Battle of Protopachium
Battle of Protopachium | |||||||||
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Part of the Asia Minor at the time of the First Mithridatic War | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
Roman Republic Kingdom of Bithynia |
Pontic Empire Armenian Kingdom | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Manius Aquillius Nicomedes IV of Bithynia | |||||||||
Units involved | |||||||||
40,000 infantry[1] 4,000 cavalry[1] |
250,000 infantry[2] 40,000 cavalry[2] 130 scythed chariots[2] | ||||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||||
10,000 infantry[1] 4,000 cavalry[3] 300 prisoners[1] | Low | ||||||||
The Battle of Protopachium was fought in 89 BC at the start of the
Prelude
At the start of the war,
Battle
The battle was forced, and Mithridates' army easily won. Appian, a Greek historian, states that Aquillius lost about 10,000 infantry, and another source states a loss of 4,000 cavalry.[2] As Aquillius fled, 300 were being taken prisoner and were eventually led to Mithridates, who treated them fairly and some even joined Mithridates' side. Apart from being outnumbered, an additional reason Aquillius lost was that his army was largely consisted troops from Bithynia, exiles from Cappadocia, Paphlagonians, and Galatians. Very few soldiers were Romans.[1]
Aftermath
Aquillius fled to Pergamum (the Roman capital of Asia), while Nicomedes and Cassius fled to the Lion's Head, a powerful stronghold in Phrygia. This enabled them to get Phrygian and other recruits to join their army. Mithridates soon followed, but they both managed to flee to Italy. As Mithridates established control over much of the Roman province of Asia, Aquillius was set to go back to Italy. He had two intact armies, but their morale was extremely low. When Aquillius reached Lesbos, he was handed over to Mithridates by the people of Mytilene, and had molten gold poured down his throat (a similar fate is said to have happened with Marcus Licinius Crassus – 'richest person in Rome').[2]