What is Sophene?
Q: What is Sophene?
A: Sophene (also known as Tsopk) was a province of the Armenian Kingdom and of the Roman Empire, located in modern-day southeastern Turkey.
Q: How many cantons were part of Tsopk?
A: Tsopk consisted of 8 cantons (gavars): Khordzyan, Hashtyank, Paghnatun, Balahovit, Tsopk (Shahunyats), Andzit, Degiq, and Gavreq (Goreq).
Q: When did it become part of the Armenian Kingdom?
A: Around 600 BC, Tsopk became part of the newly emerged ancient Armenian Kingdom of Orontids.
Q: Who attempted to weaken Armenia by splitting off Commagene and Tsopk into a separate kingdom?
A: The Seleucid Empire attempted to weaken Armenia by splitting off Commagene and Tsopk into a separate Hellenistic kingdom.
Q: Who declared themselves independent kings after Antiochus' defeat at Magnesia in 190 BC?
A: Artaxias I and Zariadres declared themselves independent kings after Antiochus' defeat at Magnesia in 190 BC.
Q: How did Tigranes the Great reunify Greater Armenia with Tsopk?
A: Tigranes the Great reunified Greater Armenia with Tsopke by conquering it in the 80s BC.
Q: What happened to Sophene when it became part of the Roman Empire?
A: When Sophene became part of the Roman Empire it was made into a province and its capital was Amida (modern Diyarbakır).
