LUCULVIS, L. LICINIUS, a very distinguished Roman general, b., it is conjectured, about 110 B.C. In the first Mithridatic war, he commanded the fleet as legate of Sulla. In 77 B.C. he filled the office of prfetor, and immediately after held the administration of the province of Africa. In 74 B.C. he was chosen consul along with Marcus Aurelius Cotta, and got Cilicia for his province, whilst Cotta had Bithynia. Both consuls arrived in Asia about the close of 74 B.C. Cotta was soon after utterly defeated by Mithridates, who had burst into Bithynia at the head of 150,000 troops, forced to take refuge in Chalcedon, and there was besieged by the victor. Lucullus, however, advanced to his relief at the head of 35,000 men, compelled Mithridates to raise the siege, and almost annihilated his army on its retreat. In 71 B.C. Pontus became subject to the Romans. The measures which Lucullus now introduced in the government of the province of Asia, to secure the provincials against the fearful oppressions and extortions of farmers of the taxes and usurers, especially his fixing a uniform and moderate rate of interest for all arrears, show that he was a just, wise, and humane administrator; but though the cities of Asia were grateful for his clemency, the equestrian order in Rome (who had the farming- of the taxes) became implacably hostile to him, and his own troops grew disaffected on accolint of the strictness of his discipline. For some time, however, things seemed to go on well enough. In the spring of 69 we. he marched into Armenia with a small force of 12,000 foot and 3,000 horse, and gained a complete victory over Tigranes, at the head of an army of '220,000 men. In the following year he gained another great victory at the river Arsanias over a new army led against him by Tigranes and Mithridates; but the mutinous spirit of the legions—in spite of these splendid tri umphs—daily increased. Lucullus now wanted to besiege Artaxata, the capital of
Armenia, but the soldiers refused to advance further. After this he could do nothing; not a soldier would serve under him. At last, he was superseded by Pompey, and left Asin. 66 B.C. The cabals of his enemies so much prevailed against him that he was three years in Rome before he obtained his triumph. In conjunction with the aristo cratical party, he attempted to check the increasing power of Pompey, and the attempt caused the coalition known as the first triumvirate. But he was ill fitted to act as leader against such unscrupulous men, and soon withdrew altogether from political affairs. During his public career he had acquired (but not unfairly) prodigious wealth ; and he spent the remainder of his life surrounded by artists, poets, and philosophers, and exhib iting in his villas at Tusculum and Neapolis, and in his house and gardens at Rome, a luxury and splendor which became proverbial. A single supper--on particularly grand occasions--would cost him 50,000 denarii (£1770). Towards the close of his life, his faculties began to decay, and his property was placed under the management of his brother. He died about 57 B.C. Lucullus was a man of great military talent, human ity, liberality, and love of justice; his great fault was his love of pleasure; not exactly vicious pleasure, for he was an epicure rather than a profligate; yet so purely sensual that it seems to have made people—certainly his soldiers—believe him to be grossly selfish and unsympathetic.