The Kingdom of Armenia was a monarchy in the Ancient Near East which existed from 321 BC to 428 AD. Its history is divided into successive reigns by three royal dynasties; Orontid (321 BC–200 BC), Artaxiad (189 BC–12 AD), and Arsacid (52–428).
The root of the kingdom lies in one of the satrapies of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia called Armenia (Satrapy of Armenia). The satrapy became a kingdom in 321 BC during the reign of the Orontid dynasty after the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great, which was then incorporated as one of the Hellenistic kingdoms of the Seleucid Empire.
During the Roman Republic's eastern expansion, the Kingdom of Armenia, under Tigranes the Great, reached its peak, from 83 to 69 BC, after it reincorporated Sophene and conquered the remaining territories of the falling Seleucid Empire, effectively ending its existence and raising Armenia into an empire for a brief period, until it was itself conquered by Rome in 69 BC. The remaining Artaxiad kings ruled as clients of Rome until they were overthrown in 12 AD due to their possible allegiance to Rome's main rival in the region, Parthia.
The root of the kingdom lies in one of the satrapies of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia called Armenia (Satrapy of Armenia). The satrapy became a kingdom in 321 BC during the reign of the Orontid dynasty after the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great, which was then incorporated as one of the Hellenistic kingdoms of the Seleucid Empire.
During the Roman Republic's eastern expansion, the Kingdom of Armenia, under Tigranes the Great, reached its peak, from 83 to 69 BC, after it reincorporated Sophene and conquered the remaining territories of the falling Seleucid Empire, effectively ending its existence and raising Armenia into an empire for a brief period, until it was itself conquered by Rome in 69 BC. The remaining Artaxiad kings ruled as clients of Rome until they were overthrown in 12 AD due to their possible allegiance to Rome's main rival in the region, Parthia.
Artaxia I was the founder of the Artaxiad Dynasty whose members ruled the Kingdom of Armenia for nearly two centuries.
Artaxias was originally appointed strategos of Armenia by Seleucid King Antiochus the Great, but following his monarch's defeat by the Romans at the Battle of Magnesia in 190 BC, Artaxias and his co-strategos Zariadres revolted and, with Roman consent, began to reign au...
Artaxias was originally appointed strategos of Armenia by Seleucid King Antiochus the Great, but following his monarch's defeat by the Romans at the Battle of Magnesia in 190 BC, Artaxias and his co-strategos Zariadres revolted and, with Roman consent, began to reign au...
Artavasdes I reigned as King of Armenia from 159 BC to 123 BC and was the son of Artaxias I and Satenik.
Artavasdes repelled several attempts by Parthians to invade Armenia but was eventually defeated by Mithridates, who annexed parts of Eastern Armenia and took his son, Tigranes the Great as hostage.
Artavasdes I can be identified with the Armenian king who, according to the...
Artavasdes repelled several attempts by Parthians to invade Armenia but was eventually defeated by Mithridates, who annexed parts of Eastern Armenia and took his son, Tigranes the Great as hostage.
Artavasdes I can be identified with the Armenian king who, according to the...
Tigranes reigned as King of Armenia from 115 BC to 95 BC. He ascended to the throne when his brother, Artavasdes I, died without an heir.
According to Appian, Tigranes II was not the son of Artavasdes, but of Tigranes I.
According to Appian, Tigranes II was not the son of Artavasdes, but of Tigranes I.
Tigranes II - usually known as 'the Great' - was King of Armenia under whom the country became, for a short time, the strongest state to Rome's east. He was a member of the Artaxiad Royal House.
Under his reign, the Armenian kingdom expanded beyond its traditional boundaries, allowing Tigranes to claim the title Great King, and involving Armenia in many battles against opponents such as...
Under his reign, the Armenian kingdom expanded beyond its traditional boundaries, allowing Tigranes to claim the title Great King, and involving Armenia in many battles against opponents such as...
Tigranes the Younger was a son of Tigranes II "the Great" who struck an alliance with the Romans to usurp his father.
However, after Pompey the Great defeated his father the two struck a struck a deal and Tigranes the Younger was returned to Rome a prisoner.
However, after Pompey the Great defeated his father the two struck a struck a deal and Tigranes the Younger was returned to Rome a prisoner.
Artavasdes II was a King of the Kingdom of Armenia from 54 BC until 34 BC and a member of the Artaxiad Dynasty. He succeeded his father, Tigranes the Great, also known as Tigranes II.
Artavasdes II was an ally of Rome, but when Orodes II of Parthia invaded Armenia following his victory over the Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC, he was forced to joi...
Artavasdes II was an ally of Rome, but when Orodes II of Parthia invaded Armenia following his victory over the Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC, he was forced to joi...
Artaxias II was a Prince of the Kingdom of Armenia and member of the Artaxiad Dynasty who served as a Roman Client King of Armenia from 33 BC until 20 BC.
After ascending to the Armenian throne and regaining the country, with the support of Phraates IV, Artaxias II was successful in a military campaign against Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene, a former enemy of Artavasdes II. From this ...
After ascending to the Armenian throne and regaining the country, with the support of Phraates IV, Artaxias II was successful in a military campaign against Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene, a former enemy of Artavasdes II. From this ...
Tigranes III was a Prince of the Kingdom of Armenia and member of the Artaxiad Dynasty who served as a Roman Client King of Armenia from 20 BC until 10 BC. He was the second son born to Artavasdes II of Armenia by an unnamed mother, and the brother of his predecessor Artiaxias II.
Although he reigned for a substantial period of time, little is known on his reign. His kingship brought pe...
Although he reigned for a substantial period of time, little is known on his reign. His kingship brought pe...
Tigranes IV was a Prince of the Kingdom of Armenia and member of the Artaxiad Dynasty who served as a Roman Client King of Armenia from 10 BC until 5 BC. He married his half-sister Erato in Hellenistic/Oriental fashion, and they ruled together.
Although Tigranes IV and Erato were Roman Client Monarchs governing Armenia, they were both anti Roman and were not the choices of the Roman emp...
Although Tigranes IV and Erato were Roman Client Monarchs governing Armenia, they were both anti Roman and were not the choices of the Roman emp...
Erato was a Princess of the Kingdom of Armenia and member of the Artaxiad Dynasty who served as a Roman Client King of Armenia from 10 BC until 5 BC. She married her half-sister Tigranes IV in Hellenistic/Oriental fashion, and they ruled together.
Although Tigranes IV and Erato were Roman Client Monarchs governing Armenia, they were both anti Roman and were not the choices of the Roman ...
Although Tigranes IV and Erato were Roman Client Monarchs governing Armenia, they were both anti Roman and were not the choices of the Roman ...