A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

1128 TIGRANES.~ TIGRANES.
verting his retreat into a disorderly flight (Plut. his father, and finding himself detected, fled for
Lucull. 22-25; Appian, Mlithr. 84). But not- refuge to the Parthian king, Phraates. That mowithstanding this reverse, the mighty host which narch, who had recently concluded a treaty of
he was soon able to gather around his standard, alliance with Pompey, readily lent his support to
inspired him again with the same overweening the fugitive prince, and invaded Armenia with a
confidence, and he hastened to attack Lucullus in large army, with which he advanced as far as Arorder to avert the fall of Tigranocerta. The event taxata. But he was unable to reduce that city,
was decisive; the army of the Armenian king, and as soon as the Parthian king withdrew, Tithough amounting according to the most authentic granes easily drove out his rebel son. It was at
statement, to 55,000 horse and 1]50,000 regular this juncture that Mithridates, after his final defeat
infantry, besides light-armed troops, was totally by Pompey, once more threw himself upon the
routed by the small force under Lucullus; the support of his son-in-law: but Tigranes, who susking himself fled almost unattended from the field, pected him of abetting the designs of his son,
and Tigranocerta was surrendered to the victorious refused to receive him, and even set a price upon
general. (Plut. Lucull. 26-28; Appian, Mithr. his head, while he himself hastened to make over85, 86; Memnon, 56; Liv. Epit. xcviii.; Eutrop. tures of submission to Pompey. That general had
vi. 9; Oros. vi. 3.) already advanced into the heart of Armenia, and
During the ensuing winter, while Lucullus was was approaching Artaxata itself, under the guidance
established in Gordyene, several of the neighbour- of the young Tigranes, when the old king repaired
ing princes hastened to throw off the yoke of the in person to the Roman camp, and presenting himArmenian king, and tender their submission to self as a suppliant before Pompey, laid his tiara at
the Roman general. Among others, Antiochus his feet. By this act of humiliation he at once
(surnamed Asiaticis), the son of Antiochus Eu- conciliated the favour of the conqueror, who treated
sebes, presented himself to claim the throne of his him in a friendly manner, and left him in posfathers, and was reinstated, apparently without session of Armenia Proper with the title of king,
opposition, in the possession of the whole of Syria, depriving him only of the provinces of Sophene and
where the yoke of Tigranes had long been odious Gordyene, which he erected into a separate kingto his Greek subjects (App. Syr. 49; Strab. xi. dom for his son Tigranes. The elder monarch was
p. 532). Meanwhile Tigranes, in concert with so overjoyed at obtaining these unexpectedly faMithridates (with whom his disasters had brought vourable terms, that he not only paid the sum of
him into closer relations), was using every exertion 6000 talents demanded by Pompey, but added a
to assemble a fresh army, while they both endea- large sum as a donation to his army, and continued
voured, though without success, to induce Phraates, ever after the steadfast friend of the Roman
king of Parthia, to make common cause with them general (Dion Cass. xxxvi. 33-36; Plut. Pomp.
(App. dlithlr. 87;. Dion Cass. xxxv. 3; Epist. 32, 33; Appian, Mithr. 104, 105, Syr. 49; Vell.
Mithr. ap. Sall. Hist. iv. p. 238, ed. Gerlach.). Fail- Pat. ii. 37). He soon reaped the advantage of
ing in this they awaited the approach of Lucullus this fidelity, as in B. C. 65 Pompey, on his return
among the bleak highlands of Armenia, where he from the campaign against Oroeses, finding that
was not able to penetrate until late in the summer the Parthian king Phraates had wrongfully occuof 68. The two kings met him on the riverArsanias, pied the province of Gordyene, sent his lieutenant
with an army less numerous, but better disciplined Afranius to expel him, and restored the possession
than that of the preceding year, but with equal ill of it to Tigranes. (Dion Cass. xxxvii. 5.)
success: they were again totally defeated, and it The next year (B. c. 64) we find him again at
was only a mutiny among the troops of Lucullus war with the king of Parthia, but after several enthat prevented him from making himself master of gagements with alternations of success, their difArtaxata, the ancient capital of Armenia. But ferences were arranged by the mediation of Pomthe spirit of disaffection which had by this time pey, and the two monarchs concluded a treaty of
pervaded the Roman troops, hampered all the pro- peace (Dion Cass. xxxvii. 6, 7; App. Mithr. 106).
ceedings of their commander; and though in the This is the last event recorded to us of the reign of
ensuing winter Lucullus reduced the strong fortress Tigranes: the exact date of his death is unknown,
of Nisibis in Mesopotamia, which was held by but we find him incidentally mentioned by Cicero
Guras, the brother of Tigranes, his subsequent (pro Sext. 27) as still alive and reigning in the
movements were completely paralysed by the dis- spring of B. c. 56, while we know that he was
obedience of his own soldiers. The two kings succeeded by his son Artavasdes before the extook advantage of this respite, and while Mithri- pedition of Crassus against the Parthians in B. c.
dates sought to recover his own dominions, Ti- 54 (Dion Cass. xl. 16). His death must therefore
granes regained great part of Armenia, and defeated have occurred in this interval.
the Roman lieutenant L. Fannius, whose army The character of Tigranes seems to have in no
was only saved by the arrival of Lucullus himself respect differed from that of many other Eastern
to his relief (Dion Cass. xxxv. 4-8; Plut. Lucull. despots. It was marked by the most extravagant
31-34). In the following year, also (B. c. 67), pride and overweening confidence in prosperity, as
he was able to pour his troops into the provinces well as by the most abject humiliation in misof Armenia Minor and Cappadocia without oppo- fortune. He alienated not only his Greek subjects
sition, and Lucullus was unable to punish his au- and dependent princes by his violent and arbitrary
dacity. (Dion Cass. xxxv. 14-15.) acts, but extended his cruelties even to his own
The arrival of Pompey (B. C. 66) soon changed family. Of his sons by the daughter of Mithrithe face of events, and Mithridates, after repeated dates, he put to death two upon various charges,
defeats, was again compelled to seek a refuge in while the civil wars in which he was engaged with
Armenia. Meanwhile, a new enemy had arisen to the third have been already mentioned. Yet he
the Armenian king in his own son Tigranes, who, seems not to have been altogether without a
having engaged in a conspiracy against the life of tincture of Greek cultivation; for we learn that he