Tigranes the Great

Either son or nephew of Artavasdes I, Tigranes was handed over as a hostage to Parthia after Armenia fell under its suzerainty. After taking the Armenian throne in 95 BC, he moved fast: invading and annexing Roman and Parthian client-kingdoms, marrying the daughter of Mithridates VI of Pontus, dragging the populations of conquered cities to his new capital Tigranocerta, and filling his court with Greek philosophers. For a short time his state was the most powerful east of Rome. Then Mithridates VI sought refuge at his court, and Rome came for both of them. Lucullus crushed him at Tigranocerta…