Tigranes the Younger

Tigranes the Younger was an Artaxiad prince, who briefly ruled the Kingdom of Sophene in 65 BC.

Tigranes the Younger
Coin of Tigranes the Younger
King of Sophene
Reign	65 BC
Predecessor	Tigranes the Great (Kingdom of Armenia)
Successor	Tigranes the Great (Kingdom of Armenia)
Died	after 65 BC
Spouse	Daughter of Phraates III
Dynasty	Artaxiad
Father	Tigranes the Great
Mother	Cleopatra of Pontus
Religion	Zoroastrianism

Biography

Tigranes the Younger was the son and heir of the Artaxiad king of Armenia, Tigranes the Elder (r. 95–55 BC). His mother was Cleopatra of Pontus, a daughter of Mithridates VI Eupator (r. 120–63 BC), the king of Pontus.[1] In c. 66 BC, Tigranes the Younger fell out with his father and fled to the court of the Parthian monarch Phraates III (r. 69–57 BC). He agreed to help Phraates III take the Armenian throne in return for marrying his daughter.[2] This marriage, which took place in 66/65 BC, gave Phraates III the opportunity to involve himself in the affairs of Armenia, including preventing the Roman commander Pompey from putting Parthian interests in jeopardy.[3] Phraates III, together with Tigranes the Younger, led an expedition into Armenia. Initially successful, their efforts were halted by a long siege at Artaxata, which led Phraates III to put Tigranes the Younger in charge of the expedition, leaving him with some Parthian soldiers.[4] Ultimately, Tigranes the Younger was defeated by his father, however, leading him to join Pompey instead.[5] Tigranes the Elder soon surrendered to Pompey, who chose to allow him to retain his crown.[6] Instead, Tigranes the Younger was made the ruler of Sophene with the assurance that he would ascend to the Armenian throne after his father's death.[7]

However, after a brief reign Tigranes the Younger was imprisoned and deported to Rome. The reason behind this is disputed. According to Rahim M. Shayegan, it was because he remained an ally of Phraates III, with whom he still conspired with to overthrow Tigranes the Elder, whilst Michał Marciak states it was due to his dispute with Pompey over Sophene's treasury.[8] In the spring of 65 BC, Phraates III protested the arrest of his son-in-law but to no avail.[9]

References

1. Toumanoff 1990, pp. 93–94.
2. Dąbrowa 2018, p. 79; Shayegan 2011, p. 323
3. Dąbrowa 2018, p. 79.
4. Dąbrowa 2018, p. 79; Shayegan 2011, p. 323
5. Dąbrowa 2018, p. 79; Shayegan 2011, p. 323
6. Dąbrowa 2018, p. 79; Shayegan 2011, p. 323
7. Shayegan 2011, p. 323; Marciak 2017, p. 131
8. Shayegan 2011, p. 323; Marciak 2017, pp. 95–96
9. Shayegan 2011, p. 323.

Sources

• Dąbrowa, Edward (2018). "Arsacid Dynastic Marriages". Electrum. 25: 73–83. doi:10.4467/20800909EL.18.005.8925.
• Marciak, Michał (2017). Sophene, Gordyene, and Adiabene: Three Regna Minora of Northern Mesopotamia Between East and West. BRILL. ISBN 9789004350724.
• Shayegan, M. Rahim (2011). Arsacids and Sasanians: Political Ideology in Post-Hellenistic and Late Antique Persia. Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–539. ISBN 9780521766418.
• Toumanoff, Cyrille (1990). Les dynasties de la Caucasie Chrétienne: de l'Antiquité jusqu'au XIXe siècle : tables généalogiques et chronologiques. Roma.