surrounded IV of Pontus ====Rome after the Pontic monarch’s army and inflicted a massive defeat on his forces. The Pontic monarch retreated into Armenia and went to of the court Kingdom of his ally Tigranes who was also his son-Macedonia became the dominant power in-lawthe Eastern Mediterranean. Lucullus took over the Pontic Kingdom This was resented by many and after Tigranes refused to hand over particularly resented by the Pontic kingKing of Pontus, the Romans invaded the Armenian EmpireMithridates IV (135-63 BC). The Romans besieged the Armenian capital Tigrancerta. The Armenian king who had been quelling He ruled a revolt returned to relieve powerful kingdom on the siege Black Sea coast of his capitalmodern Turkey and was of Iranian descent. Lucullus He was outnumbereda larger than life figure and famed for his cunning, Herculean strength, his brutality and was a legend in his enemy had assumed a defensive positionown lifetime. The Armenians cataphracts or heavy cavalry were the elite of Tigranes army and superior to the Roman cavalry<ref> Sherwin-WhiteMayor, Adrian N. (1994). "LucullusAdrienne, Pompey, and the East". In J. A. Crook; Andrew Lintott; Elizabeth Rawson. <i>The Cambridge Ancient History IXPoison King: The Last Age Life and Legend of the Roman RepublicMithradates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy</i> (Princeton, PUP, 2009), 146-43 BC. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 241 14 </ref>  The King of Pontus seized the Greek state in the Crimea and also subjugated large parts of the Caucuses. Lucullus decided on a daring plan Mithridates wanted to end Roman influence in his region and to conquer all of attackAsia Minor (modern Turkey). He ordered his infantry decided to advance over a hill act and attacked ordered the massacre of all the Armenian heavy cavalry Latins living in the rear. The Roman army nearly annihilated the cataphracts Asia Minor and the Armenian infantry fled, but they several thousand were ridden down by the Roman cavalrymurdered. Lucullus has secured a remarkable victory and one that Simultaneously, he invaded Bithynia which was studied throughout the centuries<ref>Keaveney, Arthur: Lucullus. A Life allied to Rome (London/New York: Routledge, 199288 BC), p 119</ref>. He went on This invasion forced the Roman Senate to inflict another crushing defeat declare war on the Armenian king . in what is now modern Iraqresponse, the Pontic monarch gathered a considerable army and invaded Greece.  However, Sulla moved quickly and defeated Mithridates resourceful as ever returned to Pontus and defeated the Roman garrison at the battle of Zela. Some his allies in Rome blamed Lucullus for this defeat two battles and for his apparent inability to end swept the conflictPontic king’s forces from Europe. Plutarch Lucullus played a critical role in his biography stated that Pompey wanted what became known as the command of the army in the war against First Mithridatic War, named after Mithridates and he conspired with others against Lucullus VI.<ref>PlutarchMayor, 7, 2 119 </ref>. An ally of Pompey incited Lucullus assembled a mutiny in navy and defeated the army Pontic naval forces and this led to the recall of the man who had won a series of remarkable victories. Pompey took over command of his ferried Sulla’s army and he secured the final submission of Tigranesfrom Greece into Asia. He advanced into the Caucuses and This amphibious operation persuaded Mithridates committed suicide when his own son betrayed him. Lucullus returned to Rome seek an extremely wealthy man end to the war, and he was excluded from public life granted generous terms by Sulla. Sulla needed to quickly return to Rome because the Pompeians. He became a great builder and city was in a patron state of the arts and civil war. Lucullus reputation was renowned for enhanced by his lavish lifestyle key role in the conflict.<ref> SherwinPlutarch, p 242 3. 5</ref>. ====Third Mithridatic War (73-63 BC)====

==Lucullus and the defeat of Mithridates==Mithridates was a formidable foe and was incredibly resilient and took advantage of the endemic divisions in the Roman Republic. In the First and Third Mithridatic War, he posed a grievous threat to Rome influence in the eastern Mediterranean. This was especially the case in the Third war between the Pontic king and the Republic when Mithridates entered into an alliance with the Roman rebels in Spain. Lucullus remarkable generalship prevented the Pontic king and his Armenian allies from expelling Rome from the Near East .<ref>Sherwin, p. 245</ref>. His victories ensured that Mithridates was all but beaten. The King was able to escape and even able to recapture some of his lands. In fact, Lucullus's decisive defeat of the Pontic king reduced the threat posed by Mithridates. He was severely weakened and his alliance with Armenia was at an endover. He only had a small army , and many of his lands were in outright revoltoccupied. Only his It was only Mithridates bravery and resourcefulness, that allowed him to continue the his fight against Rome. , but it was Lucullus was the general and not Popey who could claim to have ended the threat from the Pontic King. By doing this he Luccullus not only saved Rome in the east but also enabled the Republic to dominate Asia Minor and the Levant for centuries .<ref>Sherwin, p 244</ref>. In fact, Roman control of Asia Minor was not again challenged until the 7th century AD.

