Kings of Pontus & of the Cimmerian Bosporous
120 - 60 BC: Mithridates VI (House of Mithridates) [1]
60 BC - 33 BC: Mithridates VII (House of Mithridates) [2]
33 BC - 21 BC: Pharnaces II (House of Mithridates) [3]
21 BC - 44 AD: Aniketos I (House of Aniketos) [4]
44 AD - 49 AD: Mithridates VIII (House of Mithridates) [5]
49 AD - 56 AD: Ariarathes I (House of Mithridates [6]
56 AD - 62 AD: Pharnaces III (House of Mithridates) [7]
62 AD - 84 AD: Adonis I (House of Mithridates) [8]
84 AD - 98 AD: Fourteen Year's of Mayhem [9]
98 AD -106 AD: Apollonius I (House of Samosata) [9]
106 AD - 144 AD: Mithridates IX (House of Samosata) [10]
144 AD - 188 AD: Mithridates X (House of Samosata) [11]
188 AD - 206 AD: Mithridates XI (House of Samosata) [12]
206 AD - 223 AD: Artabanus II (House of Samosata) [13]
223 AD - 249 AD: Mithridates XII (House of Samosata) [14]
249 AD - 256 AD: Apollonius II (House of Samosata) [15]
256 AD - 272 AD: Mithridates XIII (House of Samosata) [16]
272 AD - 275 AD: Apollonius III (House of Samosata) [17]
272 AD - 289 AD: Adonis II (House of Samosata) [18]
289 AD - 473 AD: Roman Occupation of Pontus [19]
473 AD - 519 AD: Gaius I (House of Samosata) [20]
519 AD - 543 AD: Adonis III (House of Samosata) [21]
543 AD - 573 AD: Mithridates XIV (House of Samosata) [22]
573 AD - 623 AD: Adonis IV (House of Samosata) [23]
623 AD - 657 AD: Mithridates XV (House of Samoasata) [24]
657 AD - 677 AD: Gaius II (House of Samosata) [25]
677 AD - 700 AD: Apollonius IV (House of Samosata) [26]
700 AD - 715 AD: Artabanus III (House of Samosata) [27]
715 AD - 720 AD: Gaius III (House of Samosata) [28]
[1] : Mithridates VI played a more decisive role in the First Mithidatic War, taking advantage of Rome's crisis and civil turmoil. Although he desired to become the next Alexander the Great, he settled for meager gains, Bithynia as a Pontic client state, with the Roman Province of Asiana being the westernmost border with the Romans. The remainder of his reign was spent incorporating his domains into a greater Pontic state. However he would be felled in battle against the rising power of Armenia, leaving the throne to his son, Mithridates VII.
[2] Mithridates VII, son of Mitridates VI ruled for twenty seven years and spent much of that at war with Armenia. Winning a decisive victory in 35 BC, Mithridates VII forced a humiliating treaty upon the Armenians. He died in 33 BC and was succeeeded by his eldest son,
Pharnaces
[3] Pharnaces II was the youngest son and child born to King Mithridates VII of Pontus.
Pharnaces married, his sister Queen Laodice. He was born and raised in the Kingdom of Pontus and was the namesake of his late paternal great-great grandfather Pharnaces I of Pontus.
His 12 year reign saw his kingdom spread into the Balkan peninsula.
[4] Aniketos was a distant cousin of the House of Mithridates, and forcibly overthrew the crown after the death of Pharnaces II, seizing it for himself and his kin. His reign was long, lasting a total of 65 years.
[5] Mithridates VIII, great-grandson of Pharnaces II reclaimed the throne for his family from the son of Aniketos, Pharnaces. This erupted in a Civil War which led to the deaths of Pharnaces and Mithridates in 49 AD in the final battle of the war.
[6] The childless Mithridates' cousin, Ariarathes came back from his education which was taking place in Cappadocia and was crowned King of Pontus. He was a complete tyrant and aggressive ruler who bought the Colchis into his domain. He died whilst fighting against Armenia.
