Lucullus, L. LICINIUS, a very distinguished Roman general, born about 110 B.C. In the first Mithridatic war he commanded the fleet as legate of Sulla. In 74 B.C., as consul, with Cilicia for his province, he defeated Mithridates (q.v.), 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 show that he was a just, wise, and humane administrator; but his troops grew disaffected on account of the strictness of his discipline. In the spring of 69 B.C. he marched into Armenia, and gained a complete victory over Tigranes. In the following year he gained another great victory at the river Arsaius over a new army led against him by Tigranes and
Mithridates; but the mutinous spirit of the legions daily increased, and soon he could do nothing. At last he was superseded by Pompey, and left Asia in 66 B.C. In conjunction with the aristocratic party, he attempted to check the increasing power of Pompey, and the attempt caused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 exhibiting in his villas at Tusculum and Neapolis, and in his house and gardens at Rome, a luxury and splendour which became proverbial. He died about 57 B.C.