ithridates of Pontus, by
inspiring Rome and Parthia with a common fear, tend to draw them
together, but the course of events had actually given them a common
enemy in Tigranes of Armenia, who was equally obnoxious to both.

For Tigranes, who, during the time that he was a hostage in Parthia,
had contracted engagements towards the Parthian monarch which involved
a cession of territory, and who in consequence of his promises had been
aided by the Parthians in seating himself on his father's throne though
he made the cession required of him in the first instance had soon
afterwards repented of his good faith, had gone to war with his
benefactors, recovered the ceded territory, and laid waste a
considerable tract of country lying within the admitted limits of
the Parthian kingdom. These proceedings had, of course, alienated
Mithridates II.; and we may with much probability ascribe to them the
step, which he now took, of sending an ambassador to Sulla. Orobazus,
the individual selected, was charged to propose an alliance offensive
and defensive between the two countries. Sulla received the overture
favorably, but probably considered that it transcended his powers to
conclude a treaty; and thus nothing more was effected by the embassy
than the establishment of a good understanding between the two States.

Soon after this Tigranes appears to have renewed his attacks upon
Parthia, which in the interval between B.C. 92 and B.C. 83 he greatly
humbled, depriving it of the whole of Upper Mesopotamia, at this time
called Gordyene, and under rule of one of the Parthian tributary kings.
Of the details of this war we have no account; and it is even uncertain
whether it fell within the reign of Mithridates II. or no. The
unfortunate mistake of Justin, whereby he confounded this monarch with
Mithridates III., has thrown this portion of the Parthian history into
confusion, and has made even the successor of Mithridates II. uncertain.

Mithridates II. probably died about B.C. 89, after a reign which
must have exceeded thirty-five years. His great successes against
the Scythians in the earlier portion of his reign were to some extent
counterbalanced by his losses to Tigranes in his old age; but on the
whole he must be regarded as one of the more vigorous and successful of
the Parthian monarchs, and as combining courage with prudence. It is to
his credit that he saw the advantage of establishing friendly relations
with Rome at a time when