[7] Pharnaces III ruled for just six years and spent all of that time at war with Armenia. Neither his army nor the Armenian gained a decisive victory and so the war would continue after his death after he was succeeded by his younger brother Adonis.
[8] Adonis had a tough task to face with after Pharnaces III's death.In the war against Armenia,Adonis had a key victory at Yervandashat,which was the turning tide in the long war.In AD 67,Adonis captured Artashat and Armenia.When he returned to Pontus with a hero's welcome.Adonis' reign was welcomed by peace.He was killed by a fellow angerned citizen in AD 84.One of the greatest kings of his empire,after his death,civil war broke out.
[9] The Fourteen Years of Mayhem was a war in Pontus and Armenia between 84 and 98, characterised by a breakdown in law and order, and no confirmed head of state. The conflict originated with a succession crisis due to the murdering of Adonis I, with the king's only legitimate son, Prince Adonis, died abroad fighting in Rhodes in 80. Adonis's legitimate daughter attempts to install herself as his successor was unsuccessful with her half brother Apollonius of Samosata, illegitimate son of King Adonis and his Parthian mistress, Helatia taking power as King Apollonius with the help of his maternal Uncle, Pacorus II of Atropatene.
Apollonius's early reign was marked by fierce fighting with, Pontian leaders such as Mithridates of Bithynia and Euergetes of Colchis, defeating all rebels. He died in 106, being succeeded by his eldest son Mithridates IX, by his second wife, Philoromaios, a Bosporan princess.
[10] Mithridates IX ruled for thirty-eight years and was a beloved King of his people due to his kind and generous nature. He was also beloved by his own family and was succeeded by his eldest son, Mithridates.
[11] Mithridates X ruled for fourty-four years and due to his rule being very similar to his father, most of his achievments being, in confusion, attributed to his father, with historians, nicknaming him the forgotten.
[12] Mithridates XI was the third consecutive Mithridates to rule from the House of Samosata and his eighteen year reign saw the period of time from 106 AD to 206 AD become known as The Century of Mithridates. Various achievements by Mithridates XI were infact attributed to his grandfather by fourth century historians. These achievements were finally restored to the correct Mithridates by a modern day historian, Mithridates XI was succeeded by his eldest son Artabanus.
[13] Artabanus came to the throne and set about putting his mark on history, he built up his navy and army.
In 214, he successfully pushed the Roman army out of the surrounding areas beginning the Roman-Pontus War.
During this war, Artabanus's generals defeated and humiliated Emperor Elagabalus and his Roman armies, cause Elagabalus to have many enemies in Rome, while losing valuble land to the Pontus army.
Severus Alexander, became Emeror of Rome when succeeded his cousin Elagabalus upon the latter's assassination in 222 and had Artabanus, assassinated by bribing a debt-rideen body guard, ending the nine year, Roman-Pontus War.
Emperor, Alexander, set about having the Pontus throne, pass over to Mithridates XII, who was a second cousin of the previous King
[14] Mithridates XII refused to bow to the Roman Emperor and began the second Roman-Pontus War. He would destroy several Roman armies in his twenty-six reign. Severus Alexander would die in 231 whilst fighting in the war. He was succeeded by his nephew Severus Alexander II who continued his uncle's war with Pontus until his own death in 234. After this, the new Roman Emperor Serverus Cladius immediately ended the war and sealed a treaty that heavily favoured Mithridates XII. The King of Pontus would rule peacefully for the next ten years before the Romans attempted again to conquer Pontus. Mithridates XII would destory the Romans again and ruled peacefully until the end of his reign in 249 AD. He was succeeded by his younger brother Apollonius
[15] Apollonius II during his early life was a prominent General in his brothers army winning several of the most decisive battles of the 3rd Roman-Pontus War. However when he took the Throne at the age of 56 he quickly proved to be a poor administrator and eventually gave most of his duty's to his former comrades in arms, this caused his popularity to wane with the greater lords feeling that they should have been had greater powers granted to them instead of people who in many cases were of low birth. To quell the decent Apollonius turned to what he was best at, war, starting the 4th Roman-Pontus War in 254 with the aim of expanding Pontus into Thrace where he won several battles against the Romans. Until 256 when at the age of 63 he died falling off his horse during a battle outside of Athens leaving the throne and the war to his son Mithridates XIII.
