Kingdom of Pontus

Kingdom of Pontus was a state in Anatolia (Middle East) that lasted from 281 to 63 BCE, about 218 years. Its people spoke Iranian languages (Median, Persian, Parthian, Scythian, Sogdian, Pashto, Kurdish).

Black Sea kingdom ruled by a dynasty of Persian descent. Mithridates VI fought three wars with Rome and ordered the massacre of Romans across Asia in 88 BCE before Pompey crushed him.

See Kingdom of Pontus on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

281 to 63 BCE

Duration

218 years

Type

State

Region

Anatolia, Middle East

Language family

Iranian

Capital

Amaseia, later Sinope

Neighbours in Middle East

• Parthian Empire 247 BCE to 224 CE
• Kingdom of Saba c. 1000 BCE to 275 CE
• Greek cities of Asia Minor c. 1050 to 129 BCE
• Kingdom of Iberia (Kartli) c. 302 BCE to 580 CE
• Himyarite Kingdom c. 110 BCE to 525 CE
• Roman Anatolia 133 BCE to 395 CE
• Roman Syria and Judaea 64 BCE to 395 CE
• Nabataean Kingdom c. 168 BCE to 106 CE
• Seleucid Empire 312 to 63 BCE
• Artaxiad Armenia 189 BCE to 12 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Carthage c. 814 to 146 BCE, North and West Africa
• Teotihuacan c. 100 BCE to 550 CE, Mesoamerica and Caribbean
• Roman Republic 509 to 27 BCE, Europe
• Xiongnu Empire c. 209 BCE to 93 CE, Central and North Asia
• Ptolemaic Kingdom 305 to 30 BCE, North and West Africa
• Western Han 202 BCE to 9 CE, East Asia
• Maurya Empire 322 to 185 BCE, South Asia
• Qin dynasty 221 to 206 BCE, East Asia

Questions