Cyrus and Tigran – Bosom Friends

According to the Armenian tradition, Persian King Cyrus the Great and Armenian prince Tigran were long-time bosom friends who together defeated the Midian kingdom. Ancient Greek historian, commander, and politician Xenophon (5th-4th centuries BC) has written down the Persian legend about the friendly relations between Cyrus the Great and Armenian prince Tigran.

Xenophon himself at the end of the 5th century BC left his homeland (Athens), settled in the Achaemenid Empire, and lived there for some time. He was quite familiar with this country. He is the author of the biography of Cyrus the Great, Cyropedia, which is a largely fictional work.

In Cyropedia, Xenophon quotes the following Persian tradition: “At the time these events took place, the eldest son of the Armenian king Tigran returned from the places which he had left for. Once, he has gone hunting with Cyrus.

Even in those times when they hunted together, Cyrus knew that Tigran spent a lot of time in the company of some wise man (in the original text referred to as a “sophist”), whom he particularly admired. Therefore, Cyrus was eager to hear what he could say and readily allowed Tigran to say everything he deemed necessary.”

“Nation”, Aris Ghazinyan, book I.