Archelaus was a general of Mithridates VI of Pontus in the First Mithridatic War. In 87 BC, he was sent to Greece with a large army and fleet, and occupied the Piraeus after three days' fighting with Bruttius Sura, prefect of Macedonia, who in the previous year had defeated Mithridates' fleet under Metrophanes and captured the island of Sciathus. Here he was besieged by Sulla, compelled to withdraw into Boeotia, and completely defeated at Chaeronea (86 BC). A fresh army was sent by Mithridates, but Archelaus was again defeated at Orchomenos, after a two days' battle (85). On the conclusion of peace, Archelaus, finding that he had incurred the suspicion of Mithridates, deserted to the Romans, by whom he was well received, and went on to assist Lucullus in the Third Mithridatic War. His great-grandson, also named Archelaus, was made the last king of Cappadocia by Mark Antony.
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This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
