First published 2009
Mithradates inherited the Black Sea kingdom at fourteen after his mother poisoned his father. He fled into exile but returned to claim his throne with fierce ambition and superb intelligence. Claiming descent from Alexander the Great and Darius of Persia, he envisioned a grand Eastern empire to challenge Rome. In 88 BC he massacred eighty thousand Roman citizens and seized Greece and modern Turkey. His followers hailed him as a savior while Romans feared him as a second Hannibal. He fought spectacular battles across the ancient world and threatened to invade Italy itself. His mastery of poisons helped him survive assassination attempts and eliminate rivals. His ability to escape capture and recover from crushing defeats unnerved the Romans. Adrienne Mayor tells his complete story for the first time in fifty years, combining recent archaeological discoveries with vivid storytelling to reveal the ruthless king who became Rome's most relentless foe.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, military-history, ancient-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, political-intrigue
Setting: Black Sea, Greece, Italy, Turkey
Period: 88 BC
448 pages · Hardcover · Princeton University Press