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THE MITHRAIC DEVOTEE - KING OF KINGS TIGRANES THE GREAT WHO WITHIN HIS
OWN LIFETIME FORGED A HUGE EMPIRE BASED ON HIGH CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION.
COUNTLESS ANTIQUE HISTORIANS HAVE NOTED THE UNSURPASSED GRANDEUR OF
EMPEROR'S COURT AS WELL AS THE VERY SYMBOL OF HIS MITHRAIC REIGN THE
BREATHTAKINGLY LAVISH SOLAR CROWN. RECREATED BY THE TALENTED
ARTIST ROBERT HAZARAPETYAN.

THE FOUNDER OF THE ARTAXIAD DYNASTY - ARTAXIAS THE MERCIFUL
[REIGNED - 189-160 BC] BY ROBERT HAZARAPETYAN. 

Artashes I the Merciful (189-160)
Artavazd I (160-115)
Tigran I (115-95)
Tigran II the Great (95-55)
Artavazd II (55-34)
Artashes II (30-20)
Tigran III (20-8)
Artavazd III (5-2)
Tigran IV and Queen Erato (8-1 AD)
Artavazd IV (4-6 AD)
Tigran V (6 AD)
Queen Erato (restored to the throne, 6-11 AD)
Artashes III (18-34 AD) [non-dynastic]
Tigran VI (60-62) [non-dynastic]

COIN OF THE FOUNDER OF THE ARTAXIAD DYNASTY ARTAXIAS I THE MERCIFUL.

G. FUSARO. GENERAL GISAK SAVES ARTAXIAS' LIFE DURING A BATTLE AGAINST
THE FORCES OF KING ORONTAS IV. THE GENERAL TAKES A MORTAL HIT TO HIS FACE
FROM ONE OF THE SOLDIERS OF THE LAST ORONTID KING. THE WOUNDED ARTAXIAS
RALLIES HIS FORCES AND SUCCESSFULLY PLACES HIMSELF UPON THE THRONE OF
GREATER ARMENIA, MARKING THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW ARTAXIAD DYNASTY.

G. FUSARO. ARTAXIAS WINS OVER THE FORCES OF KING ORONTAS IV.

G. FUSARO. CORONATION OF ARTAXIAS I BY SMBAT BAGRATID. IN ANTIQUITY THE
BAGRATIDS HELD THE HONORARY POSITION OF THE CROWNERS OF MONARCHS -
ONLY TO RESTORE THE KINGDOM IN THE IXTH CENTURY OF COMMON ERA UNDER
THEIR OWN DYNASTIC TUTELAGE.

G. FUSARO. ARTAXIAS I PROPOSES TO THE ALAN PRINCESS SAT‘ENIK.

GIUSEPPE CANELLA (1788-1847). THE INTERNMENT  OF ARTAXIAS THE MERCIFUL.

DETAIL.

DETAIL.


ARTAVASDES I - SON AND SUCCESSOR OF ARTAXIAS I. ACCORDING TO THE SONGS
OF THE GUSANS [TROUBADOURS] OF GOŁT‘N ARTAVASDES I ON THE DEATHBED OF
HIS FATHER LAMENTED THAT 'YOU HAVE LEFT US AND TOOK ALL WITH YOU,
HOW AM I TO RULE UPON THESE RUINS' FOR WHICH ARTAXIAS CURSES HIM TO BE
ENTRAPPED IN THE CLIFFS OF MOUNT MASIS. THE CURSE COMES TO PASS DURING
ONE OF THE ROYAL HUNTS ON THE SLOPES OF THE HOLY MOUNTAIN. THE GROUND
OPENS BENEATH HIS HORSE AND ARTAVASDES SINKS IN ONE OF THE CLIFFS BELOW.
ACCORDING TO THE SONGS OF THE GUSANS AS RECORDED BY χORĒNAC‘I, ARTAVASDES
IS STILL CHAINED IN ONE OF THE CAVES OF MASIS WITH TWO DOGS WHO ETERNALLY
CHEW THE CHAINS IN ORDER TO BREAK HIM FREE SO ARTAVASD CAN COME OUT AND
"PUT AN END TO THE WORLD." HOWEVER, THE BLACKSMITHS FOREVER SEAL THE
FAITH OF THE KING BY HITTING THEIR ANVILS ON EVERY TUESDAY WHICH MAKES
THE CHAINS BINDING THE DETHRONED KING ONLY STRONGER.

COIN OF ARTAVASDES I (160-115). OBVERSE:
BUST OF DRAPED KING FACING WEARING ARMENIAN CROWN
FACING RIGHT. REVERSE: BEE.

COIN OF TIGRANES I (115 TO 95 BC).

