death it was long a battle
ground of rival marshals and kings, and for a time fell under Ptolemaic
dominion, but finally under that of the Seleucids, who, however, never
held effectually more than the eastern half. Cilicia Trachea became the
haunt of pirates, who were subdued by Pompey. Cilicia Pedias became
Roman territory in 103 B.C., and the whole was organized by Pompey, 64
B.C., into a province which, for a short time, extended to and included
part of Phrygia. It was reorganized by Caesar, 47 B.C., and about 27
B.C. became part of the province Syria-Cilicia-Phoenice. At first the
western district was left independent under native kings or
priest-dynasts, and a small kingdom, under Tarkondimotus, was left in
the east; but these were finally united to the province by Vespasian,
A.D. 74. Under Diocletian (circa 297), Cilicia, with the Syrian and
Egyptian provinces, formed the Diocesis Orientis. In the 7th century it
was invaded by the Arabs, who held the country until it was reoccupied
by Nicephorus II. in 965.

The Seljuk invasion of Armenia was followed by an exodus of Armenians
southwards, and in 1080 Rhupen, a relative of the last king of Ani,
founded in the heart of the Cilician Taurus a small principality, which
gradually expanded into the kingdom of Lesser Armenia. This Christian
kingdom--situated in the midst of Moslem states, hostile to the
Byzantines, giving valuable support to the crusaders, and trading with
the great commercial cities of Italy---had a stormy existence of about
300 years. Gosdantin I. (1095-1100) assisted the crusaders on their
march to Antioch, and was created knight and marquis. Thoros I.
(1100-1123), in alliance with the Christian princes of Syria, waged
successful war against Byzantines and Seljuks. Levond (Leo) II., "the
Great" (1185-1219), extended the kingdom beyond Mount Taurus and
established the capital at Sis. He assisted the crusaders, was crowned
king by the archbishop of Mainz, and married one of the Lusignans of
Cyprus. Haithon I. (1224-1269) made an alliance with the Mongols, who,
before their adoption of Islam, protected his kingdom from the Mamelukes
of Egypt. When Levond V. died (1342), John of Lusignan was crowned king
as Gosdantin IV.; but he and his successors alienated the Armenians by
attempting to make them conform to the Roman Church, and by giving all
posts of honour to Latins, and at last the kingdom, a prey to internal
dissensions, succumbed (1375) to the attac