Abstract:
“Historiae Philippicae” of Pompeius Trogus, 1st c. Roman author, is well
packed with original information. Book XXXVIII runs as follows: Mithradates
took Bosphorus and Colchis as hereditary possessions. That means much for
reconstruction how Colchis was incorporated into Pontic kingdom. Information
of Trogus seems to correspond to reality and derives itself from certain source.
The following could happen: Darius I kept Colchis as part of a satrapy; at the
same time the king gave to the Mithradatids the Pontic lands. They also had the
king’s special charter about hereditary right over Colchis. So, Mithradates VI’s
rule over Colchis was nothing but a hereditary one.