| Orontid dynasty | |
|---|---|
| Country | Kingdom of Armenia Kingdom of Sophene Kingdom of Commagene |
| Founded | 6th century BC (Armenia) 260 BC (Sophene) 163 BC (Commagene) |
| Founder | Orontes I Sakavakyats (legendary) Orontes I (historical) |
| Current head | Extinct |
| Final ruler | Orontes IV (Armenia) Mithrobazane II (Sophene) Antiochus IV (Commagene) |
| Titles | King of Greater Armenia |
| Dissolution | 200 BC (Armenia) 95 BC (Sophene) 72 AD (Commagene) |
| Cadet branches | Artaxiad dynasty[a][2] Artsruni dynasty[3] Gnuni dynasty[4] |
Part ofa series on the |
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| History ofArmenia |
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| Timeline •Origins •Etymology |
TheOrontid dynasty, also known as theEruandids orEruandunis, ruled theSatrapy of Armenia until 330 BC and theKingdom of Armenia from 321 BC to 200 BC. The Orontids ruled first as client kings orsatraps of theAchaemenid Empire and after the collapse of the Achaemenid Empire established an independent kingdom. Later, a branch of the Orontids ruled as kings ofSophene andCommagene. They are the first of the three royal dynasties that successively ruled the ancient Kingdom of Armenia (321 BC–428 AD). Although the overthrow ofOrontes IV and the accession ofArtaxias I to the throne of Armenia in the early 2nd century BC is traditionally treated as the start of anew dynasty, Artaxias probably belonged to a branch of the Orontid dynasty. His descendants ruled Armenia until the 1st century AD.
Some historians state that the Orontids were ofIranian origin,[5][6][2][7][8] and suggest that it held dynastic familial linkages to the rulingAchaemenid dynasty.[9][8][10][11] Throughout their existence, the Orontids stressed their lineage from the Achaemenids in order to strengthen their political legitimacy.[12] Their presence in Armenia is traced back toOrontes I, Satrap of Armenia in 401 BC,[13] or further back to his ancestorHydarnes, in the last quarter of the 6th century BC (see below).[b][15]
Other historians state the Orontids were ofArmenian origin,[16][17] while according toRazmik Panossian, the Orontids probably had marriage links to the rulers of Persia and other leading noble houses in Armenia, and states their Armenian ethnicity is uncertain.[18] Soviet Armenian historianSuren Yeremian writes that the Orontids were an Armenian dynasty based in the area around Lake Van, the former center of theKingdom of Urartu.[c] He argues that the Orontids established their rule in the Urartian capitalTushpa in 6th century BC, as that kingdom was collapsing. They expanded to other parts of Armenia to form the first Armenian kingdom. Per Yeremian, the Orontids originally came from the vicinity ofMusasir (in modern-day northern Iraq),[d] but because of the forced relocation policies of the Urartians, they came to form an Armenian enclave in the Hurro-Urartian-populated region around Lake Van.[21]
The name Orontes is the Hellenized form of a masculine name ofIranian origin, renderedEruand (Երուանդ) inOld Armenian (Yervand in Modern Armenian). The name is only attested in Greek (Gr.:Ὀρόντης). Its cognates are AvestanAuruuant ('brave, hero') and Middle PersianArwand (Modern PersianArvand). Various Greek versions of the name appear in classical sources, such asOrontas,Aroandes andOruandes.[13]
Despite the Hellenistic invasion of Persia, Persian and local Armenian culture remained the strongest element within society and the elites.[e][22]
The imperial administration usedAramaic, where it was used in official documents for centuries.[23] Whereas most inscriptions usedOld Persian cuneiform.[23] Xenophon used an interpreter to speak to Armenians, while some Armenian villages were conversant in Persian.[23]
TheGreek inscriptions at Armavir indicate that the upper classes used Greek as one of their languages.[24] UnderErvand the Last (r. ca. 210–200 B.C.), the structure of government had begun to resemble Greek institutions, and Greek was used as the language of the royal court. Ervand had surrounded himself by the Hellenized nobility and sponsored the establishment of a Greek school in Armavir, the capital of theErvanduni kingdom.[25]
