Artaxata

• the capital of Armenia Major, on the Araxes, now Ardaschad, Juv. 2, 170.

ARTAXATA (Ἀρτάξατα, Ἀρταξιάσατα, Ἀρταξιασώτα: Artaxata sing. and plur., Plin. Nat. 6.10; Juven. 2.170; Tac. Annal. 2.56, 6.32, 13.41, 14.23: Eth. Ἀρταξατηνός), the ancient capital of Armenia, situated on a sort of peninsula formed by the curve of the river Araxes. (Strab. 11. p. 529.) Hannibal, who took refuge at the court of Artaxias when Antiochus was no longer able to protect him, superintended the building of this city, which was so called in honour of Artaxias. (Strab. p. 528; Plut. Luc. 31.) Corbulo, A.D. 58, destroyed the town (Dict. of Biog. s. v. ), which was rebuilt by Tiridates, who gave it the name of Neronia in honour of the Emperor Nero, who had surrendered the kingdom of Armenia to him. (Dio. Cass. 63.7.) The subsequent history, as given by the native historians, will be found in St. Martin (Mém. sur l'Armenie, vol. 1. p. 118). Formerly a mass of ruins called Takt Tiridate (Throne of Tiridates), near the junction of the Aras and the Zengue, were supposed to represent the ancient Artaxata. Col. Monteith (London Geog. Journal, vol. 3. p. 47) fixes the site at a remarkable bend in the river, somewhat lower down than this, at the bottom of which were the ruins of a bridge of Greek or Roman architecture.

(τὰ Ἀρτάξατα). The chief city of Greater Armenia, and the seat of the kings. It was burned by the Roman Corbulo (q.v.), and when rebuilt by Tiridates was named Neronea, in honour of the emperor Nero. See Artaxias.

Armenian royal city founded by king Artaxias I (190-156 B.C.) on the advice of the exiled Hannibal of Carthage. “It is situated on a peninsula-like elbow of land and its walls have the river [Araxes] as protection all round them” (Strab. 11.14.6).

The bed of the Araxes has shifted southwards, leaving the ruins of Artaxata in a “low-lying and rather swampy site” which is ca. 30 km S of the present Armenian capital of Erevan. Chosen primarily for defensive reasons, the site may have become unhealthy quite early in its history since numerous alternative royal cities were established in the near vicinity, notably Garni, 35 km to the NE.

Artaxata was several times invaded by Roman forces. In 68 B.C., Lucullus fought inconclusively in the vicinity. Pompey subsequently defeated Tigranes, and set him up as a client king in Artaxata in 66 B.C. Corbulo captured the city in A.D. 58, and Trajan entered it once again in 114. An inscription of the Fourth Scythian Legion, dating from 116, has been found. Artaxata was still of importance in the 4th and 5th c. Systematic excavations are planned.

C. F. Lehmann-Haupt, Armenien einst und jetzt (1910) 173-76M; D. M. Lang; Armenia, Cradle of Civilization (1970); C. Burney & D. M. Lang, The Peoples of the Hills (1971).