What Happened When a Meteor Hit a Roman Battlefield? (74 BC) - DOCUMENTARY

In the spring of 74 BC, something incredible happened. A massive Roman and Pontic army were on the verge of a climactic battle as a part of the Third Mithridatic War, when the skies were suddenly burst asunder by a huge, flaming molten silver object. A meteorite was about to strike a Roman battlefield. Today, let us discuss the impact of this extraterrestrial body in a story that will involve Jesus, the world's oldest computer, and the fall of Rome. Today's video will focus on the implications surrounding the impact of just a tiny amount of space debris landing on the planet long ago. But what would happen if something quite a bit larger took its place in the future? To visualize this scenario, you can check out the docudrama series The Super Comet, which you can stream through our sponsor MagellanTV. It does an excellent job contextualizing the dangers we face from space, while presenting a chilling scenario of how this would play out on the individual level in high fidelity. Space and history videos like this are added weekly to MagellanTV, which already has a collection of over 3,000 videos to choose from among the categories of history, science, nature, space, and more. You can watch The Super Comet or any documentary that catches your interest by clicking the link in the description below or going to try.magellantv.com slash Invicta to get a one month free trial. Enjoy! In order to properly contextualize this event, it will be necessary to discuss the broader subject of humans and extraterrestrial objects. This interaction was nothing new. After all, mankind has long looked to the skies with wonder and sought to derive meaning from its mysterious celestial dance. Comets were particularly prominent signs given their striking visuals and relative rarity. Many cultures across the world took their arrival as omens pretending great change. But depending on who you asked, the same comet viewed across the globe could mean various things from the birth of a great figure to the impending doom of a nation. The Near East played home to many cultures and thus had long swirled with various myths and prophecies tied to the appearance of comets. Famously, Jewish tradition developed many passages having to do with the destruction of their enemies and the salvation of their people as a result of centuries spent traumatized by various powers of the turbulent Levant. The Book of Numbers, for instance, contains the following messianic prophecy. Quote, I shall see him, but not now. I shall behold him, but not nigh. There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. Over the years, people would seek to apply such passages to their age by drawing connections between contemporary events and various ancient texts. This and other star prophecies would later be used to identify Jesus as the anticipated messiah. However, he was not the first or last to be singled out in this manner. For instance, the third book of the Sibylline Oracles was one widely circulated tome which had cobbled together a host of prophetic passages from across the ages. In recent years of Rome's ascendancy, some of these newer writings declared that the hated conqueror's impending ruin would come when a comet appeared as, quote, a sign of the sword and death. Then, declared the Oracle of Hystespes, all the peoples of the east will rise up and unite. Forcing Rome to pay back three times the riches it has plundered, they shall enslave 20 Romans for each Asian in servitude to Rome. For many, the signs would all manifest in the first century BC, not with the birth of a lowly child in a manger, but by a king of royal lineage who was born and later coronated under twin comets, who raised literal armies of the oppressed, and who confronted Rome head-on in the here and now with massive campaigns studded with great victories and miracles that shook the era. His name was Mithridates VI of Pontus. Let us now turn our attention to his story, which will eventually culminate with the case of the meteorite and the battlefield. The region of Pontus had an ancient history which stretched back to the Bronze Age as various groups took advantage of its trade-friendly coasts and resource-rich interiors. Here, various peoples learned to mingle and coexist over the centuries as Anatolian tribes settled along its river valleys and Greek colonies were founded along its shores. This diverse area was organized into the province of Cappadocia under the rule of the Caminids, but later broke free to pursue its own destiny following the conquests of Alexander the Great. In the aftermath, the kingdom of Pontus would battle the Diadochi, who wished to exert control over Anatolia. In the years that followed, its kings slowly raised the realm to new heights. They proved a key regional player and soon came to exert greater influence by taking a stand against the encroaching Romans. In doing so, they would now draw the attention of prophecy readers who had been looking for signs of deliverance from the cruelties of Rome. Even the Romans themselves appear to have been aware of the rumors of their own doom. Following their campaigns into Greece, for instance, it was reported that the Oracle of Delphi had given their leaders terrifying prophecies, while the general Publius is said to have fallen into a frenzied trance in which he shall recruit a mighty army of many nations to obliterate Rome. If one were to look to the skies at this time, they would be greeted by a most ominous sign. In 135 BC, a comet, said to be trailing fiery tails like battle penance, streaked its way across the heavens and remained visible for 70 days. This event would be recorded by the meticulous star watchers in far-off China. Meanwhile, in the Mediterranean