Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/122

 BISTORT OF ARUBNI'A.

��lected that Tigranes in his conquest of Assyria^ had left a few unimportant places in that kingdom unsubdued. These were possessed by queen Selena, the instigator of the rebellion alluded to. Her principal town was Ptolemais, whither all the rebels had repaired. Tigranes, on coming to the knowledge of this circum- stance^ drew together an army and besieged Ptolemais. He captured it, but the queen effected her escape to one of the fortresses of Seleucia, where, being pursued, she was taken and put to death. The Jews in Palestine fearing some hostile intention towards them, from the army collected by Tigranes, their queen Alexandra Selena, with the princes of her country, sent ambassadors to him while besieg- ing Ptolemais, deprecating his anger and offering him valuable presents. They besought him to look with an eye of kindness on their nation, and to desist from all intention of injuring them. Tigranes was pleased with the embassy, and promised to regard the Jews as his friends. The Bagratians were under the greatest ap* prehension that some injury was meditated against them, but their fear was groundless. After he had quelled this rebellion, Tigranes returned to Mesopotamia.

On the news of the arrival of Tigranes at J^^i Antiochj Lucullus, the Roman general, sent one

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