He selected for his representative at the seat of Empire a certain Himerus (or Evemerus), a youth with whom he had a disgraceful connection, and having established him as a sort of viceroy, marched away to the northeast, and proceeded to encounter the Scythians in that remote region.

Besides his native troops, he took with him a number of Greeks, whom he had made prisoners in his war with Antiochus.

Their fidelity could not but be doubtful; probably, however, he thought that at a distance from Syria they would not dare to fail him, and that with an enemy so barbarous as the Scythians they would have no temptation to fraternize.

But the event proved him mistaken.

The Greeks were sullen at their captivity, and exasperated by some cruel treatment which they had received when first captured.