basin, multiple sources tell us that it was in this very year that Mithridates VI would be born in the Pontic city of Sinope. Tradition claims his descent from many important figures including Cyrus the Great, Antipater, Antigonus, Seleucus, Antiochus, and more. Both factors pointed to this newborn as being the chosen one. But for those skeptics who remained, the heavens would have another sign of confirmation. When Mithridates was reportedly crowned in 119 BC, a comet, again reported by the Chinese, would make its striking reappearance across the sky. Now that the age of prophecy had arrived, all awaited the next steps with bated breath. To this end, Mithridates would not disappoint. He first consolidated his realm before launching out to secure neighboring regions by diplomatic and military means. A shrewd man, he was careful to conduct these moves under Cassus Belli that granted him sufficient geopolitical cover for otherwise hostile actions. In addition, he took on the role of master propagandist, leaning into the prophecies and public mood of the time to cement his position as the perceived savior king. For instance, diplomats, orators, and agents were sent across the east to spread speeches meant to win over a web of friends and allies. Many of these lent a sympathetic ear. Yet more support would be thrown his way when the Romans helped urge on Bithynian aggression against Mithridates. This was the exact moment the king had been waiting for. After years of playing innocent, he now had an excuse to openly come out against Rome. The prophecy could be fulfilled out in the open. Thus, blistering declarations of war were issued to rally the east to his side. Many kings would commit troops in the days ahead. The common folk would rise up to join his cause for ultimate deliverance. This would come to a dramatic head in 88 BC when a coordinated massacre of all Romans took place across the cities of Anatolia. Known as the Asiatic Vespers, over 80,000 people were said to have been killed in this genocide. True to the prophecy, Rome bore witness to the sign of sword and death. I'm sure that if you were living at the time, there must have been an incredible feeling of upheaval. The world as you knew it was being overturned here and now. Long-whispered dreams were becoming reality. Rome, long feared as invincible, was simultaneously beset by civil war, barbarian invasion, and now eastern uprising. Goliath bled. He was mortal and could be taken down. It's with this fervor and hope that the Mithridatic Wars broke out. In this video, we will not have time to fully cover the titanic nature of these campaigns which ultimately stretched out over 25 years. Suffice to say, they were heavily contested affairs in which the gods themselves took part. For instance, after securing Anatolia, Pontic forces would turn upon the major bastion of resistance in Rhodes. In 88 BC, they would besiege the city, ultimately assaulting its walls with a two-pronged assault. Legend goes that when the massive Sambuca was brought against the temple of Isis, the goddess herself appeared upon the walls, hurled forth a massive fireball, and destroyed the structure. As its wreckage collapsed into the waves, so too did the efforts to take Rhodes. Soon after, the invaders would be forced to withdraw. In the later siege of Kyzicus, Mithridates would again find himself pitted against fierce defenders backed by powerful gods. Another, even larger Sambuca tower was brought against its sea walls whilst numerous war engines assailed its land defenses. Appian claims that the inhabitants of the city left quote nothing untried in the compass of human energy. Yet even still, they were on the verge of defeat. As a sign of their desperation, the populace was unable to find a single black cow to offer as sacrifice in the annual celebration of their protective deity Persephone. However, in a miracle, one such animal swam across the waters and delivered itself to the temple. Sacrifices were then conducted, and Persephone herself now appeared to raise the spirits of her people. Shortly thereafter, a fierce winter gale toppled the siege towers of Mithridates. When these were rebuilt, another storm struck, shattering the structures for good. This time, it was said that Athena was responsible, with observers reporting the goddess' appearance in the temple at Troy, panting from the effort of her intercession. But the gods did not always side against Mithridates. On many occasions, the Romans too would be hit with sudden reversals attributed to the supernatural. The masters of the storms in particular proved fickle, as weather would cull the lives of soldiers from both sides throughout the long conflict. The superstitious factions were deeply aware of this supernatural dimension to warfare, and were constantly taking precautions to remain in the good graces of the gods and keep a watchful eye out for their next moves. For Mithridates, this would involve grandiose sacrifices involving great fires or other times the plunging of gilded chariots over cliff sides. But to the eastern magi of his court, a focus on the movements of celestial bodies were particularly relevant to their efforts. Such was the seriousness of their studies that they adopted sophisticated methods and tools to analyze the heavens. Some have theorized that the most famous of these may have been the Antikythera device, which was discovered amidst the ruins of a shipwreck carrying eastern spoils in the early 1900s. Described as the oldest example of an analog computer, it contained an intricate set of at least 30 gears capable of predicting the phases of the moon, eclipses, and the movement of other key astronomical bodies. Possession of such a device aligns closely with the character of Mithridates, who is also said to have collected