The ‘Regnal Years’ of Tigranes II the Great

The article discusses the policy of the kings of the Artashesid dynasty in the sphere of chronology. There is no unanimous view in historiography regarding the spread of Hellenistic or native eras of chronology in Greater Armenia. Analysis of the available sources leads the author to argue that, despite extensive contacts with Hellenistic states, the Seleucid era, or any other Asian era, was not used in Greater Armenia in the 2nd century BC. Tigranes II was probably the only king of the Artashesid dynasty who pursued a purposeful policy in the sphere of chronology. Analysis of the coinage of this Armenian king shows that during the heyday of the Armenian Empire Tigranes II did not see the need to introduce a special era of chronology. His coins bore no dates, with the exception of those minted in Damascus, which were dated according to the Seleucid era. Numerals appear only on coins of the so-called imperial type (bearing the legend “King of Kings”), which were probably struck in Artashat. While many modern scholars still refuse to recognize them as years of Tigranes II’s reign, it can be asserted with confidence that the numbers from 33 to 39 do signify the king’s ‘regnal years’. All other readings, such as the ‘Sidon era’ or an ‘unknown Armenian era’, entirely lack factual support. It is quite likely that after his defeat by Pompey in 66 BC Tigranes II began to put years of his reign on silver coins minted in Artashat. This can be explained by the king’s need to demonstrate to his subjects the strength and duration of his rule, whose prestige was gravely damaged by the capitulation of 66 BC. However, such placing of dates on coins does not indicate the establishment of a new era of chronology, because the coins of Tigranes II’s successor Artavazdes II bear lower years than those marking the coins of Tigranes II himself.