The founder of the dynasty was Artaxias I who ascended as King of Greater Armenia in 188 BCE.
[1]
Although Armenia had a strong Iranian culture, particularly with religion, it was greatly influenced by Hellenistic Greek culture and religion, although it was one of the regions that had not been conquered by them. Some of the contemporary Armenian coins describe the kings as ‘Philhellenes’; lovers of Greek culture.
[2]
[3]
Artaxiad Armenia was at its peak power during the reign of Tigranes the Great (95-55 BCE). Tigranes was able to unifiy the country’s various autonomous regions, which were governed by the nakharars, and brought central control to the kingdom.
[4]
His empire, though only this large for a short time, stretched “from the Caucasus mountains and Media in the northeast to Lebanon in the southwest.”
[5]
During the reign of Tigranes the Great the ongoing wars between the Roman and Parthian Empires led to the demise of the Artaxiad dynasty. Tigranes had allied himself (officially through marriages) with Mithridates the Great, King of Pontus in Anatolia and as the Romans won victories and conquered the surrounding regions, they eventually forced Tigranes to surrender. The Romans, under Pompey, allowed Tigranes to remain on the throne, but reduced the Armenian territory and forced him to become a Roman ally, hence leaving the Armenian kingdom as a buffer between the Roman and the Parthian Empires.
Tigranes son and successor, Artavasdes II, remained an ally to the Romans. However, upon Mark Antony’s rule of Rome’s eastern territories, he invaded Armenia, captured Artavasdes II and had him executed, while then placing his own son, Alexander Helios, on the Armenian throne. Artavasdes’ son Artaxias II, again allied with the Parthians and took back the throne. After a rule of ten years, he was murdered and the Armenian kingdom broke out in civil war led by two factions, pro-Roman and pro-Parthian. Though the Artaxians remained in power, the region became a Roman protectorate under emperor Augustus and the dynasty eventually died out completely with the final Roman overthrow in 12 CE.
[6]
Overall, there is a general lack of information about the social and cultural nature of the Armenian Empire, and a lot of the information is taken from Roman sources and Armenia numismatic evidence.
[7]
[1]: Hovannisian 2004: 47. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
[2]: “Artaxias I,”. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/7V7RMBLQ
[3]: Hovannisian 2004: 50. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
[4]: “Artaxiad Dynasty,” https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/IVLMP6Q8
[5]: Hovannisian 2004: 64. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
[6]: Hovannisian 2004: 58-62. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
[7]: Bournoutian 2003: 36. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/645FKRNL
| 38 N |
| Armenia Kingdom |
| Artaxiasata | 188 BCE 77 BCE |
| Tigranocerta | 77 BCE 69 BCE |
| Artashesian | |
| Artaxiad Armenia | |
| Ardaxiad |
| present |
| present |
| present |
| present |
| present |
| present |
| inferred present |
| present |
| present |
| inferred present |
| Year Range | Armenian Kingdom (am_artaxiad_dyn) was in: |
|---|
The capital city of Artaxiasata was established by Artaxias I. [1] During his reign, Tigranes the Great changed the capital to a location more central to the kingdom, and named it Tigranocerta (Tigranakert). [2] The remains of Tigranocerta have never been found and its location is debated. [3]
[1]: Hovannisian 2004: 49. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
[2]: “Artaxiad Dynasty,” https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/IVLMP6Q8
[3]: Bournoutian 2003: 32. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/645FKRNL
The capital city of Artaxiasata was established by Artaxias I. [1] During his reign, Tigranes the Great changed the capital to a location more central to the kingdom, and named it Tigranocerta (Tigranakert). [2] The remains of Tigranocerta have never been found and its location is debated. [3]
[1]: Hovannisian 2004: 49. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
[2]: “Artaxiad Dynasty,” https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/IVLMP6Q8
[3]: Bournoutian 2003: 32. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/645FKRNL
Artaxiad Armenia was at its peak power during the reign of Tigranes the Great (95-55 BCE). Tigranes was able to unify the country’s various autonomous regions, which were governed by the nakharars, and brought central control to the kingdom. [1] His empire, though only this large for a short time, stretched “from the Caucasus mountains and Media in the northeast to Lebanon in the southwest.” [2]
[1]: “Artaxiad Dynasty,” https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/IVLMP6Q8
[2]: Hovannisian 2004: 64. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
The population of Artaxiasata (Artaxata) may have reached around 100,000 inhabitants. [1] However, it is not known if this was the largest settlement population as the other sources consulted have not mentioned this figure at all.
[1]: Redgate 2000: 85. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/4RQ68NKA
[1] [2] : 1. Capital city :: 2. Provincial Capital ::: 3. City :::: 4. Town ::::: 5. Village :::::: 6. Tacharayin Kaghakner (‘temple cities’ - complexes which “had their own self-sufficient economic base and commercial networks.” [3]
[1]: Hovannisian 2004: 49. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
[2]: Panossian 2006: 56. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/GZLDRKAY
[3]: Payaslian 2007: 16. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/H8NEU6KD
[1] : 1. King :: 2. The kings advisors ::: 3. Royal functionaries (“supervised the administrative bureaucracies, fiscal policy, transportation, commerce and customs, agriculture, and public works.”) [2]
[1]: Payaslian 2007: 14-15. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/H8NEU6KD
[2]: Payaslian 2007: 14. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/H8NEU6KD
The capital city of Artaxiasata had public baths. [1] There was a theatre built in Tigranakert at which a troupe of Greek actors performed the first play. [2]
[1]: Hovannisian 2004: 49. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
[2]: Hovannisian 2004: 57. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
There were roads across the region. The first king, Artaxias I, had many new roads built in order to strengthen trade and movement across the empire. [1] Some of the roads in the region were impassable during winter. [2]
[1]: Khachikyan 2010: 38. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CB68XVCZ
[2]: Hovannisian 2004: 58. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
There is written evidence to suggest that a temple was built by the founder of the dynasty, Artaxias I. [1] There were already existing temples in the region dedicated to “ancestors and pantheons, including, for example, Anahit, Vahagn, Aramazt, and Naneh, all worshiped by the polytheistic Artashesian elite. [2]
[1]: “Artaxias I,”. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/7V7RMBLQ
[2]: Payaslian 2007: 16. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/H8NEU6KD
There is a lack of evidence over which burial rights were observed during this period. As Zoroastrians, they may have prohibited ground burial as it was thought to pollute the earth, but tombs may have been used by the elite as they were in neighbouring Zoroastrian polities. [1]
[1]: Redgate 2000: 82. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/4RQ68NKA
Stone steles have been found with inscriptions in Aramaic. [1] The Greek language has also been found on parchments and rock inscriptions. [2]
[1]: “Artaxias I,”. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/7V7RMBLQ
[2]: Hovannisian 2004: 48. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
Plays were written and performed, notably when a group of Greek actors performed for Tigranes the Great. [1] The king Artavasdes II composed Greek tragedies and orations. [2]
[1]: “Artaxiad Dynasty,” https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/IVLMP6Q8
[2]: Hovannisian 2004: 57. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
There is evidence of gold, silver and copper works at the capital of Artaxiasata. [1] . Silver vases have been found in graves. [2] Copper coins were minted in copper. [3]
[1]: Redgate 2000: 85. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/4RQ68NKA
[2]: Hovannisian 2004: 52. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU
[3]: Hovannisian 2004: 54. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8B4DBDFU