THE ROYAL STANDARD OF THE ARTAXIAD DYNASTY - TWO GOLDEN EAGLES
FACING THE EIGHT-POINTED STAR OF VICTORY. THIS SYMBOL WAS PROMINENTLY
FEATURED ON THE IMPERIAL TIARA OF THE KING OF KINGS TIGRANES THE GREAT.

TETRADRACHM OF THE KING OF KINGS TIGRANES II THE GREAT.
OBVERSE: DIADEMED HEAD OF DRAPED TIGRANES THE GREAT
FACING RIGHT, WEARING EIGHT-POINTED ARMENIAN TIARA
WITH TWO EAGLES FACING THE EIGHT-POINTED STAR.

TETRADRACHM OF THE KING OF KINGS TIGRANES II THE GREAT.
REVERSE: GODDESS OF FORTUNE TYCHE SEATED RIGHT ON ROCKS,
HOLDING PALM; BELOW, RIVER-GOD ORONTES SWIMMING RIGHT.
 

ARAMAZD [L] SKY GOD THE FATHER. MIHR [R] -- MITHRAS THE SON. THE HOLY
TRINITY CANNOT BE COMPLETED WITHOUT THE GREAT MOTHER GODDESS
ANAHIT WHOSE HUGE ENTHRONED STATUE WAS LINED UP WITH THOSE
OF ARAMAZD AND MIHR IN THE SACRED ORONTID-ARTAXIAD HOLY PANTHEON
ON NEMRUD [NEMRUT/NIMROD] MOUNTAIN. FIRST HALF OF FIRST CENTURY BC.
NOTE THE CONIC HATS OF DIVINE PSYCHIC POWER WITH THE UPSIDE DOWN 'T'...

G R E A T E R    A R M E N I A    C I R C A  8 0  B C.
 

ARTAXIAD COAT OF ARMS PROMINENTLY VISIBLE ON THE
ROYAL ARMENIAN CROWN OF THE ERA - DEPICTED ON THE COINS
OF THE KINGS AND QUEENS OF THE ROYAL HOUSE OF ARTAXIAS.
TWO EAGLES FACING [RIGHT AND LEFT...] THE EIGHT-POINTED STAR.
 

ARMENIAN CATAPHRACTS OF THE FIRST CENTURY BC. HEAVILY ARMED AND
HEAVILY ARMORED ARMENIAN CAVALIERS OF THE AYRUDZI THAT WERE THE
CORE OF THE KING OF KINGS' IMPERIAL FORCES.



THE ARMENIAN EMPIRE OF METSN TIGRAN AND ALLIED KINGDOMS ENCOMPASSED
A HUGE LAND MASS OF SOME 3 MILLION SQUARE KILOMETERS ACROSS THREE
CONTINENTS...
 

ARTAVASDES II. (55-34 BC) SON AND SUCCESSOR OF
KING OF KINGS TIGRAN [TIGRANES] THE GREAT WEARING THE IMPERIAL
ARMENIAN CROWN WITH THE ARTAXIAD INSIGNIA [TWO FLANKING EAGLES
FACING THE EIGHT-SPOKE SUN]. THE TRIANGULAR TIPS [CAPPED WITH A SPHERE]
ON TOP OF THE CROWN SYMBOLIZED THE SUN-KING THE MATERIAL EMBODIMENT
OF THE SOLAR DEITY, WHILE THE TASSELS STOOD FOR THE GLORY OF THE
MONARCH.

COIN OF ARTAVASDES II. (55-34 BC) OBVERSE FEATURES
THE SUN KING WITH THE ARMENIAN CROWN WITHIN
THE LAUREL REEF OF GLORY.

COIN OF  ARTAVASDES II. REVERSE FEATURES THE
GODDESS OF VICTORY. NOTE THE IΔ MARKINGS.
 

GOLDEN REEF OF GLORY FROM ARTAXATA. III-I CENTURY BC.

COIN OF ARTAXIAS II (30-20 BC). CHALC, HEAD RIGHT,
WEARING ARMENIAN TIARA WITH STAR.

COIN OF TIGRANES III (20-8 BC), Æ 2 CHALKOS. HEAD RIGHT, WEARING
ARMENIAN TIARA WITH STAR/ HORSE TO LEFT.

COIN OF ERATO AND TIGRANES IV  (8-1 AD). CHALKOS. ARTAXATA MINT.
HEAD RIGHTS, WEARING ARMENIAN TIARAS/LION TO LEFT.

COIN OF ARTAVASDES III (5-2 BC).

COIN OF ARTAVASDES IV (4-6 AD).

COIN OF ERATO AND KING TIGRANES V (6 AD) [SECOND REIGN OF
ERATO AFTER HER RESTORATION TO THE THRONE IN 6 AD]. OBVERSE SHOWS THE
HOLY TWIN PEAK MOUNT ARARAT - THE VERY SYMBOL OF ARMENIA.

