Categories: ArcheologyHistory

The Kingdom of Commagene Was Indeed an Armenian Kingdom

The ancient Kingdom of Commagene was an Armenian kingdom, which is evidenced by a wide range of ancient artifacts.

For example, on the below images of coins depicting Antiochus I Theos of Commagene, the king wears an Armenian tiara with the coat of arms of the Armenian Artaxiad dynasty, just like the coins portraying Tigran II the Great.

.
Coins featuring Antiochus I Theos of Commagene (69 – 34 BC) wearing an Armenian tiara

Now, compare these coins with the coins of Tigran the Great depicting the coat of arms of the Artaxiad dynasty.

Image of King of Kings Tigran II the Great (140 – 55 BC) wearing an Armenian tiara with the coat of arms of the Armenian Artaxiad dynasty.
• A relief depicting Antiochus I Theos of Commagene shaking hands with Vahagn, an Armenian deity, from which other deities like Heracles originate.

Below, you can see the coins of the kings of the Artaxiad dynasty with the image of Vahagn, testifying to the dynasty’s closeness with the deity.

Coin of Tigran the Great, depiction of Vahagn on the right.
Coin of Tigran V, depiction of Vahagn holding a club on the right.

Another set of coins of the Armenian Kingdom of Commagene demonstrates more resemblance. Below are the coins of Epiphanes and Callinicus, sons of Antiochus IV of Commagene, wearing an Armenian tiara.

Epiphanes and Callinicus are depicted between cornucopia with a symbol of an anchor representing the connections between the brothers. The reverse side of the coin features an image of Armenian tiara.
Epiphanes and Callinicus are depicted between cornucopia with a symbol of an anchor representing the connections between the brothers. The reverse side of the coin features an image of Armenian tiara.
Silver coin of Roman Emperor Augustus issued in commemoration of the victory over Armenia. The reverse side has the writing “ARMENIA CAPTA” along with images of Armenian tiara and bow with quiver.
Coin of Marcus Antonius issued in commemoration of the victory over Armenia. The reverse side features an Armenian tiara, bow and quiver, and other symbols of Armenia.

Source: www.PeopleOfAr.com

Vigen Avetisyan

Recent Posts

Abandoned by an Ally: The French Armenian Legion in Cilicia and the Road to the Smyrna Catastrophe

How a promise made to genocide survivors was traded away for peace with Ankara —…

2 days ago

The Vilgort Cup: A Silver Masterpiece of Cilician Armenia (c. 1150–1159 A.D.)

A Fragment That Traveled Across Continents The gilt-silver medallion shown above — two richly dressed…

4 days ago

Hannibal and Artaxias the Great: The Carthaginian General Who Helped Build the “Armenian Carthage”

Few episodes in ancient Armenian history capture the imagination quite like the tradition that Hannibal…

1 week ago

The Priestess of the Kingdom of Van: A 9th-Century BC Bronze Figurine in the British Museum

Five angles of one small bronze figure — and what emerges is not an abstract…

3 weeks ago

The Winged Sun and the Armenian Tiara: Royal Symbolism of the Orontid (Yervanduni) Kingdom of Commagene, 163 BC – 72 AD

Introduction Among the successor states that emerged from the fragmentation of the Achaemenid-derived Orontid (Armenian:…

3 weeks ago

A Bronze Age Vessel from Gardman: Solar Symbolism, the Sun-Cross, and the Sacred Landscape of Ancient Armenia

Article based on the explanations and interpretive observations of Angela Terian, with additional archaeological and…

3 weeks ago