While there is no direct evidence of the Orontids' religion prior toAntiochus I of Commagene, their Iranian background and connection to theAchaemenid dynasty make it highly plausible that they followed some form ofZoroastrianism.[26]James R. Russell contends the Armenians likely embraced Zoroastrianism during theAchaemenid era while integrating it with regional traditions.[27]
Information about the Orontids is fragmentary, and historians' reconstruction of their history and genealogy is tentative and mainly based on evidence from inscriptions and coins. In particular, the inscriptions left by the Orontid kingAntiochus I of Commagene (r. 70–31 BC) atMount Nemrut contain the most information about the genealogy of the Orontids.[28] Their presence as a ruling dynasty in Armenia can be traced back to at least 400 BC,[1] at which timeOrontes I appears as theSatrap of Armenia under theAchaemenid Empire.[13]
In his largely fictionalCyropaedia, the Greek authorXenophon (diedc. 354/355 BC) mentionsTigranes, the son of an unnamed king of Armenia, who was a friend ofCyrus the Great (r. 550–530 BC), the founder of the Achaemenid Empire.[29] Tigranes was the name of later Armenian monarchs of theArtaxiad dynasty (probably a branch of the Orontids).[30] The later Armenian historianMovses Khorenatsi, possibly drawing from a common tradition as Xenophon, writes of an Armenian king named Tigran (Tigranes), the son of KingEruand (Orontes) the Short-Lived.[f] Khorenatsi's Tigran allies with Cyrus the Great against the Median kingAstyages.[32] According toA. Shapour Shahbazi, Xenophon's account of Tigranes is fictional, and Xenophon based Tigranes on a contemporary of the same name who was a son-in-law of the Achaemenid satrapStruthas.[33]Suren Yeremian used Xenophon's and Khorenatsi's accounts to argue that Eruand the Short-Lived and his son Tigran were actual Orontid kings of Armenia in the 6th century BC.[34] InCyril Toumanoff's view, the succession of Tigran after Eruand in Khorenatsi's version allegorically represents the Artaxiad dynasty succeeding the Orontids.[35] Commenting on Khorenatsi's account,Igor M. Diakonoff did not rule out that the Orontids had married into a pre-existing Armenian royal house.[36]
Xenophon's contemporaryOrontes I, satrap of Armenia, is regarded as the ancestor of the later Orontid rulers; it is possible that the Orontids were already established in Armenia before him. Orontes was the son of aBactrian nobleman,Artasyrus, and claimed descent fromHydarnes, presumably through the maternal line.[28] Hydarnes was one of the "Seven Persians" who overthrewBardiya and placedDarius the Great on the Achaemenid throne in 522 BC.[15] After Darius's takeover, Armenia revolted and was subdued after three Persian campaigns, led by the ArmenianDadarshish.[37] Hydarnes may have been granted the Satrapy of Armenia as a quasi-hereditary office. A laterHydarnes, who married his daughter toArtaxerxes II (r. 405/404–359/358 BC), may have been a descendant of the first Hydarnes and served as Satrap of Armenia.[15] In 401 BC, Orontes I appears as the Satrap of Armenia and the son-in-law of Artaxerxes II, having married the latter's daughterRhodogune. This Orontes is frequently mentioned in accounts of Persian affairs in the first half of 4th century BC. He fought against theTen Thousand Greeks during their escape through Armenia.[13] At this time, Armenia was organized into two satrapies, divided by theTeleboas River: one ruled by Orontes, and another, distinguished as "Western" Armenia, ruled byTiribazus.[38] Orontes led the Persian infantry againstEvagoras, the King ofSalamis on Cyprus, after which he lost Artaxerxes's favor. He later reappears as the subordinate governor of a coastal province. He led revolt against the king but ultimately made peace with him. He diedc. 344 BC.[13]
