Tigranes the Great

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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.

Image:Tigranes.jpg Image:Armenian empire.gif

Tigranes the Great (Armenian: Տիգրան Մեծ) (ruled 95 BC-55 BC) (also called Tigranes II and sometimes Tigranes I) was a king of Armenia. Tigranes was born around 140 BCE and was the son or nephew of Artavasdes I.

Around 100 BC the Parthians placed him on the throne of Armenia, in return for "seventy valleys" in Armenia (Strabo 11.14.15). He rapidly built up his power, allying with Mithridates VI of Pontus and marrying his daughter Cleopatra. Ultimately the two kings' attempts to control Cappadocia resulted in Roman intervention, in the person of Lucius Cornelius Sulla. Image:Tigranscourt.jpeg Tigranes also expanded his domain into Parthia, going into Media as far as Ecbatana and to Arbela in Assyria, capturing northern Mesopotamia. In 83 BC he took over Syria, Phoenicia, and Cilicia, effectively putting an end to the Seleucid Empire, though a few holdout cities appear to have recognized the shadowy boy-king Seleucus VII Philometor as the legitimate king during his reign. The southern border of his domain reached as far as Ptolemais (modern Akko). Many of the inhabitants of conquered cities were sent to his new metropolis Tigranocerta.

But his empire was not a lasting one. In 69 BC he warred with Rome, eventually losing Tigranocerta to Lucullus and being separated from Mithridates by Pompey in 66 BC. Tigranes' son went over to Pompey, and as they approached Artaxata, Tigranes himself surrendered, gave up all his territories except Armenia, and finished out his life as a tributary of Rome.

He was suceeded as king of Armenia by his son, Artavasdes II.

Preceded by: Philip I and Antiochus XII

Ruler of the Seleucid Empire

Succeeded by: Antiochus XIII

Preceded by: Tigranes I

King of Armenia 95 BCE–55 BCE

Succeeded by: Artavasdes II

ca:Tigranes II d'Armènia

de:Tigranes II. fr:Tigrane ja:ティグラネス2世 no:Tigranes I av Armenia pl:Tigranes II ru:Тигран II zh:提格兰二世