Mithridates and Rome: "who" was "who" on the eve of the First Mithridates War?

The article deals with the correlation of the role and degree of aggression of Rome and Pontus on the eve of the anti-Roman wars of Mithridates VI Eupator. The author briefly characterizes the research of his predecessors and gives his assessment of this factor for both sides, referring to the evidence of ancient authors and the logic of the research of his predecessors. In conclusion, the conclusion is made about the defensive nature of the pre-war foreign policy of king Pontus, arising from the understanding of the strength and power of his main opponent and the desire to preserve and strengthen the independence of his state at the expense of neighbors in accordance with the ideology of the time.