Smbat, Artashes and Artavazd

Smbat was a handsome man — brave and well-built, though somewhat advanced in years, his hair turning grey, yet lively, vigorous, and quick of movement. In both his eyes there were small flecks of red, which shone like precious crimson stones set amid gold and pearl.

Smbat was at the same time prudent and measured in all things; in war, by virtue of his intelligence and foresight, he always emerged victorious.

Word reached Artashes that after the death of the Alan king — Satenik's father — a certain tyrant had seized power, was ruling the Alan land by force, and was persecuting Satenik's brother. Artashes immediately ordered Smbat to go to the Alan land with a large army to aid Satenik's brother.

Smbat marched with his army to the Alan land, defeated and drove the self-proclaimed tyrant from the country's borders, and established Satenik's brother as king over his people. Smbat then campaigned into the lands of the Alans' enemies, laid them waste, took all the inhabitants captive, and brought a great multitude to Artashat. Artashes ordered Smbat's captives to be settled on the south-eastern slopes of Masis, in the province of Shavarshakan, while also leaving upon that province the name of the captives' native homeland — Artaz.

After the death of Arsak, the last king of Persia, Artashes installed Arsak's son, the Persian Artashes, as king over the Persian lands. But the inhabitants of the province called Patijhahar, as well as those dwelling along the shores of the Caspian Sea, refused to submit to him. On this occasion the Caspian land also rose in rebellion against Artashes king of Armenia. Artashes sent Smbat against the rebels with the full strength of the Armenian armies, and himself accompanied them for seven days to see them off.

Smbat brought all the rebels to submission, laid waste the Caspian land, took the greater part of its inhabitants captive along with their king Zardamanos, and brought them to Armenia.

Artashes, duly rewarding Smbat's services, granted him the royal estates in the villages of the province of Goghtn, the Springs of the Camel, and in addition left him the entire spoils of war. On this occasion Artavazd was seized with bitter envy of Smbat and even wished to have him killed, but his intention was discovered and caused great grief to Artashes.

After this incident Smbat prudently relinquished command of the Armenian armies — upon which Artavazd had set his eye — and departed for the regions of Assyria. In his old age Smbat had taken an Assyrian woman as wife, whom he loved dearly, and so preferred to go and dwell in his wife's homeland. By Artashes' order he settled in Tmorik, and established his captives in Alki.

Artashes' Sons

After Smbat's departure, Artashes entrusted the supreme command of the Armenian armies to Artavazd. The brothers, stirred up by their wives, began to envy Artavazd his position. In order to put an end to the quarrel among them, Artashes granted each a separate office. Vruyr, a wise and learned man, he appointed hazarapet and entrusted to him the management of all royal household affairs. Mazhan he appointed high priest of the temple of Aramazd at Ani. He divided the supreme command of the armies into four parts: he left the eastern forces to Artavazd, gave the western forces to Tiran, entrusted the southern forces once again to his foster-father and benefactor Smbat, and gave command of the northern forces to his youngest son Zareh. Zareh was a proud man, passionate about and bold in the hunt, but weak and slow in military affairs. The Georgian king Kartam, well acquainted with this weakness of Zareh, stirred his country to revolt against him, captured Zareh, and imprisoned him in the Caucasus. But Artavazd and Tiran, acting in concert with Smbat, made war against Kartam, freed their brother from captivity, and brought him home.

Smbat Saves Artashes' Sons

Unrest broke out within the Roman Empire. Artashes seized the opportunity, rose in revolt against Rome, and refused to pay tribute.

The emperor Domitian, in his fury, sent an army against Artashes. The Roman forces advanced, reached the vicinity of Caesarea, and drove Tiran with the Armenian western armies all the way back to the great plain of Basen. Artavazd took command of the eastern and northern Armenian forces, gathered all his brothers, and at Basen went out to meet the Romans. During the battle the Armenian forces were pressed into great straits. At that moment Smbat arrived with the southern armies to the brothers' aid, entered the fray, and delivered Artashes' sons from grave danger. In spite of his venerable age, Smbat organized the front with a young man's vigour, fought heroically, won a complete victory, and pursuing the Romans, drove them back to the borders of Caesarea.

Mazhan

Trajan was enthroned in Rome. He first brought the west to order, then turned to the east, again subjugated the Egyptians and Palestinians, and marched his forces against the Persians. Artashes gauged the situation, immediately set out with great gifts to meet Trajan, begged forgiveness for his actions, laid before him the unpaid tributes of previous years, obtained pardon, and returned to Armenia.

When Trajan, having subjugated the Persians, was making his way back through Assyria, Artashes' son the high priest Mazhan came out to meet him and denounced his own brothers.

Mazhan was consumed with spite toward Smbat, who had raised him: on the one hand he wished to take revenge upon him, and on the other he hoped that by removing Tiran he might become commander of the western forces while also retaining the high priesthood.

Trajan, however, dismissed the accusation and sent Mazhan away empty-handed.

When Artavazd and Tiran learned of Mazhan's malicious scheme and conduct, they set a trap for him while hunting, killed him, and, as befitted a high priest, carried him to be buried at Bagavan.

Artashes' Reforms

During the reign of Artashes great and notable achievements came to pass in the land of Armenia. Above all, he built up and increased the population of the country. He brought many peoples of various origins from different lands and resettled them in Armenia's mountains, plains, and valleys. He had all the highland and lowland soils of the country brought under cultivation, and in his day scarcely a patch of uncultivated land remained in Armenia. Artashes demarcated the land boundaries between villages and estates. To establish these boundaries he had square stones hewn, with bowl-shaped hollows cut into their centres, buried them in the earth, and upon fixing stone sockets over them erected square stone pillars.

Artashes established navigation on the lakes and rivers of Armenia, developed agriculture and fishing, had various fishing implements made, and fixed and regulated Armenia's own calendar — that is, the science of dividing the year into its several seasons, months, weeks, and days.

The Death and Burial of Artashes

By order of the Roman emperor Hadrian, Artashes travelled to Persia to meet with him. The meeting took place in Media, at a place called Sohud. But Artashes fell ill at Marand. He sent Abegho, patriarch of the Abeghyan clan, to the temple of Anahit in the town of Eriza in the province of Yekeghyats, to pray to the idols for healing and long life. Before Abegho could return, Artashes died. In his last hours Artashes longed to see the smoke of the home hearth once more, and the morning of Navasard — the ancient Armenian New Year — with its royal ceremonial hunt and festivities. And as he lay dying, he said:

Who would give me the hearth-smoke of home

And the morning of Navasard,

The running of the does and the gallop of the stags:

We sounded the trumpet and beat the drum

As is the custom of kings.

At the time of Artashes' death and burial, many people — his beloved wives, concubines, and intimate servants — voluntarily chose death, unwilling to live without their beloved king. The body of Artashes was accorded magnificent and manifold honours. He was laid in a golden coffin, his body wrapped in a gold-threaded robe, a crown placed upon his head, golden weapons set before him, and his throne and footstool draped with brocade.

At the funeral the bier was surrounded by his sons and a multitude of kinsmen; immediately behind them came the military officers, the patriarchs, the naxarar retinues, and the military detachments generally — all in full armour, as if marching out to battle. In front rang out the bronze trumpets; behind came the black-clad wailing maidens and lamenting women; and last of all came the dense throng of the common people. With such pomp and solemnity did the whole Armenian nation bury its beloved king.