The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy
Page 56
Media, 298
medicine, Pergamon as center of, 58. See also antidotes; botanical medicine; doctors by name
Memnon, 4, 48, 147, 174, 212, 271, 275, 276, 278
memory techniques, 253–54
Men (Anatolian god), 84–85
Menander, 281–82
Menes, 241
Meniphilus, 323, 325, 330
Menophilus, 277
mercury, 252
Merry, Robert W., 9
Mesopolis, 220
Mesopotamia, 46, 54, 138, 298, 330
Metellus, 173
meteorites, 268, 269
Metrodorus of Scepsis, the Rome-Hater, 5, 108, 159, 187, 253, 296–97, 328, 367
Metrophanes, 190, 192, 261, 270, 323, 345, 363
Miletus, 157, 172
military: building the, 113, 127, 230
diversity in, 93–94, 199, 205–6, 212, 298, 300
M’s overtures to, 79–84
M’s popularity with, 96
Roman, 113
size of M’s, 147, 205, 261, 399n1
strategy for, 92, 127, 147, 295, 298, 299, 304, 307–8, 318–19
training of/for, 50, 127, 230, 237, 304
wealth of, 147
mill, water-powered, 2, 253
minerals and mining, 70–71, 71, 78, 247–48
Mitchell, Stephen, Anatolia, 7–8
Mithra, 46, 103
Aristonicus and, 60
fire ceremony to honor, 152, 233–35, 303
gold sacred to, 193
M named after, 1, 27, 40
mushrooms sacred to, 394n5
as mythic hero, 41
omens sent by, 32, 44
sacrifice to, 262
savior-king sent by, 69
worshipped by pirates, 316
Zeus as form of, 79
Mithradateion, Galatia, 129
Mithradates I, 73, 121, 129
Mithradates II, 161
Mithradates IV, 100
Mithradates V Euergetes (father of M): assassination of, 68, 71
children of, 45
as king, 44–45
and mythic hero archetype, 40, 42
and ritual, 233
as Roman ally, 51–52, 60, 161
succession to, 69
Mithradates Chrestus “the Good” (brother of M), plate 3, 45, 68–69, 75, 97–99
Mithradates Monument, Delos, 106–7, 130, 179
Mithradates of Pergamon (son of M), 114
Mithradates the Younger (son of M), 114, 224, 230, 364
Mithradates vase, 248, 248
Mithradatic Wars: Armenian campaign, 293–302, 306–9, 329–30
battle for Greece, 189–213
casualties of, 385n23
Caucasus Mountain trek during, 326–38
current world crises and, 3, 9
duration of, 1, 381n2
early victories in, 147–57
First, 147–227, 191
invasion of Pontus, 279–80
Kabeira besieged, 280–87
last battles and escape, 318–29
Lucullus’s mismanagement of, 288–314
maps of, 191, 264
M’s Roman invasion plans, 327, 342–45
omens in, 181–83, 185, 189, 194, 202, 267–69, 269, 272, 297, 310, 343
origins of, 139–40
paintings of, 358
peace treaties in, 221–23, 225–27, 229–31, 237, 256, 340
Pontus occupied, 329–31
pursuit of M, 267–82, 318–29
rebellions against M, 218–21, 343–46
Roman and Italian refugees of, 171
Roman resistance movements in, 174, 183
Rome’s forces at start of, 146
Second, 229–35, 264
speeches relating to, 142–46, 159–62, 263–65, 305–6
Strabo’s family and, 45
Third, 259–352, 264
Mithradatis (daughter of M), 114, 344, 349, 352
Mithras (general), 138
mithridatism, 239
Mithridatium, 58, 239–46, 245, 289, 296, 330, 349, 367
Mithrobarzanes, 257–58, 297
Moaphernes, 45, 230
Moctezuma, 170
Mommsen, Theodor, 7
Monime, 114, 163, 164, 165, 169, 186, 194, 218, 219, 233, 277, 285, 286–87, 331
monkshood, 48, 86, 101, 418n4
monuments, victory, 208–10, 209, 212–13, 311
Moonlight Battle, plate 6, 319–20
Moors, 111
morality, 46–47
Moses, 40
Mosynoeci. See Turret-Folk
Mount Realgar Mine, 70, 71, 78, 121
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 2, 361
Muhammad, 40
Murena, 198, 208, 228, 230–33, 236, 255, 262
mushrooms, 101, 252, 394n5
music, 251–52
Mylitta, 89
myrrh, 240
myrtle, 118
mythic hero archetype, 39–42
and burial site, 354
examples of, 40, 41
exile from Sinope and, 393n5
and false death, 419n20
life guided by, 41–42
and male-female couples, 304, 364
M and, 371–73
and marriage, 100
Mytilene, Lesbos, 157, 166, 171
Ñaco del Hoyo, Toni, 8
