refuge with the Roman commander, A. Gabinius,[1] whom he persuaded to lend him assistance in recovering the lost territory. In this case Gabinius might grasp some straw of legality, since the decree of the Senate had included in his command the Syrians, Arabs, Persians, and Babylon.[2] The proconsul crossed the Euphrates with a detachment; but Ptolemy XI Auletes (80–51 b.c.), who likewise had been expelled from his country, backed a request for aid with more money than the Parthian could offer. Mithradates, with Orsames, one of his aides, remained with Gabinius and did not give up hope until after the Roman victory over the Nabateans won en route to Egypt in the spring of 55 b.c.[3]
Undaunted by this failure, Mithradates started a civil war, in the course of which he won over the city of Babylon[4] and also the royal city of Seleucia, where he struck coins depicting the Tyche, palm of victory in hand, welcoming the new ruler.[5] Not long afterward
- ↑ Proconsul of Syria, 57 b.c. Cf. W. Drumann, Geschichte Roms, III (2d ed.; Leipzig, 1906), 39 ff.; F. Vonder Mühll, "Zur Lebensgeschichte des A. Gabinius cos. 58," Juvenes dum sumus (Basel, 1907), pp. 75–81; PW, art. "Gabinius," No. 11.
- ↑ Cicero De domo sua 60 and 124.
- ↑ Dio Cass. xxxix. 56; Appian Syr. 51; Josephus Bell. i. 175 and 178 and Ant. xiv. 98–104; cf. also Strabo xii. 3. 34; xvii. 1. 11.
- ↑ Justin xlii. 4. 2.
- ↑ This issue apparently never circulated, for no examples were found at Seleucia. This is understandable, since the rule of Mithradates in Seleucia must have been very short and the condition of the coins would make the identification of the issue as restruck by Orodes difficult; see n. 33.
