The son of Mithridates VI and a King of Pontus, who conspired against his father and drove him to commit suicide.
He was born to King Mithridates IV of Pontus and his wife, Laodice.
Though Mithridates was willing to begin a third war against the Romans, his son was more hesitant. He began to plot
against his father, and, finally in 63 BCE, he forced Mithridates to take his own life. Pharnaces
quickly moved into negotiations with Pompey. Terms
were quickly settled and Pharnaces' kingdom was named a friend and ally of Rome.
Later in 49 BCE, while Rome was preoccupied by the rising civil war between Pompey and
Julius Caesar, Pharnaces moved to take over nearby territories.
However, he was soon defeated by Julius Caesar. After the short war between these two leaders,
Caesar penned the famous phrase veni, vidi, vici.