The county we now call Turkey did not exist in antiquity. This peninsula was divided into several kingdoms.

Rome's involvement in "Turkey" begun in 133 BC, when Attalus III, the king of Pergamum, died without male issue. He bequeathed his kingdom to Rome. Pergamon (a Greek state in western Turkey) had been an ally of Rome since 200 BC. Rome fought two wars to support Pergamon during conflicts between Greek states. Rome had always been very reluctant to get involved in matters in Asia. This did not change after the death of Attalus. Parts of the kingdom of Pergamon were relinquished to different nations. Phrygia was given to of Pontus. The only real involvement Rome had in "Turkey" was in part of Cilicia (the eastern end of Turkey's southern coast) which was annexed 103 BC because it was a haunt of pirates.

The kingdom of Galatia (in central Turkey, next door to Pergamon) became an ally of Pergamon and Rome in 189 BC. In 168 BC Rome declared Lycia free from Syrian and the two became allies..

Rome expanded into Turkey as a result of the expansionism of Mithridates VI, the king of Pontus, on the eastern part of the northern coast of "Turkey." This led to wars between Rome, Pontus and, later, Armenia (the Mithridatic Wars) which Rome won. As a result, "Turkey" came under Rome's sphere of influence. However, she only annexed Phrygia and part of Pontus.

In 95 BC Nicomedes IV, the king of Bithynia, and the Mithridates VI were in a dispute as they both tried to annex Cappadocia (in central Turkey, to the east of Galatia) to their kingdoms. Rome demanded that both kings withdraw from Cappadocia (which had been an ally of Rome since 188 BC and had helped her in a war) and guarantee its independence. The Romans sent an army to Cappadocia and won. The people elected their own king and Cappadocia became a protectorate of Rome. However, In 90 BC Tigranes the Great, the king of Armenia (which included eastern Turkey) invaded Cappadocia at the behest of Mithridates VII who then invaded the kingdom of Bithynia. A Roman delegation was sent and managed to restore the kings of both kings. However, Mithridates VI invaded Cappadocia again. This sparked the First Mithridatic War (89-85 BC) which Rome won.

In 74 BC Nicomedes IV died and bequeathed his kingdom of Bithynia to Rome. In 73 BC Mithridates VI invaded Bithynia and defeated the Roman forces there. This sparked the Third Mithridatic War (73--63 BC). The Romans launched offensive into Pontus. Mithridates was defeated and fled to Armenia. The Romans invaded Armenia and defeated Tigranes who fled to the north. While the Romans were pursuing him, Mithridates invaded Pontus and defeated a large Roman fore there. The Romans withdrew to Galatia. Tigranes invaded Cappadocia. Rome sent a new forced led by Pompey. He defeated Mithridates and then marched into Armenia. Tigranes submitted to him.

Bithynia and the western part of Pontus were merged to form the Roman province of Bithynia and Pontus. The eastern part was left as a client kingdom. The independence of Cappadocia was restored and it became a Roman protectorate again. Armenia became a client kingdom. Pompey also annexed the rest of Cilicia and added next door Phrygia (to the west) to it.

Galatia was annexed to the Roman Empire in 25 BC by Augustus, Cappadocia in 18 AD by Tiberius and Lycia in 43 BC by Claudius. Vespasian (reigned 69- 79 AD) amalgamated Lycia and Pamphylia, which became the Roman province of Lycia et Pamphylia.

Resources

Top Categories

Product

Company