Battle of Histria
| Battle of Histria | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 A map of Scythia Minor showing the ancient Greek polis of Histria, in reference to other polises, where the battle took place. |
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| Belligerents | |||||
| Scythians | Roman Republic | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| Unknown Bastarnae king, possibly Burebista | Gaius Antonius Hybrida | ||||
| Strength | |||||
| unknown number of cavalry | large infantry and cavalry force | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| unknown | entire infantry unit | ||||
The Battle of Histria, c. 62–61 B.C., was fought between the Bastarnae peoples of Scythia Minor and the Roman Consul (63 B.C.) Gaius Antonius Hybrida. The Bastarnae emerged victorious in the battle after having successfully committed a surprise attack against Hybrida and his troops; Hybrida escaped alongside his cavalry forces leaving behind the infantry to be massacred by the Bastarnian-Scythian attackers.
In the late 2nd Century B.C., the Pontic king Mithridates VI Eupator began a campaign of expansion around the Black Sea and into the interior of Asia Minor in modern-day Turkey. His campaigns led to the subjugation of the Bosporan Kingdom, Scythia Minor including the Black Sea Greek polises of Histria and Tomis, as well as the provinces of Bithynia, Cappadocia and much of Asia Minor. These campaigns led to conflict with the Roman Republic, the outcome of which was the return of Bithynia and Cappadocia to their respective rulers. The Roman Republic then urged the king of Bithynia to invade Pontus with the intent of seizing loot to return to Rome. Mithridates in retaliation conquered Bithynia and Cappadocia once again and began massacring the Roman and Italic populations of Asia Minor with the assistance of the Greeks in what is referred to as the Asiatic Vespers. This led to two further wars between the Roman Republic and Pontus which ended with the death of Mithridates VI, the end of revolts in Greece, Macedonia, and Asia Minor among others, and the subjugation of Armenia.
During this period, Gaius Antonius Hybrida was sent alongside Sulla to Macedonia to assist in the First Mithridatic War in around 87 B.C. After the end of the First Mithridatic War, while Sulla returned to Rome, Hybrida stayed in Macedonia levying contributions for himself. He was later recalled to Rome. First to face criminal charges in 76 B.C. resulting in his expulsion from the Senate, and then again in 63 B.C. to be elected to the position of Roman Consul and to fight the campaign against Catiline. From here he returned to Macedonia where he began incurring into the territory of Lower and Upper Moesia. He was to be attacked and defeated twice during this time, first by the Dardanians in an unknown location and then second near Histria by a coalition of Bastarnian and Scythian peoples, who may have been under the command of the Dacian king Burebista.
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