Tigran III (date of birth unknown, ca. 50s BCE – 8 BCE) was King of Armenia from around 20 BCE. He belonged to the Artaxiad dynasty and was the son of Artavasdes II. He succeeded his elder brother, Artaxias II.
In 34 BCE, Tigran III, along with his father and younger brother Artavasdes, was captured by Mark Antony and taken to Egypt. After the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, by order of Emperor Gaius Octavian (later Augustus), he was brought to Rome and raised in the imperial court.
Tigran III became a contender for the Armenian throne under Roman auspices, in opposition to Artaxias II, who pursued an anti-Roman policy. To overthrow Artaxias II and install Tigran III on the throne, in 20 BCE Augustus sent a large army to Armenia under the command of his sons. At the same time, pro-Roman forces in Armenia assassinated Artaxias II in a conspiracy and appealed to Augustus to proclaim Tigran III as King of Armenia, a task carried out by Tiberius. This move was celebrated in Rome as a significant achievement.
In order to weaken Armenia, Rome separated Atropatene from it and declared its own client, Ariobarzanes, as king there. However, Tigran III did not become a submissive puppet of Rome. By 10 BCE, he had entirely rejected Roman orientation and pursued an independent policy.
Evidence of Tigran III’s political reorientation includes his coins minted in the Parthian style. Unlike the traditional Artaxiad coins, he is depicted with a short beard and Eastern attire. Of particular interest are coins showing Tigran III in full figure, turned to the left, wearing a long robe, the traditional Armenian crown on his head, his right hand extended forward, and his left holding a long scepter. The reverse side of these coins features a winged goddess of victory or the head of a lion.
Tigran III was succeeded by his son, Tigran IV, and his daughter, Erato.
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