==The ==How Luccullus's role in the defeat of Armeniapermanently weakened it====

After Tigranes after he became the king of Armenia, he exploited Parthian and Seleucid weakness and created a vast Empire. He captured Mesopotamia and conquered the remnants of the once mighty Seleucid Empire. Tigranes made Armenia the greatest power in the region, exceding even greater than Parthia. Lucullus defeat of Tigranes weakened the Armenian and much of his newly acquired lands revolted against his rule. He was forced to withdraw from the war with Rome and abandoned his ally, Mithridates. In the aftermath of Lucullus victory at Tigrancertta, the Armenian Empire collapsed into near anarchy. Pompey allied with the Parthians and as a result, a chastened Armenian became a client kingdom of Rome, which it remained for centuries. This allowed Rome to secure a strategic advantage for itself on its Eastern frontier, until at least the rise of the Sassanian Empire. If Lucullus had not defeated Tigranes, the Armenian Empire may have endured, and this could have changed the history of the Near East. However, there was one unexpected outcome of the defeat of Tigranes and that was that it allowed Parthia to emerge stronger. It was to become the main foe of first the Republic and then later the Empire in the East.

In the aftermath of Lucullus victory at Tigrancertta, the Armenian Empire collapsed into near anarchy. Pompey allied with the Parthians and as a result, a chastened Armenian became a client kingdom of Rome, which it remained for centuries. This allowed Rome to secure a strategic advantage for itself on its Eastern frontier, until at least the rise of the Sassanian Empire. If Lucullus had not defeated Tigranes, the Armenian Empire might have endured, and this could have changed the history of the Near East. However, there was one unexpected outcome of the defeat of Tigranes, and that was that it allowed Parthia to emerge as the most potent power in the region. It was to become the primary foe of first the Republic and then later the Empire in the East. ====Lucullus and the arts====[[File: LUC FOUR.jpg |200px300px|thumb|left| Reimagining of the Gardens of Lucullus]]

The party of Pompey saw Lucullus as a threat and excluded him from public life and he ‘“fell back on a life of ease and luxury’’ luxury.’’<ref>Plutarch, 36-37. 3</ref>. The former consul devoted himself to the cultivation of the arts and followed his passions. He was a devotee of Latin and Greek literature and he amassed a great library in his villa. He allowed scholars to use his library and he patronized many poets and philosophers and this was imitated by other aristocratic Romans.  Lucullus was a great builder and he built magnificent parks and villas, whose designs were very influential. During his campaigns in the East, the retired consul was much impressed by the Persian tradition of horticulture. With his vast wealth he built a great park in the center of Rome, that became known as the ‘Gardens of Lucullus’ Lucullus.’<ref>Keaveney, Arthur: <i>Lucullus. A Life </i> (London/New York: Routledge, 1992), p 119</ref>. His gardens was very were important in the development of gardening in Europe.  The Roman aristocrat was also interested in farming and introduced fruits such as the cherry into Rome and also experimented with aquaculture, especially fish ponds. Lucullus was also famous or infamous for his feasts and was a great gourmet. So renowned was Lucullus for his love of food that he inspired the development of the English adjective Lucullan meaning excessive lover of food .<ref> Keavney, p 201 </ref>.  The victor of Tigrancertta was to influence also influenced the development of aristocratic culture in Rome. He inspired many members of the elite to abandon the traditional austere Republican lifestyle and to cultivate the arts. Lucullus example encouraged other Roman aristocrats to collect manuscripts, build villas and gardens. Lucullus patronage of the arts was very influential in the development of art and culture in Imperial Rome, especially during the Imperial period.

==== Conclusion====Lucullus is not as well known as his contemporaries such as Pompey or even Sulla. However, he was a great general who played a key role in the defeat of one of Rome’s greatest enemies, Mithridates IV of Pontus and it was he who more than anyone else end his dreams of Empire. The Roman also effectively ended the Armenian Empire and in doing so may have changed the history of the Middle East. His victories over the Pontic and Armenian armies allowed Rome to dominate the near east. Pompey was able to conquer Syria and Judaea and reduce Armenia and the Bosphoran Kingdom to the status of client kingdoms thanks to the brilliance of Lucullus. The Roman was not only an important military figure he was also a significant cultural figure whose example encoruaged encouraged many Roman aristocrats to patronize the arts.

====Further Reading====

====Reference====<references/>{{Contributors}}[[Category:Roman History]][[Category:Wikis]]