4 – Battle of Tigranocerta (69 BC)
This battle was fought between Consul Lucius Licinius Lucullus and Tigranes the Great of Armenia. The Armenia King became involved in the war because he was married to Cleopatra, Mithridates’ daughter. The war was turning against the King of Pontus, and he fled to Armenia to seek refuge with his son-in-law. Lucullus told Tigranes that he must hand over Mithridates or face war with Rome. He was stunned by the refusal and immediately prepared his army for conflict with Armenia.
For his part, Tigranes was surprised by the rapid advance of Lucullus and was caught off guard. He sent a general with 3,000 cavalry to slow down the Roman charge, but they were slaughtered. The Armenian king left a token force behind to defend the kingdom’s new capital of Tigranocerta, but Lucullus knew he couldn’t lay siege to the city due to lack of numbers. With approximately 16,000 men, the Roman general wanted a set piece battle, and Tigranes fulfilled his wishes.
The Armenian army numbered at least 100,000; Plutarch says 150,000 while Appian says 250,000 plus 50,000 cavalry. Whatever the real numbers, Tigranes enjoyed a significant numerical advantage which is why he decided to engage in battle despite Mithridates’ warnings. The Armenian King allegedly said the Roman force was “too small for an army, too large for an embassy.”
Not for the first time, sheer numbers proved to be insufficient in a battle. The armies were separated by a river at the beginning of the fight, and Tigranes placed his well-armored cavalry on his right. Lucullus cleverly lured the enemy cavalry into a pursuit before leading the Roman infantry to the right of the enemy, and then he attacked the Armenians where they were most vulnerable.
The heavily armored Armenian cavalry fled, and in the confusion, it ran into its own infantry. It broke apart, and Tigranes fled. Instead of staying to plunder, the Roman army pursued its enemy and massacred them. The Armenians suffered anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 casualties compared to small Roman losses. Although it was a significant victory for Lucullus, it happened in October which meant he couldn’t chase Tigranes into the mountains. He remained in the enemy capital and dismantled it although to his credit; he allowed the population to return to their original homes.