One of the most formidable enemies the Romans ever faced was Mithridates VI Eupator (135-63 BC), king of Pontus (the Black Sea coast of Anatolia, what is now Turkey). He was of Greek and Persian ancestry, and built up a powerful kingdom in Pontus and the Black Sea area. He had all the Romans and Italians in Anatolia massacred, some 80,000 of them, and also invaded Greece.

He became king by imprisoning his mother, who was the acting ruler while he was a boy. The Pontic royal family had experienced assassination by poison. Mithridates He is famous for his plan to prevent assassination by poison. He started with very small doses of poisons to gradually build up resistance. 

Mithridates VI was talented, cruel, utterly ruthless and highly intelligent. He is said to have known 25 languages. He defeated the Romans several times and managed himself to survive several defeats by the Romans.

In the end, rather than fall into Roman hands, he tried to kill himself by using poison, and he failed. He ordered a mercenary soldier to kill him. 

Mithridates was a huge man of great abilities, the kind of man who remains a legend over the centuries. It’s possible many of the stories about him are actually true. 

Deep knowledge,and happy reading.
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