+Historic Parallel.+ The Battle of Magnesia 190 B.C.
A. _Capture of Athens and the Piraeus, 86 B.C._
Sulla interim cum Mithridatis praefectis circa Athenas ita dimicavit, ut et Athenas reciperet et plurimo circa multiplices Piraei portus munitiones labore expleto amplius CC milia hostium interficeret nec minus multa caperet. . . . Nam oppressi (Athenienses) { 5} Mithridatis armis homines miserrimae condicionis cum ab inimicis tenerentur, oppugnabantur ab amicis et animos extra moenia, corpora necessitati servientes intra muros habebant.
[Linenotes: 2. +ut Athenas reciperet.+ Sulla reduced the city by starvation. 3. +Piraei portus.+ This was strongly held by Archelaus, and was taken only after a most obstinate defence. 7. +cum ... tenerentur.+ The contemptible adventurer Aristion, with his bodyguard of 2000 men and the bribe of Delos and its treasure, had made himself master of Athens.]
B. _Battle of Orchomenus, 85 B.C. Sulla restores the Fight._
L. Sulla, cedentibus iam legionibus exercitui { 10} Mithridatico ductu Archelai, stricto gladio in primam aciem procucurrit appellansque milites dixit, si quis quaesisset, ubi imperatorem reliquissent, responderent pugnantem in Boeotia: cuius rei pudore universi eum secuti sunt. { 15}
[Linenote: 10-15. = ‘The great victory at Orchomenus was the turning-point in the War.’ --Ihne.]
C. _Peace of Dardanus. End of the First Mithridatic War, 84 B.C._
Transgressus deinde in Asiam Sulla parentem ad omnia supplicemque Mithridatem invenit, quem multatum pecunia ac parte navium, Asia omnibusque aliis provinciis, quas armis occupaverat, decedere coegit, captivos recepit, in perfugas noxiosque { 20} animadvertit, paternis, id est Ponticis finibus contentum esse iussit.
[Linenote: 16-22. +The terms of peace+ were (i) Restoration of all conquests, (ii) Surrender of 80 ships and of all prisoners, (iii) Indemnity of 3000 talents. Florus says ‘Non fregit ea res Ponticos, sed incendit.’ Sulla was anxious to secure peace, because his presence was needed at Rome.]
+Sulla’s Conduct of the War+. ‘No previous general had shown so great a mastery of the art of war and such care and interest for the welfare of the State, as distinguished from the success of a party.’ --Ihne.