Tigranocerta (69 BC)

Mithridates VI of Pontus challenged Rome for control of Asia Minor and Greece while the Romans were distracted in the Italian War. Although Rome defeated Mithridates in the First and Second Mithridatic Wars, he was allowed to maintain his kingdom …

-69

401

Mithridates VI of Pontus challenged Rome for control of Asia Minor and Greece while the Romans were distracted in the Italian War. Although Rome defeated Mithridates in the First and Second Mithridatic Wars, he was allowed to maintain his kingdom in Pontus. A Third Mithridatic War began in 73 BC, and Mithridates suffered a major defeat at Cabira the following year. Mithridates fled to the court of his son-in-law, King Tigranes the Great of Armenia, who refused a Roman demand to surrender him. The Roman Proconsul, Lucius Licinius Lucullus, invaded Armenia with two Roman legions, defeating a small cavalry force and investing the capital city of Tigranocerta. Meanwhile, Tigranes raised a large force of Armenians and allies in Taurus. As Tigranes’ army approached to lift the siege, Lucullus split his force, leaving enough strength to maintain the siege and deploying the rest of his army along a deep river to block the advancing Armenians. Tigranes deployed opposite the Romans, confident of an easy victory, but argued with Mithridates about the plan of action. Lucullus led a column out of sight of the Armenian army, crossed at a bend in the river, and gained Tigranes’ right flank. Seeing the opportunity, Lucullus personally led the Roman charge down the hill against a force composed of both light horse and cataphracts. Tigranes tried to adjust his battle line but it was too late. The cavalry was either destroyed or driven off and the Armenian baggage train captured. The city of Tigranocerta fell to the Romans, but Tigranes and Mithridates fled with the rest of the army and continued to resist.

Diyarbakır, Turkey

The Battle of Tigranocerta was fought on 6 October 69 BC between the forces of the Roman Republic and the army of the Kingdom of Armenia led by King Tigranes the Great. The Roman force, led by Consul Lucius Licinius Lucullus, defeated Tigranes, and as a result, captured Tigranes' capital city of Tigranocerta.

Wikipedia: Battle of Tigranocerta

Armenian

Roman

Third Mithridatic War