Idrieus vs Nicomedes IV

Upon the death of his brother Mausolus, Idrieus became the Hecatomnid ruler of Caria. He continued the policies of his predecessors, maintaining Carian autonomy under Persian suzerainty and overseeing the region's administration.

Idrieus and his sister-wife Ada completed the construction of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the tomb of Mausolus. This structure became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, showcasing Carian wealth and Hellenistic architectural influence.

Idrieus provided military support to the Persian satrap Artabazus of Phrygia during his revolt against Artaxerxes III. This action demonstrated Caria's complex relationship with the Achaemenid Empire, balancing autonomy with loyalty.

Idrieus died in 344 BC, after ruling Caria for approximately nine years. His sister-wife Ada succeeded him as ruler, continuing the Hecatomnid dynasty's control over Caria until the arrival of Alexander the Great.

After being driven from his throne by Mithridates VI of Pontus, Nicomedes IV was restored to power by a Roman commission led by Manius Aquillius. This intervention deepened Roman involvement in Anatolia and provoked the First Mithridatic War.

Nicomedes IV, under Roman pressure, attacked Mithridates VI's territory, raiding as far as Amastris. This aggression gave Mithridates a casus belli for his invasion of the Roman province of Asia, leading to the First Mithridatic War.

Nicomedes IV died without a legitimate heir and bequeathed his kingdom of Bithynia to the Roman Republic in his will. This act made Bithynia a Roman province, ending the independent kingdom and triggering the Third Mithridatic War.