Archelaus

Archelaus (; fl. during the latter half of the second century BC and first half of first century BC, died by 63 BC) was a prominent Greek general who served under King Mithridates VI of Pontus in northern Anatolia and was also his favorite general.

Family and early life Archelaus was a Greek nobleman from Cappadocia, possibly of Macedonian descent. His parents are unknown, but his ancestors are thought to be Greeks who arrived in Anatolia after the expedition of Alexander the Great. He had a brother called Neoptolemus and his family were active in the Pontic Court. As he was a friend of Mithridates VI, the Pontic King gave Archelaus the court title of philos.

Along with Neoptolemus they both rose to prominence during the wars of Mithridates VI on the northern shores of the Black Sea. Archelaus was a prominent Pontic general during the First Mithridatic War (89 BC-85 BC). In 88 BC as a part of the First Mithridatic War, Archelaus and his brother were involved in a military campaign with the Pontic army against King Nicomedes IV of Bithynia. On the Amnias River the brothers had the command of the advance guard and won their first victory of the war.

The presence of the Pontic army under the command of Archelaus encouraged citizens from Southern Greece to revolt against Roman rule. When the Roman general Sulla finally arrived and took control of Macedon at the helm of a large army, replacing Bruttius, Archelaus and the Pontic army withdrew from Boeotia, pulling back to Athens. They fortified themselves in Piraeus and left the city of Athens to Aristion the Athenian tyrant. Mithridates VI had sent his son Arcathius and a much larger Pontic army to Greece to assist Archelaus. As Arcathius was advancing through Northern Greece, Archelaus made several failed attempts to get supplies into Athens. On March 1, 86 BC, Sulla and his legions finally broke into Athens. By that time, Arcathius had died on his way to Athens. His army however was still intact and pursuing the remnants of the legions of Macedonia. Archelaus’ ally the Athenian tyrant Aristion had escaped into the Acropolis of Athens. His Pontic fleet withdrew and left Greece. Archelaus was able to persuade Mithridates VI to meet Sulla. Mithridates VI met Sulla and agreed to the Sulla's terms, except for the surrender of his fleet and evacuation of Paphlagonia. – who became the high priest of the temple-state of Comana, Cappadocia. Diogenes

Family tree of Archelaus