Battle of Zela (67 BC)

Battle of Zela
Part of Third Mithridatic War
Date67 BC
LocationZile
Result Pontic victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Pontus
Kingdom of Armenia		 Roman Republic
Commanders and leaders
Mithridates VI (WIA) Gaius Valerius Triarius
Strength

8,000[1]

4,000 Pontians
4,000		 4 legions
Casualties and losses
Unknown 7,000 men,
24 tribunes,
150 centurions
killed

The battle of Zela, not to be confused with the more famous battle in 47 BC, was fought by the town of Zile in the Kingdom of Pontus during the Third Mithridatic War and resulted in king Mithridates' successful reclamation of his kingdom after numerous defeats and setbacks. His victory was short-lasting, however, as within a few years he would be completely defeated, this time by Pompey the Great.[2]

In the spring of 67 BC, most Roman troops had left Pontus for Mesopotamia. Two Fimbrian legions refused to leave and fell easy prey for Mithridates. The Roman legatus mobilized slaves to fight alongside legionnaires, but the Pontic forces won the first battle. The Romans lost 500 killed and retreated. Mithridates was wounded in the face with an arrow but recovered in a few days.[3]

The battle of Zela, the second encounter of the 67 BC campaign, was a Roman attempt to regain control after their tactical loss to Mithridates. It was preceded by a freak tornado; both sides interpreted the omen as a call to a final, decisive battle. The Romans attacked the Zela camp at night. The Pontics repelled the first strike and drove the Romans back into their trenches which were soon "clogged with dead Romans".[3] Mithridates was critically wounded again, and once again a shaman by the name of Agari healed the king with snake venom. Only hours after the near-fatal wound, Mithridates was back in his saddle. By this time, the Romans had already fled, leaving seven thousand dead, including 24 tribunes and 150 centurions.[4]

Citations

  1. ↑ Appian Historia Romana Book XII (The Mithridatic Wars), section 88
  2. ↑ http://www.ne.se/lang/mithridates-vi-eupator
  3. 1 2 Mayor, p. 310.
  4. ↑ Mayor, p. 311.

References

  • Adrienne Mayor (2009). The Poison King: the life and legend of Mithradates, Rome's deadliest enemy. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-12683-6.

Coordinates: 40°18′N 35°53′E / 40.300°N 35.883°E / 40.300; 35.883

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