[Sidenote:  War begun.  Energy of Mithridates.] But when once the die was cast, Mithridates threw himself into the war with the energy of long-suppressed rage.  He sent to court the alliance of Egypt and the Cretan league, to whom he represented himself as the champion of Greece against her tyrant.  He tried to stir up revolts in Thrace and Macedonia.  He arranged with Tigranes that an Armenian army should co-operate with him, leaving him the land it occupied, but carrying off the plunder.  He gave the word, and a swarm of pirate ships swept the Mediterranean under his colours.  He summoned an army of 250,000 foot, 40,000 horse, and 130 scythed chariots, a fleet of 300 decked vessels, and 100 other ships called ‘Dicrota’ with a double bank of oars.  He formed and armed in Roman fashion a foreign contingent, in which many Romans and Italians enlisted; and he placed able Greek generals, Archelaus and Neoptolemus, over his troops. [Sidenote:  Forces of Rome.] To meet this formidable array the Romans had a fleet off Byzantium, the army of Nicomedes, which was still between Sinope and Amastris, and three corps, each of 40,000 men, but composed for the most part of hastily organized Asiatics; one under Cassius between Bithynia and Galatia, another under Aquillius between Bithynia and Pontus, and a third under Oppius in Cappadocia.  The war was decided almost in a single battle. [Sidenote:  Victory of Mithridates over Nicomedes.] Neoptolemus and Archelaus routed the Bithynian army on the river Amnias, and captured the camp and military chest.  It was a fierce and for some time a doubtful fight, and seems to have been decided by the scythed chariots, which spread terror in the Bithynian ranks. [Sidenote:  Victory over Aquillius.] Nicomedes fled to Aquillius, who was defeated by Archelaus near Mount Scorobas, and fled with the king across the Sangarius to Pergamus, whence he attempted to reach Rhodes.  Cassius retreated to Phrygia, and tried to discipline his raw levies.  But, finding this impossible; he broke up the army and led the Roman troops with him to Apameia.  The fleet in the Black Sea was surrendered by its commander.

[Sidenote:  Mithridates’ progress through Phrygia, Mysia and Asia.] Thus, triumphant by sea and land, Mithridates, after settling Bithynia, marched through Phrygia and Mysia into the Roman province Asia, and was hailed everywhere as a deliverer, for after his victories he had sent home all his Asiatic prisoners with presents.  Then he sent messengers into Lycia and Pamphylia to seek the alliance of those countries.  Oppius was in Laodicea, on the Lycus.  The king offered the townsmen immunity if they surrendered him, and, when they did so, carried him about as a show. [Sidenote:  Fate of Aquillius.] Aquillius was also given up by the Mytileneans and made to ride in chains on an ass, calling out who he was wherever he went.  At Pergamus Mithridates slew him by pouring molten gold down his throat—­a savage punishment, which, however, confirms the impression