Iranians and Greeks in South Russia - Robert Bedrosian's Armenian ...

'
148 GREEK CITIES OF SOUTH RUSSIA
sceptre of King Skiluros. In order not to succumb to th^^cytkians,
the Greek cities of the Crimea, Chersonesus foremost, had no choice
but to look for a powerful protector who would turn his attention to
\ the northern shore of the Black Sea.
Pontus and the Crimea had been closely connected from, the
earliest times. In both regions, there was a strongly Iranized native
population, and in both, Greek cities which made their living by
exploiting native vassals or bondmen. It will be remembered that
Pontic Heracleia recolonized Chersonesus ; the relations JxeJameiLtiie
two cities never ceased. As long as the Bosphorus, with the help of
Athens and of its own abundant resources, was able to maintain an
army and -a navy strong enough to defend the whole Crimea, Chersonesus
availed itself of the services of its neighbour and ally. But
when this protection failed, and the Bosphorans themselves were
groaning under hostile pressure, the Chersonesans turned once more
to their ancient allies, the Greek cities of Pontus. The precarious
position of Chersonesus, as early as the third century, is illustrated
by the decree in honour of Syriscos, a young scholar who belonged
to one of the good Greek families in the city. He had recounted, in
an historical treatise, the miraculous appearances of the Parthenos,
the patron goddess of Chersonesus, and also more prosaic matters,
the diplomatic intercourse of Chersonesus with the Bosphoran kings,
which had assured it military protection. The combined assistance
of the miracles and the Bosphoran armies was rarely adequate to
defend the city from the growing fierceness of the Scythian onslaughts.
We can well understand, that in this difficult plight the Chersonesans
sought allies wherever they could hope to find them.
But the Pontic cities, the natural allies of Chersonesus, were no
longer free. A monarchical state had formed itself in Pontus during
the third century, and the Pontic kings, who were only slightly
Hellenized, had contrived to subjugate the Greek cities. It was to
these kings, therefore, that the Chersonesans addressed themselves
when they were at the end of their resources. By the second century
B. c, their prayers became more instant, as we know from an inscription,
recently discovered, which testifies to a military treaty between
Pharnaces I of Pontus and the city of Chersonesus. But even the
kingdom of Pontus was only a Hellenistic monarchy of the second
class, entirely dependent on the Roman Empire ; so that its intervention
did not greatly alter the position in the Crimea.
This position changed with the accession of Mithridates, surnamed
the Great. Every one knows of his conflict with Rome, and
that in his campaigns against the Romans, he found a safe base on