Mithridatic Wars
West Greek speakers extended through Central Greece, the Peloponnesus, Crete, Rhodes, a small region of the coast of Anatolia, and on the west southern Italy, including Sicily. At the beginning of the Hellenistic period, the center of dominance of the West Greek speakers was Macedon. After a long and hard-fought conflict Rome extended its power over them. Once defeated they tended to be docile and loyal to Rome. This was the culture on which Sulla was able to rely in the first two Mithridatic Wars.