Artavasdes II of Armenia
Artavasdes II of Armenia was a king who ruled from 55 to 34 BCE and was the son of the famed Tigranes the Great. Selected to succeed his father after the execution of two older brothers due to conspiracies against Tigranes, Artavasdes found himself in a challenging geopolitical landscape. His reign was marked by the ongoing power struggles between the Roman Republic and the Parthian Empire, both vying for control over the Near East. A significant turning point in his rule was his withdrawal of military support from Marc Antony during the latter's ill-fated campaign against Parthia in 36 BCE, which led to a critical loss for Antony and diminished his standing in Rome. Consequently, Artavasdes faced dire repercussions; he was captured by Antony, along with his family, and paraded in Egypt before Cleopatra VII. His execution was later commemorated on coins minted by Antony, illustrating the harsh realities of his reign. Ultimately, Artavasdes II’s life and reign encapsulate the fragile balance Armenia maintained between the competing powers of Rome and Parthia.
Artavasdes II of Armenia
Related civilizations: Armenia, Parthia, Republican Rome
Major role/position: King of Armenia
Life
Little is known about either the life or reign (55-34 b.c.e.) of Artavasdes (ahrt-uh-VAS-deez) II of Armenia. He was the son and successor of Tigranes the Great of Armenia. Though he was not first in line to the throne, Artavasdes was chosen to succeed Tigranes after two of his older brothers were reportedly executed for separately conspiring to usurp their father.
Artavasdes was continually embroiled in the struggles of Rome and Parthia for dominance in the Near East. Marc Antony’s disastrous campaign against Parthia in 36 b.c.e. was lost as soon as Artavasdes withdrew his military support of the Romans. The resulting loss of face in Rome and the decay of his troops’ morale were blows from which Marc Antony never recovered. Artavasdes, however, paid the ultimate price for his battlefield reversal. Marc Antony captured Artavasdes and his family, then marched them to Egypt, where they were paraded before Marc Antony’s lover and ally, Cleopatra VII, along with the booty taken from Armenia. The execution of Artavasdes is recorded on coins minted by Marc Antony.
Influence
The reign of Artavasdes reveals the precarious position Armenia held between the Western imperial power of Rome and the Eastern imperial power of Parthia. His downfall was secured by a misstep along the tightrope he walked between the two empires.
Bibliography
Bournoutian, George. A History of the Armenian People. Costa Mesa, Calif.: Mazda, 1993.
Khorenats’i, Moses. History of the Armenians. Translated by Robert W. Thomson. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1978.
Strabo. The Geography of Strabo. Translated by Horace Leonard Jones. Reprint. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1982.