During the reign ofArtaxerxes III, the Satrapy of Armenia was granted to Artashata, a member of the Achaemenid dynasty who later ruled the empire asDarius III.[39] The next known Orontid satrap of Armenia isOrontes II, a son or grandson of Orontes I.[40][41] He led the Armenian contingent in Darius III's army at theBattle of Gaugamela.[13] Another Armenian commander is mentioned is mentioned in this context, Mithraustes, who may have been the satrap of another part of Armenia.[42] After conquering the Achaemenid Empire,Alexander the Great appointed as Satrap of ArmeniaMithrenes, a satrap ofSardis who had defected to his side.[43] Some historians doubt whether Mithrenes ever actually ruled in Armenia, as the Macedonians never established firm control over the country.[44] In Cyril Toumanoff's view, Mithrenes was actually a member of the Orontid dynasty. The Mount Nemrut inscriptions bear a partially legible name following that of Orontes II, which one scholar read asMithranes.[43] More recent studies have identified the name as ending in-danes (perhapsBardanes),[28] referring to a son of Orontes II.[45][46] AnOrontes (III) is mentioned byDiodorus Siculus as ruling Armenia in about 316 BC.[43] The Macedonian generalNeoptolemus is mentioned as Satrap of Armenia not long after the death of Alexander the Great, but he seems to have failed to take control of the country, possibly because of Orontes's resistance.[47] Diodorus also refers to Ardoates, whom he calls King of Armenia, and who helpedAriarathes II of Cappadocia break away from the Seleucids. This probably happened after theBattle of Corupedium.[28] According to Toumanoff, this "Ardoates" is identical with Orontes III.[43] Regardless of their formal submission to more powerful rulers, the Orontids ruled as kings in practice and presented themselves as kings.[28]
Starting from 301 BC Armenia is included within the sphere of influence of theSeleucid Empire, but it maintained a considerable degree of autonomy, retaining its native rulers. According toPolyaenus, in 227 BC the Seleucid rebel kingAntiochus Hierax took refuge in Armenian territory governed by King Arsames, founder of the cityArsamosata. Towards the end of 212 BC the country was divided into two kingdoms, both vassal states of the Seleucids: Greater Armenia and Armenia Sophene, including Commagene or Armenia Minor.Antiochus III the Great decided to suppress the local dynasties, and besieged Arsamosata. Xerxes, the satrap of Sophene and Commagene, surrendered and implored the clemency of the king, whom he accepted as his sovereign. Antiochus gave his sister Antiochis as a wife to Xerxes; she would later murder him. Greater Armenia was ruled by an Orontid descendant of Hydarnes, the last Orontid ruler of Greater Armenia (Strabo xi.14.15); he was apparently subdued by Antiochus III the Great, who then divided the land between his generalsArtaxias (Artashes) andZariadres (Zareh), both of whom would claim descent from the Orontid family.
In Nemrut Dagi, opposite the statues of Gods there are a long row of pedestals, on which stood the steles of the Greek ancestors of Antiochos. At a right angle to this row stood another row of steles, depicting his Orontid and Achaemenid ancestors. From these steles the ones of Darius and Xerxes are well preserved. In front of each stele is a small altar. Inscriptions have been found on two of those altars. Antiochos expended great effort to ensure that everyone was aware that he was related to the dynasty of the King of Kings, Darius I, by the marriage of princess Rhodogune to his ancestor Orontes. The father of Rhodogune was the Persian king, Artaxerxes. In 401 BC Artaxerxes defeated his younger brother, who tried to depose him. Because of the help Artaxerxes received from Orontes—his military commander and satrap of Armenia—he gave his daughter in marriage to him. Their descendant, the OrontidMithridates I Callinicus married Seleucid PrincessLaodice VII Thea.