[16] Mithridates XIII, crowned during the fourth Roman-Pontus War would continue the war through the next ten years, winning several decisive victories but also losing several battles as well. However in the end in 266 AD he crushed the armies of Severus Titus and captured the Emperor. He would force the Emperor to sign a humiliating treaty which greatly benefited the people of his kingdom. Mithridates XIII would then rule for six years in peace before his death in 272 AD. He was succeeded by his son Apollonius III
[17] Soon after his coronation, it became clear that Apollonius III was a weak Emperor and so the new Roman Emperor, Claudius Titus, brother of the previous Emperor invaded Pontus and Apollonius would bungle all his strategy during this brief war. In 275 AD, Apollonius abdicated his throne and his younger brother Adonis II inherited the throne as a client King of the Roman Empire
[18] Adonis II, being a Client King of the Roman Empire made several rulings that benefited the Roman Emperor and was so backed by the Empire until his death in 289 AD. After his death, a Roman occupation of his Kingdom began
[19] After the death of Adonis II, Emperor Claudius Titus decided that Pontus should be ruled directly by a Roman governor so he sent his brother Gaius Titus to rule as governor. Gaius Titus would be governor of Pontus until his death in 304 AD. He was followed by Claudius Titus, his nephew who be governor for twenty-three years. In 327 AD, Cicero Agrippa became the governor, a post he would be in for fifty years until his death in 377 AD. After him, Marcus Sextus would rule as governor for twenty three years until 400 AD. Cicero Antonius, Marcus Titus and finally Lucius Agrippa would be the final three governors of Pontus. In 473 AD, the Roman Emperor was a kindly old man by the name of Julius Agrippa who decided that Pontus deserved its own King again and decided to restore the line of Adonis II to the throne.
[20] Gaius was a great, great, great, Grandson of Adonis II, born to a Roman mother he had spent most of his life in the City of Rome when Julius Agrippa who had been a close friend of Gaius's father, gave back his family's ancestral realm. As a vassal of Rome Gaius proved to be deeply loyal, fully committing to the defense of Rome from migrating barbarians who had taken over much of the empires north. His rule towards the natives of his homeland was indifferent showing little concern about a plague brought by a migrating horde ravaged his lands only showing any interest when news reached him that the plague had claimed the life of the Emperor Marcus Agrippa. The plague eventually claimed Gaius too at the age of 72 having reigned for 46 years he was succeeded by his great-nephew Adonis III.
[21] Adonis III, ruled as King for 24 years after his great-uncle Gaius. He, like his Great-Uncle served as a loyal vassal to the Roman Empire for his entire reign, helping to mitigate barbarian invasions to the north. However Adonis was not indifferent to the natives of Pontus and was beloved in the Kingdom and greatly mourned after his death. He was succeeded by his son Mithridates XIII
[22] Mithridates XIII, son of Adonis III ruled for thirty years as King and again helpfully aided the Roman Empire against Barbarian as his father and great-grand uncle had done. However Mithridates would manipulate the Roman Emperor into some severe concession, including the rescindation of the oath of vassalage taken by his great-grand uncle Gaius. Newly independent of the Empire, Mithridates XIII still promised to aid the Roman Empire against the Barbarians when it was required but then returned home to Pontus. He ruled for another ten years mostly in peace, aiding the Romans against the Barbarians in 568 and 571. Mithridates XIII died in 573 and was succeeded by his son
[23] Third son of Mithridates XIII, Adonis IV ruled for 58 years from the age of 20 until his death in 623 at the age of 78. His reign was mostly quiet and nothing of note, good or bad happened during his reign. He was succeeded by his grandson Mithridates XIV
[24] Mithridates XIV ruled peacefully for 34 years as King of Pontus. He refused to be drawn into war with neighbouring nations and cultivated a reputation of being neutral in all his dealing. He died in 657 AD and was succeeded by his son Gaius II
[25] Gaius II, son of Mithridates XIV ruled for 20 years as King of Pontus. His father was known for his neutrality but Gaius II quickly became known as a man with a hair trigger temper and warlike nature. After nearly a century of peacetime ruling, Gaius was contacted by the Roman Emperor to deliver on the oath of alliance taken by Mithridates XIII. Gaius, believing himself to insulted by the Emperor marched his army to seemingly aid the Romans, only to betray them and helped the German tribes advance to the gates of the Rome. Finally in 577 AD, Gaius himself was betrayed by his younger brother Apollonius, who murdered Gaius and crowned himself as King on the battlefield during the fifth Roman-Pontus War.
