Mithradates the Great, also known as Mithradates VI, lived from 131 BC to 63 BC During his life, he served as the King of Pontus. As the King of Pontus, he extended his empire towards Cappadocia, Paphlagonia, and towards the Black Sea coastline past Caucasus. During the First Mithradatic War (which lasted four years from 88 BC to 84 BC), Mithradates and his army conquered Asia Minor, a very powerful and important region at the time. But in 85 BC, prior to the end of the war, his army was attacked and defeated and by the end of the war, he had less than he started with, losing many territories except Pontus and a few others. In 68 BC, as part of the Third Mithradatic War (74 BC to 63 BC), Mithradates was forced east. His precious Pontus was lost and he ended up in Crimea, his last territory he still held. He was killed by a slave of his. His story is the main subject of the epic story by Rancine entitled Mithridate.