Rome had conquered the Armenian Empire by 30 BCE, and Armenia has often be a pawn of the Romans in campaigns against their Central Asian enemies, the Parthians.

However, a new dynasty, the Arsacids, takes power in Armenia in CE 53 under the Parthian king, Tiridates, who defeats Roman forces in 62.

Rome's Emperor Nero now conciliates the Parthians by personally crowning Tiridates king of Armenia.

Armenia for much of its subsequent history will not be united under a single sovereign but will usually be divided between empires and among local Armenian rulers.