Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - X. Chapters in the history of Armenia
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248 ARMENIA AND THE NEAR EAST
refuge with his son-in-law, with the result that Lucullus
attacked the latter also, routing his army in 69 b.c. near
Tigranokerta, which was captured and destroyed. In 65 b c
Tigranes was forced to capitulate to Pompey. He now lost
the large dominions that he had conquered, but was permitted
to retain Armenia under Roman suzerainty, in order that it
might serve as a strong buffer-state against the Parthian
empire. The country thus became inextricably involved in
the continuous struggie for supremacy between the two
World Powers of the west and the east, a stroke of ill-foitune
which proved disastrous for the Armenian people.
The Arsacid Dynasty.—Attet kings of the Artaxiad family
had ruled over Armenia until the commencement of our era,
a penod of confusion followed, during which various adven
turers of foreign extraction endeavoured to seize the throne.
Finally, in a.d. 52, Tiridates (Trdat) I became king. He
belonged to the Parthian family of the Arsacids, and was the
brother of the King Vologeses of Persia. After some opposi
tion Rome consented to recognize his title under Roman
suzerainty, and the Emperor Nero himself placed the crown
upon his head in Rome. From that date kings of the same
dynasty ruled Armenia for several centuries. Their sym
pathies were apt to be with their Parthian neighbours on’the
east, but Rome watched their policy with wary and jealous
eyes, and the country suffered again and again from wars and
hostile incursions, being even for a short time, in a.d. i i 5-1 16,
reduced to the position of a Roman province. In a.d. 163
the capital, Artashat, was destroyed by the Roman general
Priscus, and a new town was built on the plain of the Araxes ;
this was the later capital Vagharshapat, now usually called
Echmiadzin after its famous monastery.
When the Parthian dynasty of the Arsacids in Persia was
overthrown about the year 226 by the Sasanids, the Armenian
King Khosrov I invaded Persia to avenge his kinsman. His
army included nomads from the other side of the Caucasus.
The King of Persia was defeated, and with the help of Rome
Khosrov made several successful inroads into Persia, until
he was assassinated at the instigation of the Persian king.
Armenia now came under Persian influence for a time, and an
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