Herod Antipas vs Tigranes II of Armenia

Following the death of Herod the Great, Herod Antipas was appointed by Roman Emperor Augustus as tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. This division of Herod's kingdom established Antipas as a client ruler under Roman authority, governing these territories until 39 AD.

Herod Antipas married Herodias, his brother Philip's former wife, while she was still married. John the Baptist publicly condemned this marriage as unlawful. Antipas imprisoned John and later had him executed, an event recorded in the Gospels and by Josephus.

At a banquet, Herodias's daughter Salome requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Herod Antipas, bound by an oath made before his guests, ordered John's execution by beheading in the fortress of Machaerus. This act is recorded in the Gospels and by Josephus.

During Jesus's trial, Pontius Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas, who was in Jerusalem for Passover. Antipas questioned Jesus but received no answer. He and his soldiers mocked Jesus, then returned him to Pilate without issuing a verdict. This event is recorded in the Gospel of Luke.

Herod Antipas suffered a military defeat against King Aretas IV of Nabatea. The conflict arose from Antipas's divorce of Aretas's daughter to marry Herodias. The defeat was interpreted by some as divine punishment for the execution of John the Baptist, as reported by Josephus.

Herod Antipas was accused by his nephew Agrippa I of plotting rebellion against Rome. Emperor Caligula believed the accusation and exiled Antipas to Lugdunum Convenarum in Gaul (modern Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, France). Herodias accompanied him into exile. His tetrarchy was given to Agrippa I.

Tigranes II was crowned King of Armenia after being released as a hostage by the Parthian king Mithridates II. He immediately began expanding Armenian territory, conquering Sophene and other regions, laying the foundation for his empire.

Tigranes II conquered the remnants of the Seleucid Empire, annexing Syria and Cilicia. This expansion brought Armenia to its greatest territorial extent, stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean, and made Tigranes a major power in the Near East.

Tigranes II founded the city of Tigranocerta as the new capital of his empire. The city was built with a mixed population of Armenians, Greeks, and others, and became a major Hellenistic center of trade and culture in the region.

Roman forces under Lucullus defeated Tigranes II's army at the Battle of Tigranocerta. The defeat led to the loss of Tigranes' newly conquered territories and the sacking of his capital, marking the beginning of the decline of the Armenian Empire.

After further defeats, Tigranes II submitted to the Roman general Pompey. He was allowed to retain Armenia proper as a Roman ally but was forced to give up all his conquests, including Syria, Cilicia, and Sophene, reducing Armenia to its pre-imperial borders.