Tigranes II the Great 95-56 BC (Kov 60-127)
Description
Tigranes II, also known as Tigranes the Great, was a notable Armenian king who transformed a fragmented kingdom under Parthian control into a strong empire that resisted both Roman and Parthian invasions. After being held hostage by Mithradates II of Parthia, Tigranes was released in 96 BC and began to expand his kingdom by forming alliances and annexing territories. He built a new capital, Tigranocerta, and established himself as a powerful ruler in the region.
However, Tigranes' alliance with Pontus led to conflicts with Rome. Roman general Lucullus defeated Tigranes, forcing him to abandon his capital and flee. His son, Tigranes the Younger, betrayed him, leading to Tigranes II's surrender to Pompey the Great, who reorganized Armenia, allowing Tigranes to keep Armenia Major while his son was made king of Sophene.
Tigranes' reign is marked by three historical periods in his coinage:
1) before Tigranocerta, as a Parthian vassal to an independent king;
2) the empire of Tigranes as "King of Kings," until its loss to Pompey; and
3) the Pompeian reorganization with Tigranes as a vassal of Rome.
Tigranes' coinage presents challenges for numismatists due to the variety of types, mint marks, and stylistic variations. The coins attributed to Tigranes the Younger, traditionally assigned to Tigranes the Great, feature a "comet tiara."
However, Tigranes' alliance with Pontus led to conflicts with Rome. Roman general Lucullus defeated Tigranes, forcing him to abandon his capital and flee. His son, Tigranes the Younger, betrayed him, leading to Tigranes II's surrender to Pompey the Great, who reorganized Armenia, allowing Tigranes to keep Armenia Major while his son was made king of Sophene.
Tigranes' reign is marked by three historical periods in his coinage:
1) before Tigranocerta, as a Parthian vassal to an independent king;
2) the empire of Tigranes as "King of Kings," until its loss to Pompey; and
3) the Pompeian reorganization with Tigranes as a vassal of Rome.
Tigranes' coinage presents challenges for numismatists due to the variety of types, mint marks, and stylistic variations. The coins attributed to Tigranes the Younger, traditionally assigned to Tigranes the Great, feature a "comet tiara."
Collection Items
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-71.1
Identifier:
Kovacs-71.1; ANRO-949
Tigranes II - Period 3, Imitation coinage - AR Tetradrachm
Identifier:
Kovacs-123; ACV-35; CAA-24,25,40,41
Tigranes II - Period III - AE 4 chalkoi - Nike - ΛΓ = Yr 33
Identifier:
Kovacs-109; ACV-79,85; CAA- ; ANRO-794
Tigranes II - Period III - AR Drachm - ΔΛ = Yr 34
Identifier:
Kovacs-104; ANRO-789
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 7, Artaxata mint - AE 4 chalkoi - Nike advancing Ieft
Identifier:
Kovacs-98; ACV- ; CAA- ; HRAC-155; ANRO-783
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 6, Controls ΔH and MO - AE 4 chalkoi - Nike advancing left
Identifier:
Kovacs-94; ACV- ; ANRO-779
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 4, Controls ΔH only - AE 4 chalkoi - Tyche seated
Identifier:
Kovacs-89; ACV- ; ANRO-774
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 3, Controls A and ΔH - AE 4 chalkoi - Tyche seated
Identifier:
Kovacs-85; ACV- : ANRO-770
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 2, Controls TP and A - AE 4 chalkoi - Tyche seated
Identifier:
Kovacs-81; ACV-48; YTN-64; ANRO-766
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 1, No control marks - AE 4 chalkoi - Tyche seated
Identifier:
Kovacs-77; ACV-52,57-60; HRAC 24-25; ANRO-762
Tigranes II - Period I, Nisibis - AE 2 chalkoi - Tree
Identifier:
Kovacs-64; ACV-26; CAA-3; ANRO-749
Tigranes II - Period I, Artaxata - AR Drachm - King standing
Identifier:
Kovacs-60; ACV-134; CAA-137; ANRO-745
Tigranes II - Imitation coinage - AE 4 chalkoi - Tyche seated
Identifier:
Kovacs-124; YTN-61; ANRO-809
Tigranes II - Period III - AE 4 chalkoi - Nike - Δ (ΛΔ?) = Yr 34
Identifier:
Kovacs-110; ACV- ; CAA- ; YTN-143; ANRO-795
Tigranes II - Period III - AR Drachm - EΛ = Yr 35
Identifier:
Kovacs-105; ANRO-790
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 7, Artaxata mint - AE 2 chalkoi - Palm branch
Identifier:
Kovacs-99; Christianian 2005, 67,1; ANRO-784
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 6, Controls ΔH and MO - AE 2 chalkoi - Palm branch
Identifier:
Kovacs-95; YTN-197; ANRO-780
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 4, Controls ΔH only - AE 2 chalkoi - Herakles standing
Identifier:
Kovacs-90; ACV-71; ANRO-775
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 3, Controls A and ΔH - AE 2 chalkoi - Herakles standing
Identifier:
Kovacs-86; ACV- ; ANRO-771
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 2, Controls TP and A - AE 2 chalkoi - Herakles standing
Identifier:
Kovacs-82; YTN-124; ANRO-767
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 1, No control marks - AE 2 chalkoi - Herakles standing
Identifier:
Kovacs-78; ACV-73-75; HRAC-26; ANRO-763
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-71.2
Identifier:
Kovacs-71.2; ANRO-756
Tigranes II - Period I, Nisibis - AE 2 chalkoi - Zeus seated
Identifier:
Kovacs-65; ACV-22; CAA-4 ; ANRO-750
Tigranes II - Period I, Artaxata - AE 4 chalkoi - Tigranes in biga
Identifier:
Kovacs-61; ACV-136; CAA-141; ANRO-746
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-71.3 proposition
Identifier:
Kovacs-71.3 proposition; ANRO-958
Tigranes II - Imitation coinage - AE 2 chalkoi - Herakles standing
Identifier:
Kovacs-125; YTN-126; ANRO-810
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 7, Artaxata mint - AE chalkous - Club
Identifier:
Kovacs-100; ACV- ; ANRO-785
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 6, Controls ΔH and MO - AE chalkous - Tripod
Identifier:
Kovacs-96; ACV-112; YTN-202; ANRO-781
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 4, Controls ΔH only - AE chalkous - Cornucopia curving left
Identifier:
Kovacs-91; ACV-98; ANRO-776
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 3, Controls A and ΔH - AE chalkous - Cornucopia curving right
Identifier:
Kovacs-87; ACV-96 ; ANRO-772
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 2, Controls TP and A - AE chalkous - Cornucopia curving left
Identifier:
Kovacs-83; YTN-160; CAA-104; ANRO-768
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 1, No control marks - AE chalkous - Cornucopia curving left
Identifier:
Kovacs-79; ACV-93,99; HRAC-47/B; ANRO-764
Tigranes II - Period I, Nisibis - AE 2 chalkoi - King standing
Identifier:
Kovacs-66; ACV-20; CAA-5; ANRO-751
Tigranes II - Period I, Artaxata - AE 4 chalkoi - Tigranes on horseback
Identifier:
Kovacs-62; ACV-148; CAA- ; ANRO-747
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-72.1
Identifier:
Kovacs-72.1; ANRO-955
Tigranes II - Imitation coinage - AE chalkous - Cornucopia
Identifier:
Kovacs-126; HRAC-47; ANRO-811
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 6, Controls ΔH and MO - AE 1/2 chalkous - Horse right
Identifier:
Kovacs-97; YTN-213; ANRO-782
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 4, Controls ΔH only - AE 1/2 chalkous - Ear of grain
Identifier:
Kovacs-92; ACV-103,106; ANRO-777
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 3, Controls A and ΔH - AE 1/2 chalkous - Ear of grain
Identifier:
Kovacs-88; ACV- ; ANRO-773
