Tigranes the Great
Tigranes II, more commonly known as Tigranes the Great (Tigran Mets in Armenian;[4][a] Ancient Greek: Τιγράνης ὁ Μέγας, Tigránes ho Mégas; Latin: Tigranes Magnus;[6] 140 – 55 BC), was a king of Armenia. A member of the Artaxiad dynasty, he ruled from 95 BC to 55 BC. Under his reign, the Armenian kingdom expanded beyond its traditional boundaries and reached its peak, allowing Tigranes to claim the title Great King or King of Kings. His empire for a short time was the most powerful state to the east of the Roman Republic. The appearance of Halley's comet during his reign, as depicted on the rare series of Tigranes's coins,[7] was seen as an auspicious sign.[8]
This article is about a king of Armenia in the 1st century BC. For other historical figures with the same name (including other kings of Armenia), see Tigranes.Tigranes the Great
95–55 BC
140 BC
55 BC (aged 85)
Four sons:
Zariadres
Unnamed
Tigranes
Artavasdes II
Three daughters:
Ariazate
Unnamed
Unnamed
Either the son or nephew of Artavasdes I, Tigranes was given as a hostage to Mithridates II of Parthia after Armenia came under Parthian suzerainty. After ascending to the Armenian throne, he rapidly expanded his kingdom by invading or annexing Roman and Parthian client-kingdoms. Tigran decided to ally with Mithridates VI of Pontus by marrying his daughter Cleopatra. At its height, Tigranes' empire stretched from the Pontic Alps to Mesopotamia and from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean. With captured vassals, his lands even reached the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Many of the inhabitants of conquered cities were forcibly relocated to his new capital, Tigranocerta. An admirer of the Greek culture, Tigranes invited many Greek rhetoricians and philosophers to his court, and his capital was noted for its Hellenistic architecture.
Armenia came into direct conflict with Rome after Mithridates VI was forced to seek refuge in Tigranes' court. In 69 BC, Tigranes was decisively defeated at the Battle of Tigranocerta by a Roman army under the command of Lucullus, and a year later he met another major defeat at Artaxata, the old Armenian capital. The recall of Lucullus gave Tigranes a brief respite, but in 66 BC Armenia faced another Roman invasion led by Pompey, aided by Tigranes' own son, Tigranes the Younger. Tigranes chose to surrender and was allowed to retain the heartland of his kingdom as a Roman buffer state, while all of his conquests were annexed. He continued to rule Armenia as a client-king of Rome until his death around 55 BC at the age of 85.
Early years[edit]
In approximately 120 BC, the Parthian king Mithridates II (r. 124–91 BC) invaded Armenia and made its king Artavasdes I acknowledge Parthian suzerainty.[9] Artavasdes I was forced to give the Parthians Tigranes, who was either his son or nephew, as a hostage.[9][10] Tigranes lived in the Parthian court at Ctesiphon, where he was schooled in Parthian culture.[1] Tigranes remained a hostage at the Parthian court until c. 96/95 BC, when Mithridates II released him and appointed him as the king of Armenia.[11][12] Tigranes ceded an area called "seventy valleys" in the Caspiane to Mithridates II, either as a pledge or because Mithridates II demanded it.[13] Tigranes' daughter Ariazate had also married a son of Mithridates II, which has been suggested by the modern historian Edward Dąbrowa to have taken place shortly before he ascended the Armenian throne as a guarantee of his loyalty.[12] Tigranes would remain a Parthian vassal until the late 80s BC.[14]
When he came to power, the foundation upon which Tigranes was to build his Empire was already in place, a legacy of the founder of the Artaxiad Dynasty, Artaxias I, and subsequent kings. The mountains of Armenia, however, formed natural borders between the different regions of the country and as a result, the feudalistic nakharars had significant influence over the regions or provinces in which they were based. This did not suit Tigranes, who wanted to create a centralist empire. He thus proceeded by consolidating his power within Armenia before embarking on his campaign.[15]
He deposed Artanes, the last king of the Kingdom of Sophene and a descendant of Zariadres.[16]
Alliance with Pontus[edit]
During the First Mithridatic War (89–85 BC), Tigranes supported Mithridates VI of Pontus, but was careful not to become directly involved in the war.
