Battle of Tigranocerta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battle of Tigranocerta
Part of the Third Mithridatic War
Date 69 BC Location Tigranocerta, Armenia (modern Turkey) Result Roman victory
Belligerents
Roman Republic	Kingdom of Armenia
Commanders
Lucius Licinius Lucullus	Tigranes the Great
Strength
11,000	200,000, 5,500 cavalry

v • d • e Mithridatic Wars First – Second – Third

v • d • e Third Mithridatic War Cyzicus – Cabira – Tigranocerta – Artaxata – Lycus

The Battle of Tigranocerta (Armenian: Տիգրանակերտի ճակատամարտը, EA: Tigranakerti Jakatamartuh, WA: Dikranagerdi jagadamarduh) was fought in 69 BC between Roman Republic forces and the army of King Tigranes the Great. The Roman force was led by Consul Lucius Licinius Lucullus, and Tigranes was defeated. His capital city of Tigranocerta was lost to Rome as a result.

The battle arose from the Third Mithridatic War being fought between Roman Republic and Mithridates VI of Pontus, whose daughter was married to Tigranes. Mithridates fled to seek shelter with his son-in-law, and Rome invaded the Kingdom of Armenia. Having laid siege to Tigranocerta, the Roman forces fell back behind a nearby river when the large Armenian army approached. Feigning retreat, the Romans crossed at a ford and fell on the right flank of the Armenian army. After the Romans defeated the Armenian cataphracts, the balance of the Armenian army, which was mostly made up of raw levies and peasant troops from Tigranes' extensive empire, panicked and fled, and the Romans won the battle decisively.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The Battle of Tigranakert (October 6, 69 B.C.)
• Battle of Tigranocerta