Quand Mithridate VI est-il devenu roi du Pont ?
Early life

Mithridates was born in the Pontic city of Sinope, on the Black Sea coast of Anatolia, and was raised in the Kingdom of Pontus. He was the first son among the children born to Laodice VI and Mithridates V Euergetes (reigned 150–120 BC). His father, Mithridates V, was a prince and the son of the former Pontic monarchs Pharnaces I of Pontus and his cousin-wife Nysa. His mother, Laodice VI, was a Seleucid princess and the daughter of the Seleucid monarchs Antiochus IV Epiphanes and his sister-wife Laodice IV.

Mithridates V was assassinated in about 120 BC in Sinope, poisoned by unknown persons at a lavish banquet which he held. He left the kingdom to the joint rule of his widow Laodice VI, and their elder son Mithridates VI, and younger son Mithridates Chrestus. Neither Mithridates VI nor his younger brother were of age, and their mother retained all power as regent for the time being. Laodice VI's regency over Pontus was from 120 BC to 116 BC (even perhaps up to 113 BC) and favored Mithridates Chrestus over Mithridates. During his mother's regency, Mithridates escaped from his mother's plots against him and went into hiding.

Mithridates emerged from hiding and returned to Pontus between 116 and 113 BC and was hailed as king. By this time he had grown to become a man of considerable stature and physical strength. He could combine extraordinary energy and determination with a considerable talent for politics, organization and strategy. Mithridates removed his mother and brother from the throne, imprisoning both, becoming the sole ruler of Pontus. Laodice VI died in prison, ostensibly of natural causes. Mithridates Chrestus may have died in prison also, or may have been tried for treason and executed. Mithridates gave both royal funerals. Mithridates took his younger sister Laodice, aged 16, as his first wife. His goals in doing so were to preserve the purity of their bloodline, to solidify his claim to the throne, to co-rule over Pontus, and to ensure the succession to his legitimate children.
Mithridate ou Mithradates VI Eupator (en grec ancien : Μιθριδάτης ; 135 – 63 av. J.-C.) fut le souverain du royaume du Pont, dans le nord de l'Anatolie, de 120 à 63 av. J.-C., et l'un des adversaires les plus redoutables et déterminés de la République romaine. Il fut un dirigeant efficace, ambitieux et impitoyable, qui cherchait à dominer l'Asie Mineure et la région de la mer Noire, menant plusieurs guerres âprement disputées mais finalement infructueuses (les guerres mithridatiques) pour briser la domination romaine sur l'Asie et le monde hellénistique. Il a été considéré comme le plus grand souverain du royaume du Pont. Il développa une immunité aux poisons en ingérant régulièrement de faibles doses ; cette pratique, aujourd'hui appelée mithridatisme, porte son nom. Après sa mort, il devint connu sous le nom de Mithridate le Grand.
### Query ###
Quand Mithridate VI est-il devenu roi du Pont ?

### Main Text ###
Early life

Mithridates was born in the Pontic city of Sinope, on the Black Sea coast of Anatolia, and was raised in the Kingdom of Pontus. He was the first son among the children born to Laodice VI and Mithridates V Euergetes (reigned 150–120 BC). His father, Mithridates V, was a prince and the son of the former Pontic monarchs Pharnaces I of Pontus and his cousin-wife Nysa. His mother, Laodice VI, was a Seleucid princess and the daughter of the Seleucid monarchs Antiochus IV Epiphanes and his sister-wife Laodice IV.

Mithridates V was assassinated in about 120 BC in Sinope, poisoned by unknown persons at a lavish banquet which he held. He left the kingdom to the joint rule of his widow Laodice VI, and their elder son Mithridates VI, and younger son Mithridates Chrestus. Neither Mithridates VI nor his younger brother were of age, and their mother retained all power as regent for the time being. Laodice VI's regency over Pontus was from 120 BC to 116 BC (even perhaps up to 113 BC) and favored Mithridates Chrestus over Mithridates. During his mother's regency, Mithridates escaped from his mother's plots against him and went into hiding.

