Battle of Artaxata | |||||||
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Part of Third Mithridatic War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Roman Republic |
Kingdom of Armenia, Iberian Spearman |
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Lucullus |
Tigranes II Mithridates VI of Pontus |
The Battle of Artaxata, located near the Arsanias river, was fought in 68 BC between the Roman Republic and the Kingdom of Armenia. The Romans were led by Consul Lucius Licinius Lucullus, while the Armenians were led by King Tigranes II, who was sheltering King Mithridates VI of Pontus. Though the Romans were again victorious, the long years the army had spent campaigning, the fact that Mithradates continued to elude them and having marched 1500 km led to a mutiny amongst the army. They refused to march any further, choosing to take and winter in the city of Nisibis. Lucullus was then replaced by the Roman Senate as commander of the army by Pompey the Great.