The Foreign Policy of Antonius and the Eastern Black Sea Coast

After the campaigns of Gnaeus Pompey, the “Roman order” was established in in Nearer asia and the transcaucasus. In 64 B.C. the Eastern Coast of the Black Sea were  officially  declared  as the Roman lands   by  the act  of Amisus. In 65-35/33 B.C. Colchis as a separate, whole adm­ini­s­t­r­a­tive-political entity was subdued to Rome. During the certain time, Colchis was directly dependent to the Roman Empire. After the death of Caesar, during Antonius the eastern policy of Rome changed. Antonius gave up his predecessor’s policy and began restored the Asian kingdoms liquidated by Pompey. In 39 BC the Pontic kingdom was also restored, headed by Polemon of Laodicea. Later, Antony further enlarged kingdom of Pontus. In 35-33 BC Lesser Armenia was given to Polemon. It is highly probable that, together with Lesser Armenia, Polemon obtained from Antony Colchis. Since then Colchis became part of Pontus of Polemons for a long time.