[26] Apollonius IV, brother of Gaius II betrayed and murdered his brother just six months in the fifth Roman-Pontus war and crowned himsefl as King. He ended the war and reaffirmed the oath of alliance between Pontus and the Roman Empire. He then ruled peacefully until his death in 700 AD. He was succeeded by his second son Artabanus after the death of his first son, two months before his own death.
[27] Artabanus III ruled for the most part for 15 years with almost nothing of note happening during his reign, except for a assassin trying to kill the King. Artabanus would instead capture the assassin and then brutally disembowel him in front of all his nobles. He then warned that this would be the punishment for all those who defied him. The second and last thing of note during his reign was an rebel lord to the north deciding the House of Samosata had ruled long enough and the realm plunged into Civil War for three years. Finally victorious in 714 AD, Artabanus then went through on his punishment promise, viciously disemboweling the rebel lord in front of the rest of the nobles. Six weeks later, Artabanus fell off his horse and suffered a broken neck. However he would survive in agony for eight days before dying. He was succeeded by his younger brother Gaius
[28] Gaius III ruled only briefly, just over five years and was succeeded by his eldest son ______
120 - 60 BC: Mithridates VI (House of Mithridates) [1]
60 BC - 33 BC: Mithridates VII (House of Mithridates) [2]
33 BC - 21 BC: Pharnaces II (House of Mithridates) [3]
21 BC - 44 AD: Aniketos I (House of Aniketos) [4]
44 AD - 49 AD: Mithridates VIII (House of Mithridates) [5]
49 AD - 56 AD: Ariarathes I (House of Mithridates [6]
56 AD - 62 AD: Pharnaces III (House of Mithridates) [7]
62 AD - 84 AD: Adonis I (House of Mithridates) [8]
84 AD - 98 AD: Fourteen Year's of Mayhem [9]
98 AD -106 AD: Apollonius I (House of Samosata) [9]
106 AD - 144 AD: Mithridates IX (House of Samosata) [10]
144 AD - 188 AD: Mithridates X (House of Samosata) [11]
188 AD - 206 AD: Mithridates XI (House of Samosata) [12]
206 AD - 223 AD: Artabanus II (House of Samosata) [13]
223 AD - 249 AD: Mithridates XII (House of Samosata) [14]
249 AD - 256 AD: Apollonius II (House of Samosata) [15]
256 AD - 272 AD: Mithridates XIII (House of Samosata) [16]
272 AD - 275 AD: Apollonius III (House of Samosata) [17]
272 AD - 289 AD: Adonis II (House of Samosata) [18]
289 AD - 473 AD: Roman Occupation of Pontus [19]
473 AD - 519 AD: Gaius I (House of Samosata) [20]
519 AD - 543 AD: Adonis III (House of Samosata) [21]
543 AD - 573 AD: Mithridates XIV (House of Samosata) [22]
573 AD - 623 AD: Adonis IV (House of Samosata) [23]
623 AD - 657 AD: Mithridates XV (House of Samoasata) [24]
657 AD - 677 AD: Gaius II (House of Samosata) [25]
677 AD - 700 AD: Apollonius IV (House of Samosata) [26]
700 AD - 715 AD: Artabanus III (House of Samosata) [27]
715 AD - 720 AD: Gaius III (House of Samosata) [28]
[1] : Mithridates VI played a more decisive role in the First Mithidatic War, taking advantage of Rome's crisis and civil turmoil. Although he desired to become the next Alexander the Great, he settled for meager gains, Bithynia as a Pontic client state, with the Roman Province of Asiana being the westernmost border with the Romans. The remainder of his reign was spent incorporating his domains into a greater Pontic state. However he would be felled in battle against the rising power of Armenia, leaving the throne to his son, Mithridates VII.