name of Mithradates: meaning and spelling of, 1, 27
nicknames, 36, 45
naphtha, 46, 53, 302–3
Nasrallah, Hassan, 39
natron, 240
natural disasters, death tolls of, 22
navy: and battle for Rhodes, 180–83, 181
building the, 113, 179
control of Aegean by, 199–200
Roman, 157, 220–21
rule of, 187
Near East, 20, 54, 172–73
Nemanes, 152
Nemea, 158
Neoptolemus, 117, 147, 149, 152–53, 192, 197–98, 221, 225, 231, 261, 335
Nero, Emperor, 10, 50, 243, 244, 249
Nicander of Colophon, 240
Nicomedes III, 127–31, 128, 135–36, 139
Nicomedes IV, 139–41, 143–47, 149–51, 153, 155, 160, 161, 165, 166, 168, 222, 225–26, 233, 260, 264, 305
Nicomedia, Bithynia, 224, 274–76
Niconides, 252
Nicopolis, Pontus, 330
night attacks, 320
nightshade. See belladonna
Nike, 194
Nisibis, 309
nomads, 112, 116–17, 298–99, 304, 307, 321, 338. See also Berber nomads; Scythian nomads
Norse saga, 364, 420n26
North Africa, 110–12. See also Jugurtha
Numa, 166
Numidia, 111–12
Nysa, 18, 153, 154, 172
Nyssa (daughter of M), 114, 344, 349, 352
Nyssa (sister of M), 45, 98–100, 253, 277, 284, 314, 358
Obsequens, A. Julius, 185
Odin, 420n26
Oedipus, 40
oil, 46, 53, 63, 235, 302–3
oleander, 70
Olympias, 68
omens: interpretation of, 33–34
for M, 105
Marius’s use of, 132–34
in Mithradatic Wars, 181–83, 185, 189, 194, 202, 267–69, 269, 272, 297, 310, 343. See also dreams; prophecies
Ophiogenes, 241
opium, 230, 240, 418n4
Oppius, Quintus, 142, 155–57, 166, 177, 226
oracles, 33–35
at Delphi, 34
200–201
of Hystaspes, 34. See also omens; prophecies
oral tradition, “Snowball Effect” of, 41
Orchomenus, 211–13, 223
Orosius, 343
orpiment, 70, 240
orris root, 240
Orsabaris (daughter of M), 114, 139–40, 343, 352, 358
Ossetia, 334
ostension, 41
Otryae, 267–69
O
xathres (son of M), 114, 343, 352, 358
Paccius, L. Lutatius, the Elder, 243
Paccius the Younger, 243
Palestine, 341
Pamphylia, 177, 221
Pantikapaion, 53, 117, 326, 331, 339, 339, 343–47, 356–57
papers, M’s private, 240, 246, 289, 305, 319, 330–31
Paphlagonia, 128–29, 135, 152, 161, 162, 222, 223, 226, 260, 263
Papias, plate 1, 101, 107, 240
paradoxes of M, 10, 24, 26, 215–16, 236. See also character of M; psychology of M
paranoia, 68, 104, 187, 216, 220, 231, 244, 340
Parisades, King, 116, 282
parricide, 361
parsley, 240
Parthenon, Athens, 202
Parthia, 115, 136, 138, 298, 303, 305–6, 316
pastimes, 50, 75, 87–89, 125–27, 237–38, 247–52, 294–95. See also chariot races; hunting
Patara, 157, 183, 186, 228
patricians, 108–9
Paul, Saint, 16, 39
Pausanias, 202, 204, 208
Peace of Dardanus, 221–23, 225–27, 229–31, 237, 256
pederin, 102
Pegasus, 29, 29, 32, 44
Pelopidas, 108, 142–46, 157, 159, 183, 186
Penthesilea, 304
Pergamon: Aquillius taken to, 166–68
comets’ meaning in, 32–33
description of, 15–16
massacre of Romans in, 15–16
medical learning in, 58
in M’s empire, 157, 159, 193–94
M’s visit to, 121
road to, 167
slaves in, 20
Telephus and, 63
theater in, 159, 169, 193–94
Perperna, M., 60
Persephone, 272
Persia, 37, 46, 49–50, 66–67, 136, 295, 362
Persian-influenced cultures, 31–32, 34, 42, 46
Persian religion, 27, 34, 36, 46–47. See also Ahuramazda; fire; Light; Magi; Sun; Truth; Zoroastrianism
Pessinus, 132
Petra, 341
petroleum. See oil
Phanagoria, 53, 117, 339, 343–44, 356
pharmaka, 48, 70, 239. See also antidotes; poison
pharnaceon, 47
Pharnaces I (grandfather of M), 47, 58, 82, 85, 114, 161, 358
Pharnaces (son of M), plate 3, 114, 316, 339, 341–43, 345–47, 351, 357, 361–64, 366, 369
Pharnacia, 277, 282–87
Phazemon, 79
pheasants, 326
Philip of Macedon, 68, 136, 148, 162
Philopoemen, 165, 218
Phoenicia, 138, 221, 330, 331
Phoenix (son of M), 114, 278, 280–81
Phrygia, 82, 110, 121, 142, 144, 155, 157, 161, 162, 225–26, 228
pig bladders, masks from, 240
