Battle of Tigranocerta was fought on October 6, 69 BCE. It was one of the greatest Roman victories in history. Consisting of nearly 40, 000 Roman army, commanded by Lucius Licinnius Lucullus, opposed the Armenian army under the command of Tigranes the Great, in the strength of 80-100 thousand soldiers. Interestingly, before the battle, both leaders were to say interesting words to their adversaries – although those were probably both apocryphal.
Tigranes, at the sight of the approaching Roman army, was to state: “As for the legation – it is too much for them, as for the army – it is not enough”. Lucullus, on the other hand, had to keep up the spirits of his soldiers, who advised him not to start the battle on the “unlucky” day – 36 years earlier, on October 6, 105 BCE – under Arausio – Cimbria and Teutoni inflicted a terrible defeat on the Roman army commanded by Quintus Servilius Caepion and Gnaeus Mallius Maximus. Lucullus, for a moment before the battle, was to say: “I am sure that this time I will make this day happy for the Romans”. After these words, according to Plutarch, Lucullus crossed the river and first set out on the enemy. The victory of the Romans was decisive.