[2] Mithridates VII, son of Mitridates VI ruled for twenty seven years and spent much of that at war with Armenia. Winning a decisive victory in 35 BC, Mithridates VII forced a humiliating treaty upon the Armenians. He died in 33 BC and was succeeeded by his eldest son,
Pharnaces
[3] Pharnaces II was the youngest son and child born to King Mithridates VII of Pontus.
Pharnaces married, his sister Queen Laodice. He was born and raised in the Kingdom of Pontus and was the namesake of his late paternal great-great grandfather Pharnaces I of Pontus.
His 12 year reign saw his kingdom spread into the Balkan peninsula.
[4] Aniketos was a distant cousin of the House of Mithridates, and forcibly overthrew the crown after the death of Pharnaces II, seizing it for himself and his kin. His reign was long, lasting a total of 65 years.
[5] Mithridates VIII, great-grandson of Pharnaces II reclaimed the throne for his family from the son of Aniketos, Pharnaces. This erupted in a Civil War which led to the deaths of Pharnaces and Mithridates in 49 AD in the final battle of the war.
[6] The childless Mithridates' cousin, Ariarathes came back from his education which was taking place in Cappadocia and was crowned King of Pontus. He was a complete tyrant and aggressive ruler who bought the Colchis into his domain. He died whilst fighting against Armenia.
[7] Pharnaces III ruled for just six years and spent all of that time at war with Armenia. Neither his army nor the Armenian gained a decisive victory and so the war would continue after his death after he was succeeded by his younger brother Adonis.
[8] Adonis had a tough task to face with after Pharnaces III's death.In the war against Armenia,Adonis had a key victory at Yervandashat,which was the turning tide in the long war.In AD 67,Adonis captured Artashat and Armenia.When he returned to Pontus with a hero's welcome.Adonis' reign was welcomed by peace.He was killed by a fellow angerned citizen in AD 84.One of the greatest kings of his empire,after his death,civil war broke out.
[9] The Fourteen Years of Mayhem was a war in Pontus and Armenia between 84 and 98, characterised by a breakdown in law and order, and no confirmed head of state. The conflict originated with a succession crisis due to the murdering of Adonis I, with the king's only legitimate son, Prince Adonis, died abroad fighting in Rhodes in 80. Adonis's legitimate daughter attempts to install herself as his successor was unsuccessful with her half brother Apollonius of Samosata, illegitimate son of King Adonis and his Parthian mistress, Helatia taking power as King Apollonius with the help of his maternal Uncle, Pacorus II of Atropatene.
Apollonius's early reign was marked by fierce fighting with, Pontian leaders such as Mithridates of Bithynia and Euergetes of Colchis, defeating all rebels. He died in 106, being succeeded by his eldest son Mithridates IX, by his second wife, Philoromaios, a Bosporan princess.
[10] Mithridates IX ruled for thirty-eight years and was a beloved King of his people due to his kind and generous nature. He was also beloved by his own family and was succeeded by his eldest son, Mithridates.
[11] Mithridates X ruled for fourty-four years and due to his rule being very similar to his father, most of his achievments being, in confusion, attributed to his father, with historians, nicknaming him the forgotten.
