The successors of Alexander entrusted Armenia to two governors, Zadriades and Artaxias, who exercised that office, under Antiochus the Great; but afterwards revolted, and established themselves, as kings, in their respective governments. They maintained the war with success, and added to their states many of the neighbouring provinces, by which means they acquired a considerable kingdom. Having then divided the whole, one part fell to Artaxias, under the name of Armenia the Greater, and the other to Zadriades, under that of Armenia the Less. Antiochus did not suffer them to conquer and partition these countries in peace; but he was obliged to give way to their united strength, and to acknowledge them kings, by a treaty. That they might leave him no temptation for interrupting their tranquillity, they strengthened themselves by an alliance with the Romans.

These allies were often troublesome. Tigranes, who has been surnamed the Great-great, indeed, in prosperity, but little, in adversity-conceived, when he ascended the throne, the bold project of forming a confederation to set bounds to the ambition of the Romans. He found in Mithridates, king of Pontus, a prince very much disposed to second his efforts. To cement their interests, the daughter of Mithridates was given to Tigranes. An embassy was sent from one to the other, urging a combined direct attack on the Romans.

Tigranes would not engage in the war openly; but, on the solicitation of his queen, he suffered some of his troops to enter into the service of his father-in-law. The king of Pontus was beaten, and forced to seek shelter with his son-in-law, who afforded him an asylum, and those comforts which are due to an unfortunate refugee; but refused to see him, and set out to make conquests. He subdued Mesopotamia, Phœnicia, and the maritime countries of Asia, as far as Egypt. Whether these victories gave uneasiness to the Romans, or the treasures of Armenia, swelled by the riches of so many opulent countries, excited the avarice of Lucullus, is uncertain; but that Roman general invaded the kingdom of Pontus; and, exasperated with the king of Armenia, on account of the asylum he had granted to Mithridates, demanded that the latter

should be given up to him. This insulting demand made Tigranes and his father-in-law unite more closely.

They devised a plan of attack and defence; but their measures were disconcerted by the rapidity of Lucullus, who suddenly fell on Armenia. After that moment, Tigranes appeared to have wholly changed his character. He was seen, not only retiring before the Romans, but often setting his soldiers the example of flight. He was beaten in several battles. His towns, and even his capital, were taken, and his treasures plundered. Though he had still at his disposal immense armies, throwing aside his royal mantle, and tearing off, and concealing, his diadem, he fled before an inconsiderable body of troops.

Terror had so completely got possession of Tigranes, and suspended all the faculties of his mind, that he never thought of turning to advantage the discontent which prevailed among the troops of Lucullus. These had long perceived that their general paid attention only to his own private advantage, and that they were nothing but the instruments of his avarice. After various expeditions, profitable to Lucullus, but attended with no benefit to his soldiers, he ordered them to march to a new conquest: they made no answer but shewed him their empty purses. He, however, found means to appease them, and proceeded, not to new victories, but to secure his old treasures from Pompey, who was on his way to suc ceed him. When these two generals met, Lucullus reproached Pompey with his ambition, and Pompey reproached Lucullus, with his avarice. Historians aver, that the charges on both sides were well founded.

The success of Pompey was rendered both more easy and certain by a misfortune, which happened to the king of Armenia. One of his sons, of the same name as himself, revolted so openly, that he assisted Pompey with troops against his father. This gave a mortal blow to Tigranes, and made him form a resolution of delivering himself into the hands of Pompey, and of trusting to his generosity.

It was a flattering spectacle for the Romans to see this king of Armenia, who had caused himself to be served by kings,

arrive in their camp, without guards. Two lictors, to whom he delivered his sword, obliged him to dismount, under a pretence that no person was allowed to enter it on horseback. Pompey came to meet him on foot; and as soon as Tigranes perceived him, he tore off his diadem, and threw himself prostrate at his feet. Pompey, who was affected and moved by pity, received him courteously, and replaced the crown on his head. His son being present at this interview, Pompey, with a view to reconciliation, invited him, with his father, to supper; but the son, still maintaining the ferocity of his character, declined the invitation. This indecent conduct disposed Pompey to favour the father. Next day, having heard both of them plead before his tribunal, he restored Armenia and Mesopotamia to Tigranes, on condition of his paying a stipulated sum for the expenses of the war. To the son, Pompey assigned only two inconsiderable provinces, after they had been stripped of the treasures accumulated in them. The conqueror destined these for discharging part of the sum which the king was obliged to pay.