Family tree of the Orontid dynasty according toCyril Toumanoff:[citation needed]
| Bagabigna | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hydarnes I Persian nobleman (521) | Sisamnes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hydarnes II chiliarch of Iran (480–428) | Sisamnes (480) | Otanes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hydarnes III Satrap of Armenia († 410) | Orontes | ? | Gobryas gouv. of Akkad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amestris Daughter ofDarius II | Teritouchmes Satrap of Armenia († 410) | Roxane († 410) | Tissaphernes satrap of Sardes († 396) | several princes and princesses executed in 410 | Stateira († 400) ep.Artaxerxes II | Artasyrus satrap of Hyrcany | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| a prince († 404) | Mazeus satrap of Babylone († 328) | Rhodogune | Orontes I satrap of Armenia (401–361) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hydarnes satrap of Ionie (ca.334) | Orontes II satrap of Armenia (361–331) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mithrenes king of Armenia (331-ca.317) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orontes III king of Armenia (ca.317-ca.260) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sames I king of Armenia (ca.260) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arsames I king of Armenia (ap.260-ap.228) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the Armenian tradition recorded byMovses Khorenatsi,Eruand (Orontes) the Short-Lived is one of the kings in the line of the legendary Armenian patriarchHayk, separated from the latter by 43 generations.[31] He is made a contemporary of Cyrus the Great, and Khorenatsi's account of Tigran, son of Eruand, helping Cyrus against the Medes may derive from the same tradition as Xenophon's account ofTigranes, a companion of Cyrus.[32] Starting with Eruand, Khorenatsi lists the following succession:[31]
Memory of the real conflict between the Orontid kingOrontes IV andArtaxias I is also preserved in Khorenatsi's account of Artashes, a member of the royal family, overthrowing King Eruand.[50] Khorenatsi makes Eruand and Artashes members of theArsacid dynasty and contemporaries of the Roman emperorsVespasian andTitus (1st century AD).[51]
(Note: Some dates are approximate or doubtful).
The Artsruni Princes were, like the Artaxiads, related to the ancient Orontid line.
Aramaic, the language of the imperial administration, was introduced into Armenia, where, for centuries, it continued to be used in official documents. Old Persian cuneiform, meanwhile, was used in most inscriptions. Xenophon mentions that he used a Persian interpreter to converse with Armenians and in some Armenian villages they responded in Persian.
Iranian culture deeply influenced Armenia, and Iranian dynasties ruled Armenia during several important periods, including the Orontids (c. sixth century - c. early second century BCE) and Arsacids (54-428 CE).
The above mentioned Orontids..[..]..but also because the two satraps who were contemporaries of Xenophon's are explicitly stated to be Persian.
Tigran (Tigranes) II was the most distinguished member of the so-called Artašēsid/Artaxiad dynasty, which has now been identified as a branch of the earlier Eruandid [Orontid] dynasty of Iranian origin attested as ruling in Armenia from at least the 5th century B.C.E.
..but the existence of a local Armenian dynasty, probably of Iranian origin..
The Orontid kings of Armenia were descended from the Achaemenid line..
The most striking example of the syncretism of gods in ancient Parthia actually occurs in a former Armenian satellite kingdom, namely Commagene, the modern Malatya district. Here a scion of the Armenian Orontid house, King Antiochus I (69 — 38 B.C.) built himself a funeral hill at Nimrud Dagh.(..)We see the king's paternal ancestors, traced back to the Achaemenian monarch Darius, son of Hystaspes, while Greek inscriptions record the dead ruler's connections with the Armenian dynasty of the Orontids.
It is not known whether the Yervandunis were ethnically Armenian. They probably had marriage links to the rulers of Persia and other leading noble houses in Armenia.
Iran, however, was to be the dominant influence in Armenian spiritual culture.The Orontid, Artaxiad, and Arsacid dynasties were all Iranian in origin, and the greater part of the Armenian vocabulary consists of Mid. Ir. loanwords. The Armenians preserved strong regional traditions which appear to have been incorporated into Zoroastrianism, a religion adopted by them probably in the Achaemenid period.
The Commagene kings claimed to be descended from the Orontids, a powerful Iranian family that had ruled the area during the Achaemenid period. They were related to the Achaemenids who had built a kingdom (...)
The eponym's praenomen Orontes is as Iranian as the dynasty itself.