[12] Mithridates XI was the third consecutive Mithridates to rule from the House of Samosata and his eighteen year reign saw the period of time from 106 AD to 206 AD become known as The Century of Mithridates. Various achievements by Mithridates XI were infact attributed to his grandfather by fourth century historians. These achievements were finally restored to the correct Mithridates by a modern day historian, Mithridates XI was succeeded by his eldest son Artabanus.
[13] Artabanus came to the throne and set about putting his mark on history, he built up his navy and army.
In 214, he successfully pushed the Roman army out of the surrounding areas beginning the Roman-Pontus War.
During this war, Artabanus's generals defeated and humiliated Emperor Elagabalus and his Roman armies, cause Elagabalus to have many enemies in Rome, while losing valuble land to the Pontus army.
Severus Alexander, became Emeror of Rome when succeeded his cousin Elagabalus upon the latter's assassination in 222 and had Artabanus, assassinated by bribing a debt-rideen body guard, ending the nine year, Roman-Pontus War.
Emperor, Alexander, set about having the Pontus throne, pass over to Mithridates XII, who was a second cousin of the previous King
[14] Mithridates XII refused to bow to the Roman Emperor and began the second Roman-Pontus War. He would destroy several Roman armies in his twenty-six reign. Severus Alexander would die in 231 whilst fighting in the war. He was succeeded by his nephew Severus Alexander II who continued his uncle's war with Pontus until his own death in 234. After this, the new Roman Emperor Serverus Cladius immediately ended the war and sealed a treaty that heavily favoured Mithridates XII. The King of Pontus would rule peacefully for the next ten years before the Romans attempted again to conquer Pontus. Mithridates XII would destory the Romans again and ruled peacefully until the end of his reign in 249 AD. He was succeeded by his younger brother Apollonius
[15] Apollonius II during his early life was a prominent General in his brothers army winning several of the most decisive battles of the 3rd Roman-Pontus War. However when he took the Throne at the age of 56 he quickly proved to be a poor administrator and eventually gave most of his duty's to his former comrades in arms, this caused his popularity to wane with the greater lords feeling that they should have been had greater powers granted to them instead of people who in many cases were of low birth. To quell the decent Apollonius turned to what he was best at, war, starting the 4th Roman-Pontus War in 254 with the aim of expanding Pontus into Thrace where he won several battles against the Romans. Until 256 when at the age of 63 he died falling off his horse during a battle outside of Athens leaving the throne and the war to his son Mithridates XIII.
[16] Mithridates XIII, crowned during the fourth Roman-Pontus War would continue the war through the next ten years, winning several decisive victories but also losing several battles as well. However in the end in 266 AD he crushed the armies of Severus Titus and captured the Emperor. He would force the Emperor to sign a humiliating treaty which greatly benefited the people of his kingdom. Mithridates XIII would then rule for six years in peace before his death in 272 AD. He was succeeded by his son Apollonius III
[17] Soon after his coronation, it became clear that Apollonius III was a weak Emperor and so the new Roman Emperor, Claudius Titus, brother of the previous Emperor invaded Pontus and Apollonius would bungle all his strategy during this brief war. In 275 AD, Apollonius abdicated his throne and his younger brother Adonis II inherited the throne as a client King of the Roman Empire
[18] Adonis II, being a Client King of the Roman Empire made several rulings that benefited the Roman Emperor and was so backed by the Empire until his death in 289 AD. After his death, a Roman occupation of his Kingdom began
[19] After the death of Adonis II, Emperor Claudius Titus decided that Pontus should be ruled directly by a Roman governor so he sent his brother Gaius Titus to rule as governor. Gaius Titus would be governor of Pontus until his death in 304 AD. He was followed by Claudius Titus, his nephew who be governor for twenty-three years. In 327 AD, Cicero Agrippa became the governor, a post he would be in for fifty years until his death in 377 AD. After him, Marcus Sextus would rule as governor for twenty three years until 400 AD. Cicero Antonius, Marcus Titus and finally Lucius Agrippa would be the final three governors of Pontus. In 473 AD, the Roman Emperor was a kindly old man by the name of Julius Agrippa who decided that Pontus deserved its own King again and decided to restore the line of Adonis II to the throne.
