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In 49 BCE, as Rome was engulfed in the chaos of Caesar's Civil War between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great, opportunistic rulers on the fringes of the Republic saw a chance to reclaim lost territories. Among them was Pharnaces II, the ambitious king of the Bosporan Kingdom and son of the infamous Mithridates VI of Pontus. Taking advantage of Rome's distraction, Pharnaces launched a swift campaign to seize Colchis and Lesser Armenia, regions that had once been part of his father's vast Pontic Empire before their annexation by Rome.
Pharnaces II was the last surviving son of Mithridates VI of Pontus, who had waged decades of brutal wars against Rome before his eventual defeat by Pompey in 63 BCE. After Mithridates' death, Pharnaces was installed as a client king of the Bosporan Kingdom (Crimea and the eastern Black Sea coast) under Roman oversight. However, Pharnaces inherited his father's resentment toward Rome and waited for an opportunity to restore his family's power.
By 49 BCE, Rome was divided. Julius Caesar had crossed the Rubicon, sparking civil war, and Pompey was marshaling forces in the east. With Roman legions pulled away to fight in Greece and Italy, Pharnaces saw his chance. He swiftly invaded:
- Colchis (modern western Georgia) - A strategic region on the Black Sea, rich in trade and resources.
- Lesser Armenia (northeastern Anatolia) - A buffer zone between Pontus and Roman-controlled Cappadocia.
These territories had been under Roman influence since Pompey's settlement of the East in 63 BCE, but Pharnaces exploited the power vacuum to reclaim them with little resistance.
Initially, Rome could not respond effectively. The governor of Asia, Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus, attempted to counter Pharnaces but was defeated at the Battle of Nicopolis (48 BCE). Emboldened, Pharnaces pushed further into Cappadocia and Bithynia, even massacring Roman settlers in a brutal show of force.
However, his success was short-lived. After defeating Pompey at Pharsalus (48 BCE), Julius Caesar turned his attention eastward. In 47 BCE, he confronted Pharnaces at the Battle of Zela, where he famously declared "Veni, Vidi, Vici" ("I came, I saw, I conquered"). The swift and crushing Roman victory ended Pharnaces' ambitions, forcing him to flee back to the Bosporus, where he was soon killed by a rival.
Pharnaces' invasion was a bold but ultimately futile attempt to revive Pontic power. His initial successes highlighted Rome's vulnerability during civil conflicts, but Caesar's rapid response reaffirmed Roman dominance in Asia Minor. The episode also underscored how Rome's internal strife often invited external challenges—a pattern that would recur throughout the late Republic.
Pharnaces II's seizure of Colchis and Lesser Armenia was a daring move that briefly threatened Roman control in the East. Yet, like his father before him, he underestimated Rome's resilience. His defeat at Zela not only ended his rebellion but also reinforced the lesson that no regional power could long defy Rome—even in its moments of weakness.
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