KINGS of ARMENIA. Tigranes II 'the Great'. 95-56 BC. AR Tetradrachm. Tigranocerta mint. Struck circa 80-68 BC. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing tiara decorated with star between two eagles / Tyche of Antioch seated right on rock, holding laurel branch; below, river-god Orontes swimming right; monogram on rock; all within wreath. 29mm, 15.46g. SCADA Group 7, obv. die A58; Kovacs 75.2; M&D 9; CAA 33; AC 37. Lightly toned, minor roughness, some weakness to strike. Choice Very Fine.
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Tigranes II was called "Tigranes the Great" by Plutarch. The "King of Kings" never appeared in public without having four kings attending him. At its height, Tigranes' empire extended from the Pontic Alps to Mesopotamia and from the Caspian to the Mediterranean. In 83 BC., the Syrians offered him the crown and after conquering Phoenicia and Cilicia, he effectively ended the Seleucid Empire. His southern border reached as far as Akko-Ptolemais. The first Armenian ruler to issue coins, he adopted the Seleucid tradition and struck coins at Antioch and Damascus during his occupation of Syria from 83 to 69 BC. In 66 BC., Pompey advanced into Armenia with Tigranes' own son as an ally. Tigranes, now almost 75 years old, surrendered. Pompey treated him generously and returned part of his kingdom in return for 6,000 talents of silver. His unfaithful son was sent back to Rome as a prisoner. Tigranes continued to rule Armenia as an ally of Rome until his death in 55 BC. |