This adjudication displeased the prince, who was so ill rewarded for his rebellion. From the camp, in which he was detained in a state of confinement, he sent confidential persons to induce the provinces, which had fallen to his share, not to suffer their treasures to be carried away. Pompey caused him to be loaded with chains. In this state he still formed cabals, and privately excited against the Romans, the king of the Parthians, whose daughter he had married. It was known that he had formed a conspiracy against the life of his father. The Roman general, fired with just indignation on account of these acts of perfidy, sent him to Rome as a common prisoner. Tigranes, thenceforward, during his whole life, remained faithful to the Romans. He carried his devotion to them so far, as to refuse an asylum to Mithridates when defeated by Pompey, and he even offered a reward to those who should bring him his head. Tigranes died at the age of eighty-five. The reign of Artuasdes his son was short. A war broke out between him and Artavasdes, the king of Media. The former succeeded in making Mark Antony take a share in it. The

two kings suddenly concluded a peace. The king of Armenia did not inform the Roman general, his ally, of this circumstance; on the contrary, he induced him to attack Media, and offered to serve him as a guide, to enable him to penetrate into the kingdom. This treachery, according to every appearance, had been concerted between the two monarchs, as a condition of their accommodation. Artuasdes, with a numerous escort, put himself in the quality of guide, at the head of Antony's advanced guard, consisting of twenty thousand men, commanded by his lieutenant general, and conducted him through countries so horrid, that he was obliged to leave the baggage and warlike machines by the way. When the advanced guard, harassed and destitute of every necessary, arrived in Media, it was attacked by the Medes and Parthians, who made a great slaughter. Antony being defeated, was obliged

to retreat.

Artuasdes, with well dissembled friendship, received Antony. As this was not the moment for showing symptoms of resentment, the latter behaved to the former with apparent cordiality. By means of caresses and promises, Antony obtained winter quarters in Armenia; and when his troops were well established, he returned to Egypt, from which he wrote to Artuasdes, begging him to come to him, that they might concert the plan of operations for the next campaign. The latter, entertaining a just diffidence, declined. Antony was not discouraged; he proposed a marriage between Alexander his son, by Cleopatra, and the daughter of the king of Armenia. After much negociation, Antony rejoined his army, and renewed his request, that Artuasdes would come, and assist him with his counsels. Artuasdes, at length, yielded; and having repaired to the camp, was immediately arrested, and obliged, in order to avoid more severe treatment, to point out the place where his treasures were concealed. The Roman general seized on them, and dragged the unfortunate monarch, together with his wife and children, loaded with chains, to the feet of Cleopatra, at Alexandria. He had ordered them to call her the queen of kings; but neither Artuasdes, nor any of the prisoners of his nation, would salute her by that title.

Antony gave the crown of Armenia to his son Alexander; and beheaded Artuasdes, who was thus justly punished for his perfidy.

The kings of Armenia became so insignificant, that they were the mere phantoms of royalty. The emperors sported with their sceptres. Augustus appointed Artuasdes II. as successor to Tigranes; but the Armenians expelled him, because he was the choice of the Romans, whom they detested. He was restored by Caius, the adopted son of Augustus, who, being obliged to abandon him, gave Armenia to Ariobarzanes, at the desire of the people. The country was afterwards subdued by the Parthians. Tiberius, supported against them, Mithridates Iberus, brother to Pharasmenes, the king of Iberia. Caligula overturned the throne of Mithridates; and had him brought to Rome in chains. Claudius set him at liberty, and gave him troops to expel the Parthians, who had made themselves masters of his kingdom. In this enterprise, he was powerfully supported by his brother Pharasmenes.

The son of Pharasmenes, Rhadamistus, was a prince of great valor, and other military talents. To these brilliant qualities he united an ambition, the effects of which were much dreaded by his father. Pharasmenes directed the view's of his son towards Armenia. "That kingdom," said he, "which I conquered from the Parthians, I was wrong in conferring on my brother Mithridates; it is to you my son that it ought to belong." Pharasmenes and Rhadamistus adopting a plan of deep dissimulation, pretended that a deadly hostility existed between them. The son made complaints against his father, and requested an asylum from his uncle, that he might live in tranquillity. The credulous Mithridates received this serpent, and fostered him in his bosom. Rhadamistus employed his leisure time in fomenting the discontent of some of the nobility, and in exciting them to rebellion. When every thing was arranged, he pretended that his father had become reconciled to him, and returned home.

Under one of those pretences, which are never wanting on such occasions, Pharasmenes entered Armenia, and at the same time the revolt broke out. Mithridates, in great dis