Kingdom of Sophene
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| Series on: History of Armenia
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| Hayasa-Azzi · Armens · Nairi · Urartu | |||
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| Orontid Armenia · Kingdom of Sophene · Artaxiad Dynasty · Kingdom of Commagene · Arsacid Dynasty | |||
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| Marzpanate Period Byzantine Armenia Arab conquest of Armenia · Bagratuni Armenia · Kingdom of Vaspurakan · Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia · Zakarid Armenia |
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The Kingdom of Sophene (Armenian: Ծոփքի Թագավորութուն) was an ancient Armenian kingdom.[1][2][3] Founded sometime around the 3rd century B.C. the kingdom maintained independence until 90's B.C. when Tigranes the great conquered these territories as part of his empire[3] . An offshoot of this kingdom was the Kingdom of Commagene, when the Seleucids detached Commagene from Sophene.[1]
Origins
Initially a part of Urartu, Sophene became a province of the newly emerged ancient Armenian Kingdom of Orontids around 600 BC.
After Alexander the Great's campaigns in 330s BC and the subsequent collapse of the Achaemenid Empire, it became one of the first regions of Armenia to be exposed to Greek influence and adopted some aspects of Greek culture. Sophene remained part of the newly independent kingdom of Greater Armenia. Around the 3rd century BC, the Seleucid Empire forced Sophene to split from Greater Armenia, giving rise to the Kingdom of Sophene. The kingdom was ruled by a branch of the Armenian royal dynasty of Orontids[1].
References
- ^ a b c Toumanoff, Cyril(1963) Studies in Christian Caucasian History, Georgetown University Press
- ^ Traditio, By Institute of Research and Study in Medieval Canon Law Summary(1943)Contributor Johannes Quasten, Stephan Kuttner, Fordham University Press
- ^ a b Bedoukian, Paul (1985). Coinage of the Armenia Kingdoms of Sophene and Commagene. Los Angeles: Armenian Numismatic Society, 30 pages. ISBN 0960684239.
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