DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5179#0216
HISTORICAL EVENTS, ETC. 1 79
of the mole across the harbour, (see page 54.) He was poisoned 138 B.C.
by his nephew Attalus III. (PhMometer,) who dying without issue,
left the memorable will,—" P. R. MEORUM ■ HiERES • ESTO,"
the first two letters of which the Romans interpreted POPTJLTJS
ROMANUS, and accordingly seized the kingdom. 133.
But the Ephesians, prompted by their usual love of freedom,
rebelled against their invaders, and in spite of the will, took the
part of Aristonicus, the son of Eumenes by a courtesan of Ephesus,
who claimed the inheritance of his brother. He was ultimately
conquered by the consul Perpenna. 126.
They next took the part of Mithridates. The speech of Mithri-
dates exciting his troops to war against the Romans is preserved
to us in Justinus, in which, after eulogizing the bravery of his
Gaulic and Scythian mercenaries, he says :—" No climate in the 89.
world is more temperate than that of Asia, no country more
fertile, or better stored with wealthy and pleasant cities ; the best
part of their time would be spent, not in the fatigues of war,
but in festivals and sports, so that it was hard to say whether
the service would prove more easy or advantageous ; they should
specially reflect on the enormous wealth of Attains' kingdom, on
the ancient riches of Lydia and Ionia, which they did not go to
fight for, but to possess ; that Asia was so desirous of his coming,
that she seemed to invite him by unanimous consent ; so universal
a hatred had the Romans drawn upon themselves by the rapacious
avarice of their proconsuls, the exactions of their publicans, and
the iniquity of their judges."—(Justinus, xxxvii. 4.) This prince
having subdued Phrygia, Mysia, and Asia, and appointed governors
in the several cities and provinces, came at length to Ionia, where
the Ephesians received him with the greatest joy, not from fear of 88.
his power, but from consummate hatred of the Romans, all the
images of whom in their city they likewise pulled down.—(Appian.
121, edit. Steph. da Bel. Mith. 21.) In the general massacre,
ordered by Mithridates, of all the Romans in Asia, wherein 80,000,
according to Appian, (or 150,000, as declared by Plutarch,) were
destroyed in one night, the Ephesians were not unwilling to per-
form their part, not even sparing those who fled to the temples.
But impatient of control, and offended at Mithridates having left
a garrison in the town, they threw his general Zenobius into
of the mole across the harbour, (see page 54.) He was poisoned 138 B.C.
by his nephew Attalus III. (PhMometer,) who dying without issue,
left the memorable will,—" P. R. MEORUM ■ HiERES • ESTO,"
the first two letters of which the Romans interpreted POPTJLTJS
ROMANUS, and accordingly seized the kingdom. 133.
But the Ephesians, prompted by their usual love of freedom,
rebelled against their invaders, and in spite of the will, took the
part of Aristonicus, the son of Eumenes by a courtesan of Ephesus,
who claimed the inheritance of his brother. He was ultimately
conquered by the consul Perpenna. 126.
They next took the part of Mithridates. The speech of Mithri-
dates exciting his troops to war against the Romans is preserved
to us in Justinus, in which, after eulogizing the bravery of his
Gaulic and Scythian mercenaries, he says :—" No climate in the 89.
world is more temperate than that of Asia, no country more
fertile, or better stored with wealthy and pleasant cities ; the best
part of their time would be spent, not in the fatigues of war,
but in festivals and sports, so that it was hard to say whether
the service would prove more easy or advantageous ; they should
specially reflect on the enormous wealth of Attains' kingdom, on
the ancient riches of Lydia and Ionia, which they did not go to
fight for, but to possess ; that Asia was so desirous of his coming,
that she seemed to invite him by unanimous consent ; so universal
a hatred had the Romans drawn upon themselves by the rapacious
avarice of their proconsuls, the exactions of their publicans, and
the iniquity of their judges."—(Justinus, xxxvii. 4.) This prince
having subdued Phrygia, Mysia, and Asia, and appointed governors
in the several cities and provinces, came at length to Ionia, where
the Ephesians received him with the greatest joy, not from fear of 88.
his power, but from consummate hatred of the Romans, all the
images of whom in their city they likewise pulled down.—(Appian.
121, edit. Steph. da Bel. Mith. 21.) In the general massacre,
ordered by Mithridates, of all the Romans in Asia, wherein 80,000,
according to Appian, (or 150,000, as declared by Plutarch,) were
destroyed in one night, the Ephesians were not unwilling to per-
form their part, not even sparing those who fled to the temples.
But impatient of control, and offended at Mithridates having left
a garrison in the town, they threw his general Zenobius into