Tigranes III 20-8 BC

Tigranes III was an Artaxiad prince, brother of Artaxias II, who came to power with Roman backing. In 20 BC, after Artaxias II’s assassination, Emperor Augustus dispatched his stepson Tiberius at the head of an army to install Tigranes on the Armenian throne. Unlike his predecessors, Tigranes III’s rule marked a shift: Armenia accepted a king effectively nominated by Rome rather than chosen solely by native nobles. From an Armenian perspective, this was a compromise to preserve the kingdom’s existence. Tigranes III was of royal blood – maintaining dynastic legitimacy – but he also understood the need to cooperate with Rome’s hegemony.

Under Tigranes III, Armenia Major enjoyed a period of relative peace and rebuilding. He likely pursued conciliatory policies toward Rome, sending tribute and hostages as needed, while retaining internal authority. Roman accounts note that in 20 BC, the Parthians formally recognized Rome’s choice of Tigranes, in exchange for Augustus returning Parthian war standards – a diplomatic victory that balanced both empires’ prestige. For Armenia, this deal meant security: Parthia refrained from interference, and Rome treated Armenia as a client ally rather than a province. Tigranes III could thus focus on domestic governance. He reigned for a dozen years, indicating stability; no major rebellions or foreign invasions are recorded in this time.

In 8 BC, Tigranes III died (the cause unrecorded, perhaps natural). His reign is remembered as a time when Armenia, though curtailed in sovereignty, retained a crucial degree of self-governance. By working with Roman overlordship, Tigranes III preserved the throne for the Artaxiads and kept Armenia from becoming a battlefield.