Catalog
Tetrachalkon - Tigranes II Tyche
| Issuer | Armenia, Kingdom of |
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| Year | 80 BC - 68 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of Tigranes II facing right, wearing the distinctive Armenian tiara adorned with a star flanked by two eagles in relief, the tiara secured by a diadem. The portrait reflects Hellenistic artistic conventions while incorporating distinctly Armenian royal regalia, with the diadem ties visible behind the neck. |
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| Reverse lettering | ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΤΙΓΡΑΝΟΥ |
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| Additional information |
Tigranes II ruled the largest empire in Armenian history at its peak, stretching from the Caspian to the Mediterranean following his campaigns against the Seleucid remnants and his annexation of significant portions of Parthian-held territory. The Tyche type bronzes were likely struck at Tigranocerta, the new capital he founded around 83 BC and named after himself — a deliberate act of dynastic self-promotion common among Hellenistic rulers absorbing Greek civic traditions.
The date range corresponds to the period before Lucullus sacked Tigranocerta in 69 BC, an event that effectively ended the city's function as a royal mint.