Argishtis I of Urartu

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Argishtis I
King
Monument of Argishti in Yerevan, Armenia
Reign	Urartu: 785 BC to 763 BC
Predecessor	Menuas
Successor	Sarduris II
Father	Menuas

Argishtis I (Urartian: Argištiše, Armenian: Արգիշտի, Argishti) was the sixth known king of the ancient country of Urartu (in eastern Anatolia) from 785 BC to 763 BC. He founded the citadel of Erebouni in 782 BC, which is the present capital of Armenia, Yerevan.

A son and successor of Menuas, he continued the series of conquests initiated by his predecessors. Victorious against Assyria, he conquered the northern part of Syria and made Urartu the most powerful state in the post-Hittite Near East. He also expanded his kingdom north to the Lake Sevan conquering much of Diauehi and the Ararat Valley. Argishtis built the Erebuni Fortress in 782 BC, and the fortress of Argishtikhinili, in 776 BC.

Some linguists believe that the name Argištiše has Indo-European etymology (Armenian, Phrygian or Luwian). Compare Greek Άργέστης – “bright” and Armenian արեգ (translit. areg) – “sun deity”, “sun”.