TIGRANES THE GREAT

Tigranes the Great, also known as Tigran II, was a king of Armenia who reigned from 95 to 55 BC. He is widely regarded as one of the most powerful and influential rulers in Armenian history. His reign saw a significant expansion of the Armenian Kingdom, reaching its peak with an empire that stretched from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf.

Tigranes' conquests extended across neighboring kingdoms and territories, including parts of Syria, Mesopotamia, and Cappadocia. He fostered a flourishing culture in Armenia, attracting Greek intellectuals and artists to his court and establishing a new capital city, Tigranocerta, renowned for its grandeur and Hellenistic influence.

However, Tigranes' ambitions inevitably brought him into conflict with the Roman Republic. An initial alliance with Mithridates VI of Pontus against Rome ultimately led to Roman invasions under generals like Lucullus and Pompey. Despite initial successes, Tigranes eventually lost territory to Rome.