==Kingdom of Pontus== 
 Hi Hectorian -) You must understand that Pontus did not exist among ancient historians till the creation of the Pontian kingdom by Mithridates I. Then Pontus was simply considered a section of the region of Cappadocia, under whose administration it fell. The northern part of Cappadocia was called Cappadocia Pontica, from which Pontus. While there were a few Greek colonies on the Pontian coast (Trebizond, Sinop) these staunchly resisted the kings of Pontus; Sinop fell only in 183 BC, Trebizond with Mithridates VI. Everything that is known of hellenistic Pontus (pretty little) confirms that it was a semi-barbarian kingdom, where no coins were minted at first, and after (till Mithridates VI) very few. It was far more behind than Bithynia, where hellenization started much earlier and in progressed a much stronger way. As for Pontus, hellenization started to gain strength with the conquest of Sinop (183 BC) and especially Mithridates VI (120 BC). This is what I gained from my sources. Ciao!