On November 20th 2018, a discussion entitled “The policy of Tigran the Great and its Consequences” took place at the Secondary School named after Hayk Ghazaryan in Verin Tsakhkavan village, with the participation of students of YSUIB “History” Faculty and Tsakhkavan School.
The discussion was attended by lecturer of YSUIB Department of History and Social Sciences Vladimir Poghosyan, coordinator of the work with graduates and external stakeholders, Erine Gharayan, Public Relations and Media responsible Hasmik Vanyan, students of different professions (“History”, “Pedagogy and Psychology”, “Elementary Pedagogy and Methodology” “Cartography and Cadastre”), director and teaching staff of Tsakhkavan school and students of different classes, guests.
Susanna Amirkhanyan, Deputy Director of Verin Tsaghkavan Secondary School, made an opening speech warmly welcoming the students’ initiative to organize a discussion at their school, attaching importance to the deepening of university-school bilateral cooperation, mutual visits and joint programs.
During the discussion, the students presented the positive aspects of Tigran the Great policy, and the students expressed their own ideas about the negative aspects of his policy, drawing parallels with nowadays.
It was presented how in 95 BC, one of our most famous historical figures, Tigran 2, more commonly known as Tigran the Great, came to the throne.
Following the death of his father, Tigran the First, Tigran the Great was released from hostage by handing over “seventy valleys” in Atropatene to the Parthians, returned to Armenia and inherited his father’s throne at age 45. Tigran 2 quickly reorganized the Armenian army and fought to rebuild and strengthen the reputation of the Armenian state. In 94 BC, he captured Tsopk, completing the process of uniting the Armenian lands.
At the same time, in the North of Armenia, the kingdom of Pontus was gaining power. His genius monarch Mihrdates Z. of Pontus (111-63 BC), who was an enemy of Rome, being a skillful general and diplomat, immediately understood Tigran’s ambitions and power and offered him an alliance. In 94 BC, the Armenian-Pontic alliance was signed, according to which, the two kings must divide between two countries the territories of future achievements. He rapidly built up his power and established an alliance with Mithridates VI, marrying his young, beautiful daughter Cleopatra…
In 87 BC, the Hellenic comet shined in the Armenian sky. Tigran the Great considered it a successful sign to declare war on Parthians and conquered that mighty country. Tigran not only liberated the Armenian territories from the state of Parthians, but also made the mighty kingdom of Parthians to pay taxes and captured “king of the kings” title. With that the state of Tigran the Great became the mighty state of Asia. He also subjected to his authority Micdonia, Osronene, Atrpatakan, Adiabene, Korduk … Tigran the Great connected Northern Mesopotamia to kingdom of Greater Armenia and appointed his younger brother, Guras, a governor in the center of Mtsbin.
In 83 BC, Tigran the Great came to the throne of Seleucid Empire. In fact, another powerful state in the ancient East, the Seleucid Kingdom, left “the stage of history”.
Finishing his achievements, Tigran the Great built a new capital city, Tigranocerta, in the geographical center of his vast empire, in Aghdzinc province of Greater Armenia. Artashat was considered to be the northern capital of Tigran kingdom, Antioch: the southern capital. According to the contemporaries, Tigranakert soon became one of the greatest and luxurious cities of the ancient world.
During the triumphal victories of 25 years, Tigran 2 created a large-scale state whose borders extend from the Caspian Sea to the Egyptian border and the Mediterranean Sea. Armenia became the mighty state of the Greater Asia.
The discussion was held in an interactive and engaging atmosphere.
The discussion was accompanied by beautiful dance-music performances by gifted students of the school.
YSUIB representatives also introduced a presentation on professional orientation.
The school director S. Amirkhanyan and YSUIB lecturer V. Poghosyan made a final speech, expressing gratitude to the organizers and participants of the discussion, wishing them good luck.
All the participants and discussion supporters received certificates by Alikhan Baldryan, a fourth-year student of “History” specialty and the initiator of the discussion, who, by the way, is from Tsakhkavan.
After the discussion, the students got acquainted with the school, visited the Library and the Chronicles Museum.
The meeting ended with a reception and warm conversation during which the parties agreed to deepen the cooperation through mutual visits and joint events.
All the photos of the meeting are available in the gallery.
