Why did Pompey annex Syria as a Roman province?

Pompey the Great annexed Syria as a Roman province in 64–63 BCE primarily to end years of anarchy and instability in the region. Following the decline of the Seleucid empire, the territory had suffered from constant civil war, rival claimants to the throne, and eventual seizure by Tigranes II the Great of Armenia.1

After defeating Mithradates and Tigranes, Pompey was tasked with organizing the Roman East. His annexation of Syria was part of a broader effort to consolidate Roman control and establish a stable defensive frontier system. By imposing an overall settlement that accounted for the region's complex political and geographical factors, Pompey created a framework that lasted for more than 500 years. This reorganization included establishing a chain of protectorates and reducing neighboring states, such as Judaea, to dependent status under the oversight of the new Roman province.23