Anicetus (Pontus)
Encyclopedia
Anicetus was the leader of an unsuccessful anti-Roman
uprising in Polemonia in 69. Formerly a freedman
of King Polemon II of Pontus
, Anicetus commanded the royal fleet until Pontus
was converted into a Roman province
under Emperor Nero
in 63. During the civil war following Nero’s death, Anicetus sided with Vitellius
and led a general insurrection against Vespasian
in Pontus
and Colchis
69. The rebels destroyed the Roman fleet
(Classis Pontica) in a sudden attack on Trapezus
and then turned to piracy using a type of boat known as camarae.
The revolt was however put down by the Roman
reinforcements under Virdius Geminus, a lieutenant of Vespasian. Overtaken at the mouth of the river Cohibus (now the Khobi River
located in Mingrelia of Lazica, Anicetus was surrendered to the Romans by the local tribesmen, and put to death.
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
uprising in Polemonia in 69. Formerly a freedman
Freedman
A freedman is a former slave who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves became freedmen either by manumission or emancipation ....
of King Polemon II of Pontus
Polemon (Cilicia)
Marcus Antonius Polemon Pythodoros, also known as Polemon II of Pontus and Polemon of Cilicia was a prince and Roman Client King of Pontus, Colchis and Cilicia....
, Anicetus commanded the royal fleet until Pontus
Pontus
Pontus or Pontos is a historical Greek designation for a region on the southern coast of the Black Sea, located in modern-day northeastern Turkey. The name was applied to the coastal region in antiquity by the Greeks who colonized the area, and derived from the Greek name of the Black Sea: Πόντος...
was converted into a Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
under Emperor Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
in 63. During the civil war following Nero’s death, Anicetus sided with Vitellius
Vitellius
Vitellius , was Roman Emperor for eight months, from 16 April to 22 December 69. Vitellius was acclaimed Emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors...
and led a general insurrection against Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
in Pontus
Pontus
Pontus or Pontos is a historical Greek designation for a region on the southern coast of the Black Sea, located in modern-day northeastern Turkey. The name was applied to the coastal region in antiquity by the Greeks who colonized the area, and derived from the Greek name of the Black Sea: Πόντος...
and Colchis
Colchis
In ancient geography, Colchis or Kolkhis was an ancient Georgian state kingdom and region in Western Georgia, which played an important role in the ethnic and cultural formation of the Georgian nation.The Kingdom of Colchis contributed significantly to the development of medieval Georgian...
69. The rebels destroyed the Roman fleet
Roman Navy
The Roman Navy comprised the naval forces of the Ancient Roman state. Although the navy was instrumental in the Roman conquest of the Mediterranean basin, it never enjoyed the prestige of the Roman legions...
(Classis Pontica) in a sudden attack on Trapezus
Trapezus
Trapezus, Trapezounta, and Trapezounta can refer to:*Trabzon, an ancient settlement on the Black Sea in Turkey.*Trapezus, a city in the province Arcadia in Greece...
and then turned to piracy using a type of boat known as camarae.
The revolt was however put down by the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
reinforcements under Virdius Geminus, a lieutenant of Vespasian. Overtaken at the mouth of the river Cohibus (now the Khobi River
Khobi
Khobi is a town in western Georgia with a population of 5,800 . The settlement of Abasha acquired the status of a town in 1981 and currently functions as an administrative center of the Khobi District within the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region....
located in Mingrelia of Lazica, Anicetus was surrendered to the Romans by the local tribesmen, and put to death.