Tigranes Orontid

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Tigran I Orontid
King of Armenia
Reign 560 BC – 535 BC
Titles Tigran I the Great
Predecessor Orontes I Sakavakyats
Successor Vahagn Orontid
Royal House Van
Dynasty Orontid Dynasty

Tigranes I Orontid the Great (Armenian: Տիգրան Ա Երվանդունի, Tigran I Yervanduni) Armenian King of Orontid Dynasty reigning in the period between 560 BC – 535 BC.

According to Moses of Khorene during the reign of Tigran I Yervanduni (Orontid) the territory of Armenia spread for about 400.000 km2.

Life

Moses calls him "the wisest, most powerful and bravest of Armenian Kings".[1] According to the legend, the king of the Medes, Azhdahak (Astyages) dreamed that Tigran would come to attack him and so plotted to bring about the downfall of him. War commenced however. Tigran killed Azhdahak and then married his widowed wife Anush (Aryenis). Tigran was also said to have been the hunting companion of king Cyrus the Great, founder of Achaemenid Empire. Xenophon mentions the Armenian King Tigranes Orontid in his Cyropaedia. He mentions that he was an ally of Cyrus the Great with whom he hunted. Tigranes paid tribute to Astyages. According to the legend, Tigran was a great archer and was always victorious over Cyrus. The later once decided to organize a tournament with term participants must have drunk 10 cups of wine and shoot after that. Cyrus and Tigran drank wine, but, after that, Cyrus the Great tasted special herb to vanish wine effect, but Tigran had also the same herb. And during the tournament Tigran won again. And after that Cyrus claims: "No, wine can not win such men like us. No matter how much we drink, we do not get drunk. And I miss only two times of four and you didn't miss at all".[2]

According to Herodotus it was Harpagus who overthrew Astyages with Cyrus. Although Cyrus the Great allowed many kings to remain in power by providing tribute to him there.

References

  1. ↑ History of Armenia, Moses of Khorene, http://www.vehi.net/istoriya/armenia/khorenaci/index.html
  2. ↑ Khachatryan, Hayk (2006). 141 Kings of the Armenians. Erevan: Amaras. ISBN 978-99930-1-192-7


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