T H E    A R T A X I A D    D Y N A S T Y

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)
Tigran IV and Queen Erato (8-1 AD)
Artavazd III (1-4 AD)
Artavazd IV (4-6 AD)
Tigran V (6 AD)
Queen Erator (restored to the throne, 6-11 AD)
Artashes III (18-34 AD)
Tigran VI (60-61)
 

A CLASSICAL RELIEF OF ARMENIAN WARRIORS

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...

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

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

QUEEN ERATO AND KING TIGRANES V (6 AD). OBVERSE SHOWS THE
HOLY TWIN PEAK MOUNT ARARAT - THE VERY SYMBOL OF ARMENIA.

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

MOTHER AR.ME.NIA. ROMAN MEDALLION PROCLAIMING
ARMENIA [MITHRAIC GARB AND HEAD SIMILAR TO THE BUST OF
GODDESS ANAHIT] AS THE COUNTRY OF PROVIDENCE.

ARTAXIAD QUEEN ON A MEDALLION FROM CAPITAL ARTAXATA.

COIN OF KING ARTASHES [ARTAXIAS] II (30-20 BC).

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.

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

COIN OF ARSAMES I. 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 ABDISSARES [AVETIS OF AR]. 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].

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.

COIN OF ARSAMES II.

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