Pontic Empire

How can we get a Pontic Empire under Mithridates VI and his successors that covers most of Anatolia, and eventually, also Armenia and Syria (both Coele-Syria and Assyria, though not Babylonia)?

Preferably one which lasts at least a couple of centuries in the east...

(Any additional territorial gains to make this possible are also acceptable)
 
Seems like this would require a POD in the Roman Empire to prevent the Mithridatic Wars. Honestly though, I don't know enough about the period and area.
 
I don't believe this is possible. the Roman Republic's entire policy in the Hellenistic East was to prevent the rise of a major power capable of challenging Rome, hence events like the Syrian War against Antiokhos III Megas, the Day of Eleusis in 168 BC, the Roman support for a variety of Seleucid pretenders in the mid to late 2nd century BC, the Mithridatic wars, and Pompeius' campaign against the pirates. For the Republic to permit the rise of power that would effectively cover the entirey of Asia Minor and the Near East would require a POD far before the reign of Mithridates VI.
 
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