Key Facts
- Year of campaign
- 65 BC
- Part of
- Third Mithridatic War / Pompey's eastern campaigns
- Primary target
- Kingdom of Iberia (modern Georgia)
- Roman commander
- Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey)
Strategic Narrative Overview
After defeating Pontus and receiving the submission of Tigranes II of Armenia, Pompey led his legions northward into the Caucasus in 65 BC. He engaged the Iberian forces under King Artoces and drove Roman military power into territories bordering the Black and Caspian seas. The campaign also brought Roman forces into contact with the Albanians of the eastern Caucasus, extending the scope of operations beyond the Kingdom of Iberia itself.
01 / The Origins
Following Rome's prolonged struggle against Mithridates VI of Pontus during the Third Mithridatic War, Pompey sought to secure the eastern frontier by subjugating kingdoms that had supported Rome's enemies. The Kingdom of Iberia, ruled by Artoces, had allied with Mithridates VI, making it a target for Roman retribution. Rome's broader ambition was to establish overlordship across the Middle East and Caucasus region after neutralising Pontus and Armenia.
03 / The Outcome
The campaign resulted in the nominal subjugation of Iberia and neighboring Caucasian peoples under Roman suzerainty. Artoces was compelled to submit to Roman authority. These conquests were part of Pompey's broader reorganisation of the eastern Mediterranean and Near East, which reshaped client-kingdom relationships and extended Roman influence to the farthest reaches of the known world at the time.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Pompey.
Side B
1 belligerent
Artoces of Iberia.