Anak the Parthian

This article is about Anak the Parthian noble, who was the father of Saint Gregory the Illuminator and murdered King Khosrov II of Armenia.

For the figure in the Hebrew Bible said to be the forefather of the Anakites, see Anak.

Anak the Parthian,[1] also known as Anak Pahlavi[2] (flourished 3rd century, died 252[3]) was a Parthian noble who lived during the time of Arsacid Armenia.[4]

Biography

Anak was an Armenian Parthian nobleman,[5] who was a prince[6] said to be related to the Arsacid Kings of Armenia[7] or was from the House of Suren, one of the seven branches of the ruling Arsacid dynasty[8] of Bactria.[9]

Little is known of the life of Anak. He married a Parthian noblewoman called Okohe, who bore him sons. Among their children was Gregory.[10]

Ardashir I and his son, Shapur I, incited Anak[11] to murder King Khosrov II of Armenia, promising to return his own domain as a reward.[12] Ardashir I was alarmed by the military victories that Khosrov II with his late father, Tiridates II of Armenia had won against him,[13] as he wanted to expand the Sassanid Empire and to annex Armenia.

Anak had won the trust of Khosrov II and had travelled to Vagharshapat.[14] When Anak arrived in Vagharshapat he pretended to take refuge in the Armenian dominions from the persecution of Ardashir I.[15] Anak was hospitably received in Vagharshapat by Khosrov II and then stabbed the king in the heart, also killing Khosrov's wife. Anak was furiously pursued by Armenian soldiers, until he drowned in the Aras River.[16]

Family

The Armenian army and nobles were outraged by the death of the reigning King and in turn wreaked their vengeance on the family of Anak.[17][18] The only child to survive from Anak’s family was his infant son Gregory,[19] who was taken to Cappadocia by his former caretakers Sopia and Yevtagh, who had escaped the slaughter of Anak’s family.

Ardashir I took possession of Armenia for himself and it became a part of his empire.[20] Troops loyal to Khosrov II, had his son, Tiridates III, taken to Rome for protection[21] where Tiridates III was raised and his daughter Khosrovidkuht was taken to be raised in Caesarea Mazaca, Cappadocia.[22] The foster parents of Khosrovidukht were Awtay, a nobleman from the family of the Amatunik, and Awtay’s wife, a noblewoman whose name is unknown, who was from the family of the Slkunik.[23]

References

  1. ↑ Chahin, The Kingdom of Armenia: A History, p.218
  2. ↑ Chahin, The Kingdom of Armenia: A History, p.218
  3. ↑ Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.218
  4. ↑ Terian, Patriotism And Piety In Armenian Christianity: The Early Panegyrics On Saint Gregory, p.50
  5. ↑ Agat’angeghos, History of the Armenians, p.xxvii
  6. ↑ Kurkjian, A History of Armenia, p.270
  7. ↑ Kurkjian, A History of Armenia, p.270
  8. ↑ Terian, Patriotism And Piety In Armenian Christianity: The Early Panegyrics On Saint Gregory, p.106
  9. ↑ Kurkjian, A History of Armenia, p.97
  10. ↑ Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.72
  11. ↑ Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.p.72&218
  12. ↑ Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.72
  13. ↑ Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.72
  14. ↑ Ghazarian, The Armenian Kingdom in Cilicia During the Crusades: The Integration of Cilician Armenians With the Latins, 1080-1393, p.173
  15. ↑ Milman, The history of Christianity, from the birth of Christ to the abolition of paganism in the Roman Empire, p.276
  16. ↑ Milman, The history of Christianity, from the birth of Christ to the abolition of paganism in the Roman Empire, p.276
  17. ↑ Milman, The history of Christianity, from the birth of Christ to the abolition of paganism in the Roman Empire, p.276
  18. ↑ Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.72
  19. ↑ Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.72
  20. ↑ Agat’angeghos, History of the Armenians, p.xxvii
  21. ↑ Ghazarian, The Armenian Kingdom in Cilicia During the Crusades: The Integration of Cilician Armenians With the Latins, 1080-1393, p.173
  22. ↑ Eghiayean, Heroes of Hayastan: a dramatic novel history of Armenia, p.191
  23. ↑ Dodgeon, The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars AD 226-363, p.270

Sources