156 SYLLA.

let down on him, when it had almost reached his head, fell to pieces, and the crown tumbling down into the midst of the theatre, there broke against the ground, occasioning a general alarm among the populace, and considerably disquieting Mithridates himself, although his affairs at that time were succeeding beyond expectation. For having wrested Asia* from the Romans, and Bithy- nia and Cappadocia from their kings, he made Pergamus his royal seat, distributing among his friends riches, prin- cipalities, and kingdoms. Of his sons, one residing in Pontus and Bosporus held his ancient realm as far as the deserts beyond the lake Maeotis, without molesta- tion ; while Ariarathes, another, was reducing Thrace and Macedon, with a great army, to obedience. His generals, with forces under them, were establishing his supremacy in other quarters. Archelaus, in particular, with his fleet, held absolute mastery of the sea, and was bringing into subjection the Cyclades, and all the other islands as far as Malea, and had taken Euboea itself. Making Athens his head-quarters, from thence as far as Thessaly he was withdrawing the States of Greece from the Roman allegiance, without the least ill success, except at Chasronea. For here Bruttius Sura, lieutenant to Sentius, governor of Macedon, a man of singular valor and prudence, met him, and, though he came like a tor- rent pouring over Bceotia, made stout resistance, and thrice giving him battle near Clueronea, repulsed and forced him back to the sea. But being commanded by Lucius Lucullus to give place to his successor, Sylla, and resign the war to whom it was decreed, he pres- ently left Bceotia, and retired back to Sentius, although

• Asia here and elsewhere in the consisting of the greatest part of

narrative that follows is the Roman the western coast of Asia Minor, province bearing that name, the Bosporus is the name for the chief town of which was Ephesus, southern part of the Crimea.