Treaty of Artaxata
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The Treaty of Artaxata, was signed in 66 BCE in the Armenian capital of Artaxata (modern-day Artashat), marked the end of hostilities between the Roman Republic and the Kingdom of Armenia under King Tigranes the Great. The treaty concluded the Armenian involvement in the Third Mithridatic War and established Armenia as a Roman client state, significantly reducing its territorial ambitions in the Near East.
| Type | Peace treaty |
|---|---|
| Context | Conclusion of the Third Mithridatic War |
| Signed | 66 BCE |
| Location | Artaxata, Kingdom of Armenia |
| Signatories |  Roman Republic  Kingdom of Armenia |
| Languages | Latin, Greek, Armenian |
Roman Intervention
Tigranes the Great transformed Armenia into a regional power, expanding his empire into Syria, Phoenicia, Cilicia, and parts of Cappadocia and Mesopotamia. His alliance with Mithridates VI of Pontus (his father-in-law) drew Armenia into the Mithridatic Wars against Rome.
In 69 BCE, the Roman general Lucullus invaded Armenia, defeating Tigranes at the Battle of Tigranocerta and sacking the capital.[1] However, Lucullus’s overextended supply lines and mutinous troops forced him to withdraw, allowing Tigranes to regroup.[2] By 66 BCE, the Roman Senate appointed Pompey the Great to replace Lucullus, tasking him with decisively ending the war.[3] Pompey pursued Mithridates into the Caucasus while pressuring Tigranes to surrender, exploiting divisions within the Armenian court, including a rebellion by Tigranes’ son, Tigranes the Younger, backed by Parthia.[4]
Facing internal revolt and the threat of Roman invasion, Tigranes the Great surrendered to Pompey at Artaxata, accepting terms that preserved his throne but dismantled his empire.
Terms of the Treaty
The treaty was negotiated at Artaxata, the Armenian capital, with Pompey dictating terms that cemented Roman dominance:
- Political Submission:
- Tigranes formally acknowledged Rome as his overlord, reducing Armenia to a client kingdom.
- He retained his title as "King of Kings" but only within Armenia’s core territories.[5]
- Territorial Concessions:
- Armenia surrendered all territories acquired outside the Armenian Highlands, including:
- Syria and Phoenicia (to Rome).
- Cappadocia and Sophene (restored to local rulers).[6]
- Corduene (ceded to Rome’s ally, the Parthians).
- The Armenian Empire was reduced to its traditional borders, roughly corresponding to modern-day Armenia and parts of eastern Turkey.[7]
- Armenia surrendered all territories acquired outside the Armenian Highlands, including:
- Financial Penalties:
- Tigranes paid a war indemnity of 6,000 talents of silver (approximately 180 tons) to Rome.[5]
- Hostage and Succession:
- Tigranes’ rebellious son, Tigranes the Younger, was sent to Rome as a hostage.[8]
- Pompey recognized Tigranes the Great’s younger son, Artavasdes II, as heir to the Armenian throne.