[20] Gaius was a great, great, great, Grandson of Adonis II, born to a Roman mother he had spent most of his life in the City of Rome when Julius Agrippa who had been a close friend of Gaius's father, gave back his family's ancestral realm. As a vassal of Rome Gaius proved to be deeply loyal, fully committing to the defense of Rome from migrating barbarians who had taken over much of the empires north. His rule towards the natives of his homeland was indifferent showing little concern about a plague brought by a migrating horde ravaged his lands only showing any interest when news reached him that the plague had claimed the life of the Emperor Marcus Agrippa. The plague eventually claimed Gaius too at the age of 72 having reigned for 46 years he was succeeded by his great-nephew Adonis III.
[21] Adonis III, ruled as King for 24 years after his great-uncle Gaius. He, like his Great-Uncle served as a loyal vassal to the Roman Empire for his entire reign, helping to mitigate barbarian invasions to the north. However Adonis was not indifferent to the natives of Pontus and was beloved in the Kingdom and greatly mourned after his death. He was succeeded by his son Mithridates XIII
[22] Mithridates XIII, son of Adonis III ruled for thirty years as King and again helpfully aided the Roman Empire against Barbarian as his father and great-grand uncle had done. However Mithridates would manipulate the Roman Emperor into some severe concession, including the rescindation of the oath of vassalage taken by his great-grand uncle Gaius. Newly independent of the Empire, Mithridates XIII still promised to aid the Roman Empire against the Barbarians when it was required but then returned home to Pontus. He ruled for another ten years mostly in peace, aiding the Romans against the Barbarians in 568 and 571. Mithridates XIII died in 573 and was succeeded by his son
[23] Third son of Mithridates XIII, Adonis IV ruled for 58 years from the age of 20 until his death in 623 at the age of 78. His reign was mostly quiet and nothing of note, good or bad happened during his reign. He was succeeded by his grandson Mithridates XIV
[24] Mithridates XIV ruled peacefully for 34 years as King of Pontus. He refused to be drawn into war with neighbouring nations and cultivated a reputation of being neutral in all his dealing. He died in 657 AD and was succeeded by his son Gaius II
[25] Gaius II, son of Mithridates XIV ruled for 20 years as King of Pontus. His father was known for his neutrality but Gaius II quickly became known as a man with a hair trigger temper and warlike nature. After nearly a century of peacetime ruling, Gaius was contacted by the Roman Emperor to deliver on the oath of alliance taken by Mithridates XIII. Gaius, believing himself to insulted by the Emperor marched his army to seemingly aid the Romans, only to betray them and helped the German tribes advance to the gates of the Rome. Finally in 577 AD, Gaius himself was betrayed by his younger brother Apollonius, who murdered Gaius and crowned himself as King on the battlefield during the fifth Roman-Pontus War.
[26] Apollonius IV, brother of Gaius II betrayed and murdered his brother just six months in the fifth Roman-Pontus war and crowned himsefl as King. He ended the war and reaffirmed the oath of alliance between Pontus and the Roman Empire. He then ruled peacefully until his death in 700 AD. He was succeeded by his second son Artabanus after the death of his first son, two months before his own death.
[27] Artabanus III ruled for the most part for 15 years with almost nothing of note happening during his reign, except for a assassin trying to kill the King. Artabanus would instead capture the assassin and then brutally disembowel him in front of all his nobles. He then warned that this would be the punishment for all those who defied him. The second and last thing of note during his reign was an rebel lord to the north deciding the House of Samosata had ruled long enough and the realm plunged into Civil War for three years. Finally victorious in 714 AD, Artabanus then went through on his punishment promise, viciously disemboweling the rebel lord in front of the rest of the nobles. Six weeks later, Artabanus fell off his horse and suffered a broken neck. However he would survive in agony for eight days before dying. He was succeeded by his younger brother Gaius
[28] Gaius III ruled only briefly, just over five years and was succeeded by his eldest son ______