He rapidly built up his power and established an alliance with Mithridates VI, marrying his daughter Cleopatra. Tigranes agreed to extend his influence in the East, while Mithridates set to conquer Roman land in Asia Minor and in Europe. By creating a stronger Hellenistic state, Mithridates was to contend with the well-established Roman foothold in Europe.[15] Mithridates executed a planned general attack on Romans and Italians in Asia Minor, tapping into local discontent with the Romans and their taxes and urging the peoples of Asia Minor to raise against foreign influence. The slaughter of 80,000 people in the province of Asia Minor was known as the Asiatic Vespers. The two kings' attempts to control Cappadocia and then the massacres resulted in guaranteed Roman intervention. The senate decided that Lucius Cornelius Sulla, who was then one of the consuls, would command the army against Mithridates.[17]
The French historian René Grousset remarked that in their alliance Mithridates was somewhat subservient to Tigranes.[18]
Offspring[edit]
Tigranes had four sons and three daughters.[40][41] The eldest son, Zariadres, according to Appian and Valerius Maximus rebelled against Tigranes and was killed during a battle (possibly late 90s BCE).[42][43] Appian also mentions an unnamed younger son who was executed for conspiring against Tigranes: he disregarded his father's health and wore Tigranes's crown (Tigranes having been injured during a hunting accident).[44] His third son, Tigranes the Younger, who showed great care for his injured father and was rewarded for his loyalty,[44] has already been mentioned. He is also alleged to have led a military campaign in 82 BCE.[44] Tigranes was succeeded by his fourth and youngest son, Artavasdes II.
One daughter of Tigranes according to Cassius Dio married Mithridates I of Atropatene.[40][45] Another daughter married Parthian prince Pacorus, son of Orodes II.[41][46] Parchments of Avroman also mention his third daughter, Ariazate "Automa", who married Gotarzes I of Parthia.[2][46]
Although Cleopatra of Pontus is usually considered to be their mother (Appian writes that she gave birth to three sons),[44] historian Gagik Sargsyan considered only Artavasdes II and one of the unnamed daughters to be her children.[47] According to him, the rest had a different mother and were born before Tigranes became king.[48] The reasoning behind it is that if Tigranes the Younger did indeed lead a campaign in 82 BCE, then he and hence his two older brothers (and possibly two sisters) would be too old to be Cleopatra's children.[48] Another argument supporting this claim would be the situation with Ariazate. As she was probably the mother of Orodes I (r. 80–75 BC),[49] then Ariazate could not have been the daughter of Cleopatra who married Tigranes only in 94 BCE at the age of 15 or 16.[50] Sargsyan also proposed a possible candidate as Tigranes's first wife and the children's mother: Artaxiad princess Zaruhi, a daughter of Tigranes's paternal uncle Zariadres and granddaughter of Artaxias I.[50] He also considered likely that the reason for the rebellion of Tigranes's son Zariadres was the birth of Artavasdes who was declared the heir by virtue of being born to a king and not a prince.[51]
Imperial ideology[edit]
Tigranes is a typical example of the mixed culture of his period. The ceremonial of his court was of Achaemenid origin, and also incorporated Parthian aspects.[2] He had Greek rhetoricians and philosophers in his court, possibly as a result of the influence of his queen, Cleopatra.[2] Greek was also possibly spoken in the court.[2] Following the example of the Parthians, Tigranes adopted the title of Philhellene ("friend of the Greeks").[2] The layout of his capital Tigranocerta was a blend of Greek and Iranian architecture.[2]
Like the majority Armenia's inhabitants, Tigranes was a follower of Zoroastrianism.[b][2][52] On his crown, a star of divinity and two birds of prey are displayed, both Iranian aspects.[2][53] The bird of prey was associated with the khvarenah, i.e. kingly glory.[53] It was possibly also a symbol of the bird of the deity Verethragna.[53]