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Index

Armenia

The Urartu Civilisation

Victory for Independence

Artashisian Dynasty on the Armenian Throne

Armenia caught between Rome and the Arsacids

The Acceptance of Christianity

Defending Christianity

Armenia Under the Bagratouni Dynasty

Cilicia - the New Armenia

Armenia Under Turanian Rule

The Renaissance or the Resurrection of Armenia

The Eastern Question

Russia in the Caucasus

The Armenian Question

Battle on Two Fronts

Tsarist Russia Against the Armenians

The Revolution of the Young Turks and the Armenian People on the Eve of World War I

The First World War

The Resurrection of Armenia

Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

- Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

Eastern Armenia

Western Armenia

"The Fateful Years" (1914-1917)

"Hopes and Emotions" (March-October, 1917)

The Bolshevik Revolution and Armenia

Transcaucasia Adrift (November, 1917

Dilemmas (March-April, 1918)

War and Independence (April-May, 1918)

The Republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia

The Suppliants (June-October, 1918)

In conclusion

Soviet Armenia

The Second Independent Republic of Armenia

Epilogue

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Tigran the Great

During the rule of Tigran the Great Armenia reached the summit of its greatness in history and was transformed into a superpower in the region. The only serious rival to Tigran the Great proved to be the Roman commander Lucullus. K. Eckhardt has presented the real personality and character of this great Armenian king in his book. 6

The long reign of king Tigran reflected one of the most proud and successful periods of Armenia. The earlier hard struggles for existence and independence had finally borne fruit and the borders of Armenia stretched from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean and Armenian highland to Palestine.

This Armenian king managed to unite the people of Armenia and its different noble families and gather them in one united mighty kingdom that could only be defeated by the unnatural and historically unique cooperation between Rome and Persia.

The Conquests of Tigran

Tigran II was the son of King Artavazd I, who ruled as the king of Armenia 123 - 95 B.C. In the year 105 B.C. Armenia lost its ongoing war against the Persians and king Artavazd I (in some sources knwon as Tigran I) was forced to give his son, Tigran, as a prisoner of war to the Persians and as a guarantee that the Armenian king would remain their ally and not a rival.

Tigran grew up in the Persian royal court, which strongly influenced his way of thinking and came to play a major role during his reign. Shortly after his coronation as king of Armenia, he began the expansion of his kingdom with such speed that Armenia would in a short time become the most powerful state in the Middle East.

When his father died in 95 B.C., the young Armenian prince was released by the Persians so that he could return to Armenia and replace his father on the throne. But in exchange he was compelled to give away some strategic passes and valleys in the southern parts of the Armenian mountains which bordered north-western Persia.

Tigran began his reign by conquering Sophene, the southern part of Armenia Minor and drove out Artanés, the descendent of King Zareh.

He married the daughter of Mithradates VI, known in the history as Eupator (the Great), king of Pontos, and a bond of friendship was sealed with one of the greatest rivals of the Roman Empire. However, Tigran managed to maintain his neutrality towards Rome. The only indirect assistance that Tigran II gave to Mithradates VI during his war against Rome took place in year 93 B.C., when he occupied Cappadocia (Caesarea) but the year after, 92 B.C.,he was forced to evacuate the area, when the Roman commander Sulla advanced towards the region.

Tigran II concentrated mainly on the south. First he attacked the Persians whom he regarded as his arch enemies. He first took back the valleys and the passes that he had had to give up earlier as a condition of his release. Afterwards he defeated the Medes Empire and conquered areas which are presentday north-western and western Iran (Iranian Azerbaijan and Kurdistan) These regions had to pay an annual tribute to Tigran and provide his army with soldiers. He also conquered Osroen with its capital city of Edessa (Ourfa). Next, he annexed the country of Adiabéne (present-day Mosul) and later all of northern Mesopotamia.