Sophene

SOPHE´NE(Σωφηνή, Strab. et alii; Σωφανηνή, Dio Cass.; Procop. de Aedif. 3.2, B. Pers. 1.21: Eth. Σωφηνός), a district of Armenia, lying between Antitaurus and Mount Masius, separated by the Euphrates from Melitene in Armenia Minor, and by Antitaurus from Mesopotamia. Its capital was Carcathiocerta. (Strab. xi. pp. 521, 522, 527.) It formed at one time, with the neighbouring districts, a separate west Armenian kingdom, governed by the Sophenian Artanes, but was annexed to the east Armenian kingdom by Tigranes. Sophene was taken away from Tigranes by Pompey. (Strab. 11. p. 532; Dio Cass.; Plut. Luc. 24, Pomp. 33.) Nero gave Sophene as a separate kingdom to Sohaemus. (Tac. Ann. 13.7.）