In the history of mankind, a number of rulers put to death hundreds of thousands of human lives for the sake of their own well-being and benefits.
Moreover, those tyrants eliminated not only foreign nations and states but their own people and motherland. Self-sacrifice for the salvation of the nation is an extremely rare phenomenon.
Such an exceptional ruler was Artavazd II (55-34 BC), son of Tigran the Great, the King of Armenia, who mostly adhered to more neutral policy rather than aggressive.
In 53 BC, after the defeat of the Romans in their battle against the Parthians at Carrhae, Artavazd even managed to expand Armenia’s borders to the west, rejoining Sophene and Lesser Armenia.
In 36-34 BC, after initial defeats, the Roman commander Marcus Antonius under the pretext of negotiations managed to lure the Armenian king into his camp in order to arrest and later execute him.
The below documentary covers Artavazd’s life in more details. The film is dedicated to one of the most outstanding figures of Armenian history, the son of Tigran the Great and the King of Armenia Artavazd II. Unfortunately, the film is in Armenian and only has generated subtitles.
ԱՐՏԱՎԱԶԴ Բ. ՊԱՏԻՎԸ՝ ԿՅԱՆՔԻՑ ՎԵՐ
