Tigranes I The God

After Tigranes I’s death, his son Tigranes II (the Great) took a remarkable step to elevate his father’s memory and reinforce the legitimacy of the Artaxiad dynasty. Tigranes II officially deified his father, declaring Tigranes I as “the God” of Armenia. In 95 BC, the new king issued commemorative coins depicting his late father with divine attributes. This was not merely filial piety; it was a political move that inaugurated a new royal era. Armenian records and numismatic evidence show that an epoch was counted from 121 BC (Tigranes I’s accession year), effectively making the reign of “Tigranes the God” a reference point of Armenian statehood.

The cult of Tigranes the God had broader implications for domestic and foreign policy. By asserting that an Armenian king became a god, the court in Artaxata reinforced the sacral legitimacy of Armenian sovereignty. This move bolstered national unity and the authority of Tigranes II, who styled himself “Son of God” on some inscriptions and coins, linking his conquests to divine sanction.