The Poison King The life and legend of Mithradates, Rome's deadliest enemy

Mayor (Stanford) has specialized in writing well-researched, readable scholarship in the history of ancient science and technology, including the pre-eminent work on ancient chemical and biological warfare (Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs, CH, May'04, 41-5439). It is fitting, therefore, that her first major biography tackles the life of Mithridates VI of Pontus, known for his knowledge of poisons. It is difficult to weave personal anecdotes (the lifeblood of good biography) with the technical tidbits of science, but Mayor carries it off brilliantly, as evidenced by sections describing Mithridates' youth and early scientific education in Sinope, and his extraordinary chemical knowledge at the peak of his reign. Sometimes, Mayor's penchant for delving into scientific detail can be distracting, as in an excursus on meteors, probably better placed in an appendix. Mayor describes particularly well Mithridates' skill as a strategist, and especially his diplomatic efforts to form disparate coalitions with some of Rome's greatest foes--both individual rebels, like Sertorius or Spartacus, and states, like Armenia or Parthia. The work is a marvel: part biography, part campaign history, and part scientific exploration, written in a style that makes the book a true page-turner. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. J. Tucci School of Advanced Air and Space Studies

Little known in the West, Mithradates has not been the subject of a full-scale biography in over 100 years, even though he remains a national hero in Armenia and Kurdistan. The publication of this biography is timely, as events of Mithradates's life parallel recent history. Mayor (visiting scholar, classics & history of science, Stanford Univ.: The First Fossil Hunters), a specialist in ancient science, fills this gap with a reappraisal of Mithradates's character and a detailed account of his scientific pursuits, notably his in-depth studies of poison. Prior depictions, particularly in popular culture, have shown a one-sided view of him as a cruel tyrant. Mayor gives us a more nuanced view of the so-called Poison King, placing him in his proper context as a Greco-Persian ruler following in the footsteps of his purported ancestor Alexander the Great. The most compelling aspect of this book is Mayor's engaging style. A true storyteller, she makes Mithradates's world come alive. Verdict This distinctive and compelling book is sure to fascinate all readers interested in the ancient world or in understanding the historical politics of the Caucasus region.-Margaret Heller, Dominician Univ. Lib., River Forest, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.