Erato of Armenia

Erato also known as Queen Erato (flourished second half of 1st century BC & first half of 1st century, died sometime after 12) was a Princess of the Kingdom of Armenia and member of the Artaxiad Dynasty. She served as a Roman Client Queen of Armenia from 10 BC until 2 BC with her brother-husband King Tigranes IV. After a number of years living in political exile, she co-ruled with her distant paternal relative the Herodian Prince Tigranes V as Roman Client Monarchs of Armenia from 6 until 12. She as Armenian Queen ruled on the Armenian throne twice. As a Queen of Armenia, she can be viewed as one of the last hereditary rulers of her nation.

Erato is a name of ancient Greek origins which means "desired" or "lovely". In Greek mythology, Erato was one of the Muses and the name derived from the same root as Eros the Greek God of love.

Erato was the second child and the known daughter born to Tigranes III by an unnamed mother. Her known sibling was her older paternal half-brother Tigranes IV born to a previous unnamed wife of Tigranes III. Erato was born and raised either in Rome where her father lived in political exile for 10 years from 30 BC until 20 BC or during her father’s Kingship of Armenia in which he ruled from 20 BC until 10 BC.

Her father, Tigranes III died before 6 BC. In 10 BC, the Armenians installed Tigranes IV as King to the successor of Tigranes III. In accordance with Oriental custom or Hellenistic custom, Tigranes IV married Erato in order to preserve the purity of the Artaxiad Royal blood line. Erato through marriage to her brother, became Queen and his Queen consort.

Erato was the second Seleucid Greek descendant to have ruled as an Armenian Queen and as an Armenian Queen consort. The previous one was her paternal great, grandmother Cleopatra of Pontus, daughter of King Mithridates VI of Pontus from his first wife, his sister Laodice. The first Seleucid Greek Princess to have married a King of Armenia, in which she became an Armenian Queen and as an Armenian Queen consort, was her ancestor Antiochis, one of the sisters of King Antiochus III the Great.

...
Wikipedia