Editing Roman Republic (section)

====Sullan republic====

[[Pompey|Cn. Pompey Magnus]] served the Sullan regime during a short conflict triggered by the republic's own consul, [[Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (consul 78 BC)|M. Aemilius Lepidus]], in 77&nbsp;BC{{sfn|Seager|1992b|pp=208–210}} and afterwards led troops successfully against the remaining anti-Sullan forces in the [[Sertorian War]]; he brought the war successfully to a close in 72&nbsp;BC. While Pompey was in Spain, the Republic faced agitation both foreign and domestic. The main domestic political struggle was the restoration of tribunician powers stripped during Sulla's dictatorship.{{sfn|Seager|1992b|pp=210–211}} After rumours of a pact between [[Quintus Sertorius|Q. Sertorius]]'s ostensible republic-in-exile,{{sfn|Seager|1992b|p=220|ps=, describing Sertorius' administration of Spain as a "Rome-in-exile".}} Mithridates, and various Mediterranean pirate groups, the Sullan regime feared encirclement and stepped up efforts against the threats: they reinforced Pompey in Spain and fortified Bithynia. In spring 73&nbsp;BC, Mithridates did so, invading Bithynia.{{sfn|Seager|1992b|p=213}}

In 73, a slave uprising started in southern Italy under Spartacus, a gladiator, who defeated the local Roman garrisons and four legions under the consuls of 72.{{sfn|Seager|1992b|p=222}} At the head of some 70,000 men, Spartacus led them in a [[Third Servile War]]—they sought freedom by escape from Italy—before being defeated by troops raised by [[Marcus Licinius Crassus|M. Licinius Crassus]].{{sfn|Seager|1992b|pp=221–222}} Although Pompey and Crassus were rivals, they were elected to a joint consulship in 70. During their consulship, they brought—with little opposition—legislation to dismantle the tribunician disabilities imposed by Sulla's constitutional reforms.{{sfn|Seager|1992b|pp=224–225}} They also shepherded legislation to settle the contentious matter of jury reform.{{sfn|Seager|1992b|pp=225–226}}

{{Campaignbox Third Mithridatic War}}
{{Campaignbox Rome against the Cilician Pirates}}

[[Lucullus|L. Licinius Lucullus]], one of Sulla's ablest lieutenants, had fought against Mithridates during the first Mithridatic war before Sulla's civil war. Mithridates also had fought Rome in a second Mithridatic war (83–82&nbsp;BC).{{sfn|Sherwin-White|1992|p=229}} Rome for its part seemed equally eager for war and the spoils and prestige that it might bring.{{sfn|Matyszak|2004|p=76}} After his invasion of Bithynia in 73, Lucullus was assigned against Mithridates and his Armenian ally [[Tigranes the Great]] in Asia Minor.{{sfn|Sherwin-White|1992|pp=234–235}} Fighting a war of manoeuvre against Mithridates' supply lines, Lucullus was able force Mithridates from an attempted siege of [[Cyzicus]] and pursue him into Pontus and thence into Armenia.{{sfn|Sherwin-White|1992|pp=236, 239}} After defeat forced the Romans from large parts of Armenia and Pontus in 67, Lucullus was replaced in command by Pompey.{{sfn|Sherwin-White|1992|p=244}} Pompey moved against Mithridates in 66.{{sfn|Sherwin-White|1992|p=252}} Defeating him in battle and securing the submission of Tigranes,{{sfn|Sherwin-White|1992|p=253}} Mithridates fled to Crimea, where he was betrayed and killed by his son Pharnaces in 63.{{sfn|Sherwin-White|1992|p=254}} Pompey remained in the East to [[Pompey's eastern settlement|pacify and settle Roman conquests in the region]], also extending Roman control south to Judaea.{{sfn|Sherwin-White|1992|pp=255–262}}