Cleopatra of Pontus
Cleopatra of Pontus (Ancient Greek: Κλεοπάτρα; 110 BC – after 58 BC) was a Pontian princess and a queen consort of Armenia.
She was one of the daughters of King
She married Tigranes in 94 BC, cementing the alliance between Pontus and Armenia. She played a decisive role in the life of Tigranes and all of Armenia. Cleopatra bore Tigranes three sons: Zariadres,
Tigranes chose a foreign policy different from that of Mithridates towards the Roman Republic based on his interests, and he eventually signed a treaty with Rome following the Battle of Artaxata in 68 BC, as a result of which Cleopatra, under the influence of her father, instigated their sons to betray Tigranes. In 66 BC, Pompey captured the younger Tigranes and took him to Rome as a hostage. Tigranes later escaped in 58 BC with the assistance of Publius Clodius Pulcher. Roman historian Asconius described the event. The sons attempted unsuccessfully to seize the throne from Tigranes; Zariadres and his younger brother were executed by Tigranes.[citation needed]
Cleopatra escaped to her father and lived the remainder of her life in Pontus.[citation needed]
Notes
References
Bibliography
- Mayor, A. The Poison King: the life and legend of Mithradates, Rome’s deadliest enemy, Princeton University Press, 2009
- Khachʻatryan, Hayk (2001) Queens of the Armenians : 150 biographies based on history and legend, Sekhpossian, Nouné (transl.); Merguerian, Barbara J. (Ed.), Yerevan : "Amaras" ; Boston, MA : Armenian International Women’s Association Press, ISBN 0-9648787-2-0
- Plutarch, Crassus 19; 22; 33.