Hrehul A. Mithridates VI Eupator and his inner circle in ancient sources and receptions of the Middle Ages and Early Modern period.

The thesis is dedicated to the comprehensive investigation of king of Pontus Mithridates VI Eupator and his inner circle in ancient tradition and further receptions of the Middle Ages and Early Modern period. Socio-political activity of the Pontic king in the context of military confrontation with the Roman Republic is considered, having been based on a wide range of primary sources, such as written, epigraphic, archaeological, numismatic and visual. The special attention of the dissertation is paid to the analysis of the prosopographic portrait of the king. This circle of persons consisted not only of family members, but also of allies of neighboring lands and advisers. It is determined that the policy of Mithridates VI was mostly formed under influence of his inner circle and at the same time was the previous Kingdom of Pontus leaders’ continuation course. It is rectified that the reasons and prerequisites for military confrontation of Mithridates with Rome emanated from the foreign policy and king’s propaganda. It is concluded that Mithridates VI used a genealogical tradition to substantiate the conquests in Anatolia. The Ephesian Vespers of 88 BC, which was implemented in the territory of Asia Minor, became a catalyst for the escalation of confrontation between the Roman Republic and Kingdom of Pontus and a decisive prerequisite to the full-scale warfare.