At the expiration of his year of office he retired to private life, but
was soon called upon to suppress a formidable combination of pirates who
infested the Mediterranean Sea and had their headquarters in Cilicia (in
Asia Minor). This task he accomplished in three months. These triumphs,
aided by his political influence, enabled Pompey to procure the command
in the war against Mithridates, who had renewed his scheme of conquering
the Eastern Roman provinces. He was given powers such as never had been
delegated to any Roman general. This war lasted for two years (66-64 B.
C.), and was marked by a series of brilliant triumphs for Pompey. He
utterly crushed Mithridates (who died by self-administered poison), as
well as his son-in-law Tigranes, subdued Phœnicia, made Syria a Roman
province, and took Jerusalem. Thus with the glory of having subjugated
and settled the East he returned to Rome (62 B. C.), where a magnificent
triumph awaited him.