Hittites years of the Old Hittite Kingdom, can be explained in part by the nature of the Hittite kingship at that time. During the Old Hittite Kingdom period prior to 1400 BC, the king of the Hittites was not viewed by the Hittite citizenry as a "living god", like the Pharaohs of Egypt, but rather as a first among equals. Only in the later period of the Hittite Empire, from 1400 BC until 1200 BC, did the kingship of the Hittites become more centralized and powerful. Also in earlier years the succession was not legally fixed, enabling the "war of the
Laodice of Cappadocia for war. Ariarathes VII did oppose this and mobilised an army which matched Mithridates’. Given the size of force of Ariarathes VII, Mithridates called a conference and used this meeting to murder him in 101 BC or 100 BC. He then installed one of his sons as Ariarathes IX of Cappadocia under the regency of Gordius. The Cappadocians revolted and called for Ariarathes’ brother, Ariarathes VIII, to return to Cappadocia to become king in 100 BC. Mithridates invaded Cappadocia and drove him out. Ariarathes VIII died in 96 BC. With his death his dynasty died out. Nicomedes pretended that Laodice