#argishti

[araratahayacq]

Ничего в этой жизни не дается легко. Чтобы достичь своих целей необходимо идти на определенные жертвы — тратить свои силы, время, ограничивать себя в чем-либо. Иногда бывают моменты, когда хочется все бросить и отказаться от мечты. В такие моменты вспомните, как много вы получите, если пойдете дальше и как много потеряете, если сдадитесь. Цена успеха, как правило, меньше, чем цена неудачи.

[armenianhighland]

Արգիշտի Ա Argishti I of Ararat Argishti I was the sixth known king of The Kingdom of Ararat. Called Urartu by some historians. reigning from 785 BC to 763 BC. He founded the citadel of Erebuni in 782 BC. Which now is the Capital of Armenia. He is described by many historians as one of the greatest Armenian kings. Argishti was the son of Menua who started several defensive campaigns against aggresive neigboring countries like the Neo-Assyrian empire and Scythia, He developed the kingdom by creating a more centralised administrative structure, founding several towns and fortresses. Menua enlarged the kingdom and left many inscriptions. He also developed a canal and irrigation system that stretched across the kingdom. Several of these canals are still in use in Armenia today.

Argishti I who was the heir and successor of Menua continued the several campaigns his father had started, and he did it in a way that would make the Kingdom of Ararat the most powerful kingdom of the Near East and one of the most powerful in the world.

Argishti was responsible for orchestrating major Armenian (Araratian) counter-offensives against the invading Assyrians. His forces drove the Assyrians back across the Armenian border and deep into the Assyrian heartlands, reconquering major towns and cities around Lake Urmia, including Mushashir, Ushnu, and Tepe, and conquering the territory as far south as the city of Nimud on the Tigris River and the entire northern part of Syria. He also conqoured regions north of Armenia, such as  a region that was recorded as Zabakha in 785 BC in Araratian sources. now called Javakhk. He also deafeted the Caucasian tribes of Diauehi and annexed it into Armenia. He founded the Erebuni Fortress in 782 BC, current capital of Armenia. and the fortress of Argishtikhinili in 776 BC, located in Armavir.

Ronald Grigor Suny writes how Argishti played a crucial role in forming identity and structure of the future Caucasian Kingdoms in his book "The Making of the Georgian Nation"

“In ancient times Greater Armenia ruled the whole of Asia, after it broke up the empire of the Syrians, but later, in the time of Astyages, it was deprived of that great authority by Cyrus and the Persians, although it continued to preserve much of its ancient dignity”

— Strabo, Book XI, Chapter 13

These victories forced the Assyrians to accept a long lasting peace and cede large tracts of territory north of the Tigris. The remainder of Argishti's long reign was characterized by a "Golden Age", a period of a long lasting peace and economic prosperity in Armenia which carried into the reigns of Argishti's two successors, his son Rusa II and his grandson Sarduri III.

[armenianhighland]

Helmet of the Armenian king Sarduri II found at Karmir Blur near Teishebaini. The inscription on the helmet reads: "Sarduri, son of Argishti dedicates this helmet to God Ḫaldi"