other renowned mechanized inventions, such as the globe of Belaris. Thus, with all of this context, I hope we've demonstrated the charged, religious nature of the Mithridatic Wars and the high degree of importance that its participants placed on reading the celestial tea leaves. It is with all of this in mind that we can finally turn to the story of the meteorite and the battlefield with which we began this episode. The event would take place during the Third Mithridatic War. Here, Mithridates had taken advantage of the Sertorian Revolt and the death of the Bythinian king to mount fresh offensives. In quick order, he raised a massive force and began crushing all opposition in a march to the west. Against him would be sent Lucius Licinius Liculus at the head of five legions. Some of his subordinates urged him to strike directly at the enemy's rear in Pontus. To this he replied, quote, Why would I hunt for a wild beast in its empty lair? I'll now read directly from Plutarch, quote, With these words he led his army against Mithridates, having 30,000 foot and 2,500 horsemen. But when he had come within sight of the enemy and had seen with amazement their multitude, he desired to refrain from battle and draw out the time. But Marius, whom Sertorius had sent to Mithridates from Spain with an army, came out to meet him and challenged him to combat, and so he put his forces in array to fight the issue out. But presently, as they were on the point of joining battle, with no apparent change of weather, all of a sudden the sky burst asunder and a huge flame-like body was seen to fall between the two armies. In shape, it was most like a wine jar and in color like molten silver. Both sides were astonished at the sight and separated. This marvel, as they say, occurred in Phrygia at a place called Unfortunately, our sources are light on details and silent on the ensuing fallout. It is therefore left to our imagination just how the soldiers on the battlefield that day must have reacted. Stunned is certainly putting it mildly. After all, military men were famously superstitious and could be spooked by the most minor of signs ranging from lightning to the pecking habits of chickens. Seeing a star fall from the heavens and smash right at their feet was orders of magnitudes more significant. We must also wonder what sort of effect the impact itself had physically. Were the men blinded by its flash, deafened by its crash, or showered in debris? And what happened once the dust settled? Who were the first brave soldiers who dared approach the impact crater? Based on the description by Plutarch, it appears that people did get close enough to report on its physical appearance. While no dimensions are given, some scientists have estimated its size at at least four feet across. Perhaps, as had happened at Zama so many years ago, the two commanders may have met under a ceasefire, brought to the peace table by the intercession of the gods. Whatever occurred in those few hours was enough to convince both sides that no blood was to be shed. The armies would separate to fight another day. It's at this point that both sides must have gone into overdrive, attempting to figure out what to do next. One must assume that their commanders and religious leaders were desperately trying to put a positive spin on things. In this regard, they may have turned to the Anatolian goddess Cybele, who is represented as a stone that fell to the earth and was closely associated with meteors. In fact, previous fallen stars had been taken as relics and stored in various temples. One in particular, the Black Sky Stone of Cybele, was worshipped at Picinus. It is with this object that the Cybelean books had once claimed the Romans could defeat Hannibal, and which was in turn transported to Rome in 204 BC. Perhaps Lachullus was able to draw the connection from this new gift from Cybele as a sign that he too would soon defeat the so called second Hannibal. Meanwhile, Mithridates could have found his own signs for hope. Falling stars, after all, had long played a role in his legendary status, having presided over his birth and coronation. This was naturally just another signal from the heavens that he was truly the anointed one. In addition, the specific link between the meteorite and the protector goddess of the Anatolian cities would have lined up perfectly with his stated mission of acting as the mortal defender of the east. Whatever the case, we shall unfortunately never know more about the details of this incident. Judging by the real historical events that followed though, it seems that this miraculous sign ultimately signaled the fall of Mithridates. Though his great war would be remembered as a valiant effort, it would end in a Roman victory and the death of the Pontic king in 63 BC. With his passing would die the hopes and dreams of a generation. Slowly though, they would once again begin their search for their next messiah. For some, he would be identified by the star of Bethlehem. I hope you've found this story of the meteorite to be both entertaining and enlightening. For me, the discussion of the broader star prophecies offers fascinating insight into the socio-religious undercurrents of the day which were heavily influenced by messianic ideas combined with a hatred for Rome. In particular, it's quite striking to see the similarities of how these factors helped give rise to the legends of the savior king Mithridates and later Jesus. With this said, I wanted to give a special thanks to the patrons for funding the channel and for giving us so many great ideas for projects. I also wanted to thank the researchers, writers, and artists who made this episode possible. Be sure to like and subscribe for more content and check out these other related episodes. See you in the next one.