The siege of Mytilene was a military investment of the city of Mytilene on the island of
Lesbos
Lesbos or Lesvos ( el, Λέσβος, Lésvos ) is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of with approximately of coastline, making it the third largest island in Greece. It is separated from Asia Minor by the nar ...
in 81 BC.
Mytilene, the capital city of the island of Lesbos in the
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans ...
, revolted against
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
and was suspected of actively or tacitly aiding
pirates in the region.
Suetonius credits
Marcus Minucius Thermus, the governor of the
Roman Asia province, with the victory, but the siege may have been conducted by or in coordination with
Lucius Licinius Lucullus.
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, ...
began his military service during the siege after his pardon by
Sulla during the
proscriptions of 82 BC.
[Matthias Gelzer, ''Caesar: Politician and Statesman'', trans. Peter Needham (Oxford: Blackwell, 1968), ] It was during the siege that Caesar was awarded the
Civic Crown, a considerable honour in the Roman military, which is a title awarded to a Roman soldier who saves the life of a fellow citizen.
References
80s BC conflicts
81 BC
Ancient Lesbos
Mytilene
Mytilene (; el, Μυτιλήνη, Mytilíni ; tr, Midilli) is the capital of the Greek island of Lesbos, and its port. It is also the capital and administrative center of the North Aegean Region, and hosts the headquarters of the University o ...
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