COIN OF TIGRANES V (6 AD).

COIN OF ARTAXIAS III (18-32 AD), ARTAXATA MINT.

COIN OF TIGRANES VI (60-62 AD).

COIN OF TIGRANES VI (66-67 AD). AFTER RESTORATION.

MOTHER ARMENIA DEPICTED IN NATIONAL MITHRAIC GARB
HOLDING THE DIVINE SCEPTER AND BUNDLE OF RODS.
FIRST CENTURY AD ROMAN RELIEF IN NAPLES.
 

STATUE OF ASTŁIK. ARTAXATA. SECOND CENTURY BC.

ARTAXIAD QUEEN ON A MEDALLION FROM CAPITAL ARTAXATA.

GOLDEN EARRINGS.

COIN OF KING TIGRANES VI AND THE ARMENIAN QUEEN (60-61 AD).
REVERSE SHOWS THE CHERISHED ARMENIAN STEED - THE VERY
SYMBOL OF THE ARMENIAN NOBILITY.

GOLDEN REEF OF GLORY. ARTAXATA. III-I CENTURY BC.

VIRTUES OF THE CLASSICAL WORLD WERE THE GUIDING FORCE OF
ARTAXIAD ARMENIA.

SILVER BOWL FROM NOBLE'S TOMB. SISEAN. FIRST CENTURY BC.

LIST OF THE MONARCHS OF THE ARMENIAN KINGDOM OF
SOPHENE-COMMAGENE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF ORONTID ARMENIA
AND FOR A SHORT PERIOD WAS CUT-OFF FROM ARMENIA AFTER
INTERVENTION BY THE SELEUCIDS ONLY TO BE REUNITED WITH
GREATER ARMENIA DURING THE REIGN OF THE KING OF KINGS.
KING SAMES FOUNDED THE CITIES OF SAMOSATA AND SAMOCERTA.

Sames (ca. 255-240 BC)
Arsames I (ca. 240-230 BC)
Charaspes (ca. 230 BC)
Arsames II (ca. 230 BC)
Xerxes (ca. 220-210 BC)
Abdissares (ca. 210-200 BC)
Zariardes (200-185 BC)
Morphilig (ca. 185-180 BC)
Arcadias (180-170 BC)
Meruzhan (170-140 BC)
Artanes 140-94 BC)

COIN OF SAMES (255-240 BC). THE FOUNDER OF THE KINGDOM OF SOPHENE.

COIN OF ARSAMES I (240-230 BC). KING WEARING THE ARMENIAN TIARA
WITH DIADEM ON THE OTHER SIDE ARMENIAN HORSEMAN FIGHTING
OFF TWO FOOT SOLDIERS WITH A FALLEN FOOTMAN UNDER HORSE.

COIN OF ARSAMES I.

COIN OF CHARASPES (ca. 230).

COIN OF ARSAMES II (230 BC).

COIN OF XERXES (220-210 BC).

COIN OF ABDISSARES (210-200 BC). THE KING WEARING THE ARMENIA
FOLDED TIARA, DIADEM WITH A RIBBON OF GLORY HANGING BEHIND. THE
TIARA IS IN THE FORM OF THE MITRE OF EA-HAYA [FISH HEAD THAT LATER
WAS TO BECOME THE PATRIARCHAL HEADDRESS]. ON THE OTHER
SIDE EAGLE STANDING LEFT, WINGS CLOSED, WITH INSCRIPTION
ON RIGHT BASI[LEOS] AND LEFT ABDISS [AROY].

COIN OF ZARIADRES (200-185 BC).

ARMENIAN KINGDOM OF COMMAGENE [ARM. KAMAX]
THE ORONTID HOUSE RULED THE KINGDOM OF COMMAGENE
WHEN IT PERIODICALLY BROKE OFF AND WAS INTERCHANGEABLY
INTO THE KINGDOM OF ARMENIA FROM 163 BC TO 72 AD WHEN
THE ROMAN EMPIRE CONQUERED THE ARMENIAN REGION AND
INCORPORATED IT INTO PAX ROMANA. COMMAGENE WAS
MENTIONED BY ITS ARMENIAN NAME AS KAMUXU IN
THE ASSYRIAN CUNEIFORM INSCRIPTIONS.

COIN OF QUEEN IOTAPE (38-72).

COIN OF QUEEN IOTAPE (38-72) OF ARMENIAN KINGDOM OF COMMAGENE.
WIFE OF ANTIOCHUS IV. OBVERSE: VEILED HEAD FACING RIGHT.

REVERSE: THE SUN GOD MITHRAS AS YOUTH, SHOOTING BOW-AND-ARROW.