Kings of Armenia. Tigranocerta. Tigranes II "the Great" circa 95-56 BC.
Tetradrachm AR

31 mm, 15,37 g

Draped bust of Tigranes II to right, wearing five-pointed tiara decorated with comet star between two eagles / BAΣIΛEΩΣ - TIΓPANOY, the Tyche of Tigranocerta, turreted and veiled, seated right on rock, holding long palm frond in her right hand; below, river-god Araxes swimming right; on rock, monogram; all within wreath.

Nearly Extremely Fine

Kovacs 75.3; SCADA Group 7; CAA 21; ACV 33.

Tigranes II, also known as Tigranes the Great, reigned as the king of Armenia from 95 BC to 55 BC. A member of the Artaxiad dynasty, he led Armenia to unprecedented expansion. Leveraging the decline of the Parthian and Seleucid Empires, Tigranes rapidly grew his kingdom, forming an alliance with Mithridates VI of Pontus by marrying his daughter. His empire extended from the Pontic Alps to Mesopotamia, with Tigranocerta as his new capital. Tigranes valued Greek culture, attracting scholars to his court. Tensions with Rome escalated as Mithridates sought refuge, resulting in defeats in 69 BC and 68 BC by Roman forces led by Lucullus and Pompey respectively. Tigranes surrendered in 66 BC, keeping Armenia's core while losing conquered lands. His rule continued as a Roman ally until his death around 55 BC. Tigranes the Great's legacy lies in Armenia's territorial peak, cultural exchange, and his role in regional power dynamics.