Artavasdes is a masculine personal name of Iranian origin that was widely used among the royalty and nobility of ancient Armenia, Media Atropatene, and neighboring Hellenistic realms from the 3rd century BC through the early 1st century AD. The name appears in classical sources in various Hellenized forms (e.g., Artabazēs, Artabazes) and in Armenian orthography as Արտավազդ.
Etymology
The name derives from the Old Iranian R̥tavazdā (also reconstructed as Arta‑vāzda), a compound of:
- ar(t)a‑ “truth, righteousness, order” (cognate with Avestan aṧa and Sanskrit ṛta), and
- ‑vāzda “given, bestowed”.
Consequently, Artavasdes is commonly interpreted as “given by truth” or “gift of righteousness.” The Greek transliterations preserve the element ‑vas‑ for the Iranian ‑vaz‑.
Historical Bearers
| Name | Title / Position | Reign / Activity | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artavasdes I | King of Media Atropatene | c. 56 – 20 BC | Atropatene (northwestern Iran) |
| Artavasdes I | King of Armenia (also called Artaxias I) | c. 190 – 159 BC | Armenia |
| Artavasdes II | King of Armenia | 55 – 34 BC | Armenia |
| Artavasdes III | King of Armenia (also known as Artaxias III) | 12 – 20 AD | Armenia |
| Artavasdes IV | King of Media Atropatene (also known as Artavasdes I of Atropatene) | c. 20 – 30 AD | Atropatene |
These individuals are documented in a range of classical sources, including the works of Strabo, Plutarch, Cassius Dio, and Armenian historians such as Movses Khorenatsi. Their reigns were marked by interactions with the Roman Republic/Empire, the Parthian Empire, and other Hellenistic states, often involving diplomatic marriages, military alliances, and conflicts.
Cultural and Linguistic Significance
The recurrent use of Artavasdes among ruling houses indicates the prestige attached to its Iranian etymological meaning, reflecting the cultural diffusion of Iranian royal nomenclature into Armenian and Anatolian elite circles. The name also appears in epigraphic evidence, such as coin legends and royal inscriptions, where it is rendered in Greek letters (e.g., Ἀρτάβασδος) or in local scripts.
Modern Usage
The name survives in modern Armenian as a historical reference and is occasionally revived in literary or scholarly contexts. It is not commonly used as a contemporary personal name.
See Also
- Armenian royal titulature – Overview of naming conventions among Armenian monarchs.
- Media Atropatene – Historical region where several Artavasdes figures ruled.
- Old Iranian languages – Linguistic background for the name’s components.
References
- Chaumont, M. L. “Armenia and Iran”. In Encyclopaedia Iranica.
- Russell, J. R. Armenian and Parthian Dynastic Interrelations. Cambridge University Press, 1990.
- Strabo, Geographica, Book 11.
- Plutarch, Life of Antony.
- H. R. Gammel, Coinage and Politics in the Early Roman Empire, vol. II, 1973.