Mithridates emerged from hiding and returned to Pontus between 116 and 113 BC and was hailed as king. By this time he had grown to become a man of considerable stature and physical strength. He could combine extraordinary energy and determination with a considerable talent for politics, organization and strategy. Mithridates removed his mother and brother from the throne, imprisoning both, becoming the sole ruler of Pontus. Laodice VI died in prison, ostensibly of natural causes. Mithridates Chrestus may have died in prison also, or may have been tried for treason and executed. Mithridates gave both royal funerals. Mithridates took his younger sister Laodice, aged 16, as his first wife. His goals in doing so were to preserve the purity of their bloodline, to solidify his claim to the throne, to co-rule over Pontus, and to ensure the succession to his legitimate children.

### Supplementary Text ###
Mithridate ou Mithradates VI Eupator (en grec ancien : Μιθριδάτης ; 135 – 63 av. J.-C.) fut le souverain du royaume du Pont, dans le nord de l'Anatolie, de 120 à 63 av. J.-C., et l'un des adversaires les plus redoutables et déterminés de la République romaine. Il fut un dirigeant efficace, ambitieux et impitoyable, qui cherchait à dominer l'Asie Mineure et la région de la mer Noire, menant plusieurs guerres âprement disputées mais finalement infructueuses (les guerres mithridatiques) pour briser la domination romaine sur l'Asie et le monde hellénistique. Il a été considéré comme le plus grand souverain du royaume du Pont. Il développa une immunité aux poisons en ingérant régulièrement de faibles doses ; cette pratique, aujourd'hui appelée mithridatisme, porte son nom. Après sa mort, il devint connu sous le nom de Mithridate le Grand.

### Draft ###

### 1. Query Parsing

"Quand Mithridate VI est-il devenu roi du Pont ?"
→ When did Mithridates VI become king of Pontus?

Key semantic elements:
- **Mithridate VI** = Mithridates VI Eupator
- **roi du Pont** = king of Pontus (not Pont-Aven!)
- **devenu roi** = became king (not born royal)
- Temporal precision sought

### 2. Historical Context Triangulation

Pontus → Black Sea coastal kingdom, northern Anatolia
Timeframe → Hellenistic period, ~120-63 BCE
Language → Greek sources (Appian, Plutarch, Strabo)
⚠ Roman bias in sources likely

Key constraint: Pontic succession typically father→eldest son
But 120 BCE = major transition period

### 3. Chronological Reconstruction

Mithridates V Euergetes dies ~120 BCE
→ Widow Laodice VI + sons (Mithridates VI + Chrestus) inherit
→ Regency period: Laodice VI rules for ~4-6 years
→ Young Mithridates flees, hides from mother's plots
→ ~116-113 BCE: returns, kills brother, seizes power

∴ **Answer: ~116-113 BCE**

Physical constraint check: Age ~16-18 at accession → plausible
Political constraint: Had to be old enough for effective rule
Economic: Pontus had resources for major expansion soon after

### 4. Verification Against Source Claims

● Plutarch mentions regency period ~4 years
◐ Appian gives 116 BCE as return year  
○ Some sources suggest 113 BCE
→ **Convergence on 116-113 BCE window**

Cross-reference: First major conflict (Mithridatic War I) begins ~88 BCE
→ 27-29 year reign = realistic for Hellenistic king

### 5. Synthesis

**Final answer: ~116-113 BCE**
Confidence: ● (multiple source agreement)
Mechanism: Self-seizure after mother's regency
Significance: End of joint rule, beginning of expansionist phase

※ Could specify exact year if sources more precise, but range more defensible given ancient evidence limitations.

### Answer###
Mithridate VI Eupator est devenu roi du Pont vers 116-113 avant J.-C. Il succéda à son père Mithridate V Euergetes, qui avait régné jusqu'à environ 120 avant J.-C. et avait laissé le royaume sous la régence de sa veuve Laodice VI, qui gouvernait pour les deux fils du défunt roi, Mithridate VI et son frère cadet Mithridate Chrestus. 

Mithridate VI fut contraint de fuir et de se cacher en raison des intrigues de sa mère contre lui. Il réapparut en Pont entre 116 et 113 avant J.-C. et fut proclamé roi. À cette époque, il était devenu un homme d'un âge considérable et de grande force physique. Il élimina alors sa mère et son frère du pouvoir, les emprisonnant tous les deux - Laodice VI mourut en prison, tandis que le sort de Mithridate Chrestus reste incertain. Mithridate VI devint ainsi le seul souverain du Pont, consolidant son règne en épousant sa jeune sœur Laodice âgée de 16 ans.