Tigranes the Great and the Empire of Greater Armenia

Tigranes II the Great and His Era

Tigranes II, known in history by the epithet "the Great," is one of the most famous representatives of the Artaxiad dynasty. Under his rule Greater Armenia became one of the most influential states of Western Asia. Armenian historiography regards the period of his reign as the pinnacle of Armenian political power.

Ascending the Throne

Tigranes ascended the throne around 95 BC. There are differing opinions about his predecessor: in Armenian historiography it is accepted that he was preceded by Tigranes I, while according to Britannica, Tigranes II was the son or brother of Artavasdes I, so we do not name the predecessor. It is known that Armenia was at that time struggling against Parthia. According to ancient accounts, the young Tigranes was a hostage at the Parthian court. To obtain the throne, according to those accounts, he ceded to the Parthians a number of eastern districts of Greater Armenia, the "seventy valleys." He later recovered those lands. Scholarly literature offers differing assessments of these details, so they should be treated with caution.

Unification of the Armenian Lands

After ascending the throne, Tigranes devoted himself to strengthening the country. He united the Armenian lands, weakened Parthian influence, and strengthened the army. His ally became Mithridates VI Eupator, king of Pontus. The alliance was sealed by Tigranes' marriage to Mithridates' daughter Cleopatra. This alliance had an influence on subsequent events.

Territorial Expansion

From the late 90s BC, Tigranes undertook campaigns to the south and south-west. He annexed Sophene, Corduene, Atropatene, and part of Media. In the territories of the Seleucid state, which was in political crisis, around 83 BC he established himself in Syria and Phoenicia at the invitation of the populations of those countries. Armenian rule extended also over Cilicia.

In Movses Khorenatsi's "History of the Armenians," Tigranes is presented as a great conqueror and wise ruler. In the multi-volume "History of the Armenian People," his state is characterized as a mighty empire whose borders stretched from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. The king bore the title "king of kings."

Founding of Tigranakert

After his conquests, Tigranes founded a new capital, Tigranakert. It was created in the southern region of Armenia, on important trade routes. Part of the city's population consisted of people relocated from Cappadocia, Cilicia, and Syria. Tigranakert was a wealthy commercial and cultural center, with palaces, parks, and hunting grounds. Scholarly discussions about the exact location of the city continue, so no definite claims are made on this question.

The War Against Rome

In the war against Mithridates (the Third Mithridatic War), Rome demanded that Mithridates be handed over. When Mithridates found refuge with Tigranes and Tigranes refused to surrender him, war with the Romans became inevitable. In 69 BC Roman forces under Lucullus invaded Armenia and moved toward Tigranakert.

The Battle of Tigranakert

In early October of 69 BC a battle took place near Tigranakert, in which the Armenian army was defeated. Ancient authors present the size and losses of the Armenian army in varying and often exaggerated figures, so historians treat them with caution. After the battle Tigranakert was captured, and Tigranes lost control of Syria and adjacent regions. Armenian historiography emphasizes that the defeat did not destroy Armenian statehood: Tigranes continued to rule Greater Armenia.

Legacy

Tigranes died in early 55 BC. His empire did not last long, but in the memory of the Armenian people he remained a mighty king under whom Armenia played a leading role in the region. Tigranes the Great symbolizes Armenian state power.

Sources

• Movses Khorenatsi — History of the Armenians
• History of the Armenian People (multi-volume, Institute of History, National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia)
• Richard G. Hovannisian (ed.) — The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times