Battle of Lemnos (73 BCE) facts for kids

The Battle of Lemnos was an important naval battle. It happened on the island of Lemnos in 73 BC. This battle was fought between the Roman fleet and the fleet of Pontus. It was a key moment during the Third Mithridatic War. Historians like Appian, Cicero, and Memnon wrote about this battle.

Why the Battle Happened

After losing to Lucius Cornelius Sulla in the First Mithridatic War (89-85 BC), King Mithridates of Pontus built up his power again. In 74 BC, King Nicomedes IV of Bithynia passed away. The Romans said he left his kingdom to them and took control. Bithynia was like a protective zone between Rome and Pontus. Mithridates felt threatened. So, he marched his armies west and attacked Roman lands.

The Roman Senate sent two leaders, Lucius Licinius Lucullus and Marcus Aurelius Cotta. Their job was to deal with Mithridates. The plan was for Cotta to keep Mithridates's ships busy. Meanwhile, Lucullus would attack by land. Cotta placed his fleet at Chalcedon. Lucullus planned to march through Phrygia to invade Pontus. But Lucullus had not gone far when he heard bad news. Mithridates had quickly marched west. He attacked and defeated Cotta at the Battle of Chalcedon. Now, Mithridates was attacking Cotta's city.

Mithridates then moved on and began taking other cities in Bithynia. Lucullus marched north. He surprised Mithridates's army while they were attacking Cyzicus. Lucullus then set up a very clever counter-siege. He trapped Mithridates's army on the Cyzicus peninsula. He let hunger and sickness weaken them. Eventually, Mithridates's army tried to escape back to Pontus. Lucullus chased them. He caused huge losses to Mithridates's forces at the battles of the Rhyndacus and the Granicus rivers.

Getting Ready for Battle

After defeating Mithridates's land forces, Lucullus needed to deal with his navy. He went to the Troad and the Hellespont to gather his own fleet. He knew he had to beat the Pontic navy before he could attack Pontus itself. There, he learned that thirteen Pontic ships were heading to Lemnos. Lucullus quickly got his ships ready. He managed to capture all 13 ships. He also captured Isidorus, the Pontic Admiral. Then, Lucullus was told that the main Pontic naval force was also heading towards Lemnos.

The Battle of Lemnos

Lucullus quickly prepared his fleet once more. He caught up with the combined Pontic fleet near Lemnos. This fleet was led by Pontic admirals Marcus Marius (also called Varius), Alexander the Paphlagonian, and Dionysius the Eunuch. The Pontic commanders chose not to fight a sea battle in the open water. Instead, they decided to defend from the coast of Lemnos. They pulled their ships onto the beach. From there, they fought against the Roman fleet.

Lucullus kept the Pontic forces busy with part of his fleet. But secretly, he landed some of his soldiers on the other side of the island. When these soldiers made it across, they attacked the Pontic forces from behind. The Romans either captured or sank 32 Pontic ships. It was a big victory for Rome.

What Happened Next

The day after the battle, the Romans found the three Pontic admirals hiding in a cave on the island. Dionysius had taken his own life. Alexander was captured. He was kept alive to be shown in Lucullus's victory parade back in Rome. Marius (Varius) was also captured and later died. Lucullus had given a special order to his soldiers. He said not to kill any one-eyed men among the enemy survivors. This was because Marius (Varius) had lost an eye at some point. Lucullus wanted to make sure he personally oversaw the end of this enemy leader.

Lucullus sent letters with garlands to the Roman Senate. These letters announced his great victory. He received much praise for his success. After this, he joined the Roman forces fighting against Mithridates in the Bosporus region.