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 2, Controls TP and A - AE 1/2 chalkous - Ear of grain
Identifier:
Kovacs-84; ACV- ; ANRO-769
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 1, No control marks - AE 1/2 chalkous - Ear of grain
Identifier:
Kovacs-80; ACV-100; CAA-107; ANRO-765
Tigranes II - Period I, Nisibis - AE 2 chalkoi - Nike standing, holding wreath
Identifier:
Kovacs-67; ACV-23; CAA-6; ANRO-752
Tigranes II - Period I, Artaxata - AE 4 chalkoi - Nike advancing right
Identifier:
Kovacs-63; ACV-133; CAA-136; ANRO-748
Tigranes II - Imitation coinage - AE 4 chalkoi - Tyche seated
Identifier:
Kovacs-127; ACV-53; ANRO-812
Tigranes II - Period III - AE 4 chalkoi - Nike - ΘΛ = Yr 39
Identifier:
Kovacs-113; ACV-84; ANRO-798
Tigranes II - Period III - AR Drachm - ΘΛ = Yr 39
Identifier:
Kovacs-108; ANRO-793
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-72.2
Identifier:
Kovacs-72.2; ANRO-757
Tigranes II - Period I, Nisibis - AE 2 chalkoi - Nike standing, holding palm
Identifier:
Kovacs-68; ACV-24; CAA- ; ANRO-753
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-72.3 proposition
Identifier:
Kovacs-72.3 proposition; ANRO-959
Tigranes II - Period I, Nisibis - AE chalkous(?) - Club
Identifier:
Kovacs-69; ACV- ; CAA- ; ANRO-754
Tigranes II - Period III - AE 2 chalkoi - Cypress tree - ΓΛ = Yr 33
Identifier:
Kovacs-115; ACV-105; ANRO-800
Tigranes II - Period I, Nisibis - AE chalkous(?) - Horse head
Identifier:
Kovacs-70; ACV- ; CAA- ; ANRO-755
Tigranes II - Period III - AE 2 chalkoi - Cypress tree - Δ or A = Yr 34
Identifier:
Kovacs-116; ACV- ; ANRO-801
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-74.1
Identifier:
Kovacs-74.1; ANRO-759
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-74.2
Identifier:
Kovacs-74.2; ANRO-950
Tigranes II - Period III - AE 2 chalkoi - Cypress tree - ϚΛ = Yr 36
Identifier:
Kovacs-117; ACV- ; ANRO-802
Tigranes II - Period III - AE 2 chalkoi - Cypress tree - HΛ = Yr 38
Identifier:
Kovacs-118; 1991 Hoard, 276 and 281; ANRO-803
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-75.1
Identifier:
Kovacs-75.1; ANRO-760
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-75.2
Identifier:
Kovacs-75.2; ANRO-951
Tigranes II - Period III - AE 2 chalkoi - Cypress tree - ΛΘ = Yr 39
Identifier:
Kovacs-119; ACV- ; ANRO-804
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-75.3
Identifier:
Kovacs-75.3; ANRO-952
Tigranes II - Period III - AE 2 chalkoi - Cypress tree - M = Yr 40
Identifier:
Kovacs-120; 1991 Hoard, 280; ANRO-805
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-75.4
Identifier:
Kovacs-75.4; ANRO-953
Tigranes II - Period III - AE chalkous - Club - ΛΓ = Yr 33
Identifier:
Kovacs-121; ACV-115; ANRO-806
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-75.5 proposition
Identifier:
Kovacs-75.5 proposition; ANRO-960
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-76.1
Identifier:
Kovacs-76.1; ANRO-956
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-76.2
Identifier:
Kovacs-76.2; ANRO-957
Tigranes II - Period 2, Tigranocerta - AR Tetradrachm - Kovacs-76.3
Identifier:
Kovacs-76.3; ANRO-761
Tigranes II - Period II - Series 5, Controls ΔH and M - AE 4 chalkoi - Nike advancing left
Identifier:
Kovacs-93; ACV-77; HRAC-37/A; ANRO-778
Collection Tree
- ANCIENT
- Armenia Major
- Tigranes II the Great 95-56 BC (Kov 60-127)
- Period I: 96-ca. 80 BC. (Kov 60-70)
- Period II: Empire ca. 80-68 BC (Kov 71-100)
- Period III: Pompeian Reorganization 65-56 BC. Mint of Artaxata (Kov 101-122)
- Imitations of Tigranes’s Tigranocerta coinage struck in Samosata(?). After ca. 69-ca. 66 BC. (Kov 123-127)
- Tigranes II the Great 95-56 BC (Kov 60-127)
- Armenia Major