Piraeus, 196–99, 204–5
pirates and piracy: Aegean raids of, 228
extent of, 116
M’s relations with, 52–53, 113, 116, 258
Pontus and, 52
present-day, 9
Rome and, 258, 314
scimitar associated with, 104
and slave trade, 20, 52, 116
in Third Mithradatic War, 276–78
Pitane, 224
Pizan, Christine de. See Christine de Pizan
plebs, 108–9
Pliny the Elder: on Krateuas’s treatises, 101
on M, 359
and M’s library and papers, 331
on M’s linguistic abilities, 254
on naphtha, 302
Natural History, 4
on plants, 118
on poisons, 240–42, 244–45
on Sulla’s Triumph, 229
plots. See assassination plots
plunder. See looting
Plutarch: on Athens’ destruction, 202–3
on Attalus, 58
on Cleopatra’s linguistic abilities, 254
on Delphic treasure, 201
on flatterers, 126
on Marius and Sulla, 112
and Mithradatic Wars, 4–5, 197–98, 207–10, 212, 224, 236, 265, 267–68, 272, 274, 276, 280, 282, 284, 286–87, 292, 293, 296–98, 301, 303, 307, 309, 311, 318, 323, 327, 328, 330, 331, 334
on M’s death, 353, 354, 359
and M’s library and papers, 331
on M’s marriage to Monime, 163, 165, 218
on M’s mercy, 215
on Peace of Dardanus, 225
on Pompey, 352–54
on Sertorius, 259–60
on Spartacus, 272
on Sulla, 196, 201, 202, 229
Pluto, 154
poetry, 218, 238–39, 250–51, 364
poison: Alexander’s death from, 69
Aquillius the Elder’s use of, on cities, 61, 167
in Armenia, 295–96
arrows tipped with, 86, 116, 303
Attalus III and, 57–58
in Black Sea region, 70
dual nature of, 48
effects of, 99, 418n4
father’s death from, 68, 69, 71
Galatians’ death from, 215
Grypos and, 107
Hannibal’s death by, 56, 57
kings’ collections of, 102
Laodice’s death from, 99
Laodice the Younger’s death from, 124–25, 125
Medea and, 63
metals/crystals for detecting/neutralizing, 246–47
from minerals, 70–71, 78
Mithradates the Younger’s death from, 230
M’s attempted suicide using, 349–51
M’s investigations of, plate 1, 1–2, 48, 58, 69–72, 88–89, 101–3, 201, 220, 237–47, 295–96
M’s invincibility regarding, 237–39, 349
personality traits associated with use of, 373–74
as political weapon, 1–2, 45, 50
prisoners as test subjects for, 220, 237–38
Psylli and, 111
Roman soldiers killed by, 315
Roman use of, 239, 242
royal succession by, 45
safeguards against, 246–47
as siege tactic, 61
Socrates the Good’s death from, 140
suicide by, 57, 247, 275, 287, 325, 349, 418n4. See also antidotes; specific sources of poison
poison cups, 246
polemonia, 101
Polybius, 34
Pompey the Great, 290, 317
Amasia incapacitated by, 80
Armenian campaign of, 329–30
birth of, 112
command of war assumed by, 312, 312–14, 316
criticisms of, 341
gems dedicated by, 249
Lucullus’s rivalry with, 265, 278, 312–14
and Mithradatic War, 312–45
and Moonlight Battle, plate 6, 319–20
movements of, 327–31, 340–41
and M’s death, plate 9, 352–54
and M’s library and papers, 240, 246
as M’s rival, 4, 24, 63
nickname of, 112
peace negotiations of, 340–41
pirate campaign of, 314–16
rise to power of, 278
and slave uprising, 278
Spanish rebellion put down by, 270
and Sulla’s body, 256
Triumphs of, 312, 328, 351, 357–59
victory proclaimed by, 330, 358
Pontic ducks. See ducks, poisonous
Pontus, 1, 162
appearance of, 79
culture of, 250
foreign policy of, 50–52
influences on, 46
invasion of, 279–80
map of, 78
minerals in, 70
M’s father and, 44–45
M’s recovery of, 309–10, 316, 341–42
pirates and, 52
poisons in, 70
as Roman ally, 51–52
as Roman province, 292
symbol of, 32
wealth of, 52–53, 115, 279
Popov, Se
rguei, 246
Populars, 132, 188, 222, 227, 236, 259, 270, 294, 312
Poredorix, 214–15
portraits of M. See artistic portrayals of M
Poseidon, 262
Presley, Elvis, 39
Priam, 93–94
Priene, 121
prisoners: Bruttius’s treatment of, 192
general as, 156, 157
M’s cynical use of, 271
M’s freeing of, 151–53