Lucullus

Lucius Licinius Lucullus (c. 118-56 BC) was a consul of ancient Rome, a supporter of Lucius Cornelius Sulla and victor in the East.

Biography

Born in Rome, he was a member of the prominent Licinia gens, the grandson of the consul Lucius Licinius Lucullus, and the son of Caecilia Metella Calva, sister of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus and of Lucius Caecilius Metellus Dalmaticus (who was the father of Caecilia Metella Dalmatica, Sulla´s third wife).

Serving under Sulla

Initially serving in the Social War under Sulla, as quaestor in 88 BC he was the only officer to support Sulla's march on Rome. He also served under Sulla in the First Mithridatic War. He raised a fleet which helped Sulla open up the seas during the siege of Athens. Lucullus then won the naval Battle of Tenedos against the Mithridatic admiral, Neoptolemus, which allowed Sulla to pass over into Asia. After a peace had been agreed, Lucullus stayed in Asia collected the financial penalty Sulla imposed upon them for their revolt. Lucullus though tried to lessen the burden that these impositions created.

Lucullus returned in 80 BC and was elected curule aedile in 79, along with his brother Marcus Terentius Varro Lucullus, and gave splendid games.

As general in the East

He became consul in 74 (along with Marcus Aurelius Cotta, Gaius Julius Caesar´s uncle), and defended Sulla's constitution from the efforts of Lucius Quinctius. Initially, he drew command of Cisapline Gaul, but he got himself appointed governor of Cilicia after its governor died. He also received the command against Mithridates VI for the Third Mithridatic War.

Lucullus set out from his province to relieve the besieged Cotta in Bithynia. He harried the army of Mithridates and killed many of his soldiers. He then turned to the sea and raised a fleet amongst the Greek cities of Asia. With this fleet he defeated the enemy's fleet off Ilium and then off Lemnos. Turning back to the land, he drove Mithridates back into Pontus. He was wary of drawing into a direct engagement with Mithridates, due to the latter's superior cavalry. But after several small battles, Lucullus finally defeated him at the Battle of Cabeira. He did not pursue Mithridates immediately, but instead he finished conquering the kingdom of Pontus and setting the affairs of Asia into order. His attempts to reform the rapacious Roman administration in Asia made him increasingly unpopular among the powerful publicani back in Rome.

He then led an attack against Tigranes II of Armenia, Mithridates´s son-in-law and ally, and to whom Mithridates fled after Cabeira. He proceeded first against Tigranocerta and laid siege to it. This drew forth the army of Tigranes, which Lucullus defeated despite being heavily out-numbered. He then defeated Tigranes and Mithridates in the battle of Artaxata (October 6th 68 BC) but didn't proceed onto Artaxata because of dissension among his troops. His authority over his legions was undermined by the efforts of his brother-in-law Publius Clodius. This allowed Mithridates and Tigranes to retake much of their respective kingdoms.

At the machination of the equites and Pompeian supporters back in Rome, Luculls was replaced by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in 66 BC. The opposition to him continued and caused the delay of his triumph until 63 BC.

As a decadent

In his retirement, he was known for his extravagance. He used the vast treasure he amassed during his wars in the East to live a life of luxury. He had splendid gardens outside the city of Rome, as well as villas around Tusculum and Neapolis. The one near Neapolis included fish ponds and man-made extensions into the sea.

He was though a student of Antiochus of Ascalon.

He was probably the only Roman of note in the late Republic who expressed interest in the idea of building a public library.

Lucullus was the man responsible for bringing the sweet cherry and the apricot to Rome.

References

Plutarch, Lucullus

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Lucullus

Biography

Serving under Sulla

As general in the East

As a decadent

See also

References