A Pontos AAR

[Horst Nordfink]

The Reign of Ariobarzanes I Kianos

Basileus Ariobarzanes I Kianos was crowned at the Royal Palace in Amaseia with all the pomp and regal glory befitting a Persian king. Ariobarzanes was content with the extent of Pontic Royal Territories, and was keen to consolidate his power in his new lands. He had strengthened relations with the Koinon Hellenon, and while they should not be considered friends, they are by no means enemies either.

The Arche Seleukia have managed to keep themselves to themselves for now, and seem to have not been to worried by the rapid expansion of Pontos. The Ptolemaioi are still bent on the destruction of Pontos but are too concerned with their war with Arche Seleukia to give Pontos much thought.

Ariobarzanes I strives to be accepted by the Hellenes and sends emissaries out to foster new trade links and alliances. The early years of his reign were quiet, and Ariobarzanes concentrated on developing the cities he had conquored and made his priority teaching his son and heir Mithridates how to run a kingdom.

Ariobarzanes has changed a lot since he became Basileus, more mature and stoic. He was still the greatest general that Pontos could deploy in the field, but he had learned that there are situations that could be settled without resorting to violence. He had settled down in Amaseia and was enjoying running his kingdom, he found that he was equally adept at bureacracy as he was at battle. He had even become something of a renowned poet.

Not everything was rosey

Something was forcing Ariobarzanes to revert to his youthful ways. He had exercised diplomatic routes to solve a problem on the eastern borders of his kingdom. The province of Pokr Hayk, an Armenian peoples indpendant of Hayasdan called the Haikhs, had sent small raiding parties into Pontos Paralios. These small raiding parties were bribed by local diplomat to return to the fields. Eventually, Ariobarzanes I had grown tired of these raids on his kingdom and the disruption it brought to Pontos.

In 258BC, Ariobarzanes had decided to send his brother Arsames and his son heir Mithridates at the head of an army to bring the Haikhs to heel. The main body of this army were the Thureophoroi, a new Hellenic class of infantry. These infantry had been brought to Pontos by the Hellen Ariarathes, but this would be the first time they would bear arms in anger. The Haikhs would pay for their insolence. They would become a Pontic Satrapy.

Mithridates had sent forth a spy into the city of the Haiks, Ani-Kamah, a tactic that his father had perfected. The spy had opened up the gates and Mithridates had attacked without notice.

The Haikhs fought bravely, but they were no match for Mithridates Thureophoroi, and they eventually fell to Pontic might.

Mithridates, his job done, returned to Amaseia to continue his studies at the feet of his father, leaving his uncle, Arsames, to govern in Ani-Kamah in the good Pontic manner.

Peace had returned to the Kingdom of Pontos. The Haikh had been quietened by Mithridates and Arsames, and were now being assimilated into the kingdom.

Ariobarzanes had grown tired of fighting and had settled down contented that he had expanded his kingdom and secured his borders. His son and heir, Mithridates, had been married to the daughter of a local Pontic nobleman for 8 years, but hadn't provided a son to carry on the dynasty. If Mithridates dies childless, the crown would pass to Ariobarzanes brother Arsames. Of course, there would be other claimants to the throne. It is Ariobarzanes' hope that before he dies, Mithridates will sire a son and put an end to the succesion crisis before it starts.

Next: The inevitable betrayal!