Armenia Hellenistic period

tigranes great s armenian empire

orontid armenia formally passed empire of alexander great following conquest of persia. alexander appointed orontid named mithranes govern armenia. armenia later became vassal state of seleucid empire, maintained considerable degree of autonomy, retaining native rulers. towards end 212 bc country divided 2 kingdoms, greater armenia , armenia sophene, including commagene or armenia minor. kingdoms became independent seleucid control antiochus iii great waged war on them during reign , replaced rulers.

after seleucid defeat @ battle of magnesia in 190 bc, kings of sophene , greater armenia revolted , declared independence, artaxias becoming first king of artaxiad dynasty of armenia in 188. during reign of artaxiads, armenia went through period of hellenization. numismatic evidence shows greek artistic styles , use of greek language. coins describe armenian kings philhellenes . during reign of tigranes great (95–55 bc), kingdom of armenia reached greatest extent, containing many greek cities, including entire syrian tetrapolis. cleopatra, wife of tigranes great, invited greeks such rhetor amphicrates , historian metrodorus of scepsis armenian court, and—according plutarch—when roman general lucullus seized armenian capital, tigranocerta, found troupe of greek actors had arrived perform plays tigranes. tigranes successor artavasdes ii composed greek tragedies himself.