Satenik

Satenik
King Artaxias I meets Princess Satenik, his future Queen
Artaxias I
Issue	Artavasdes I of Armenia Tigranes I
House	Artaxiad

Satenik (Armenian: Սաթենիկ) was the name of the princess who married Artashes, the king of Armenia. Their love story, known as Artashes and Satenik, is presented by the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi in his History of Armenia. Movses noted that the story, which he directly quotes from, was a well-known epic during his time among the common people of Armenia told by traveling storytellers and minstrels. Satenik is a popular feminine name among Armenians today.

Artashes, whose name is also seen in the Greek form as Artaxias, had risen to throne of Armenia in around 189 BC and was recognized as such by both Rome and Parthia. The invasion of the Kingdom of Armenia by the Alans during the reign of King Artashes I (189–160 BC) serves as the backdrop of the romantic tale between Artashes and Satenik. Following their conquering of the lands of Georgia, the Alans moved further southwards, crossing the Kura River and, effectively, into Armenia. Artashes gathered a large force to meet the Alanian threat and a fierce war took place between the two sides, resulting in the capture of the young son of the Alanian king. The Alanians were forced to retreat back to the Kur river and there they set up a base camp on the northern side of the river. Meanwhile, Artashes' army pursued them and established their camp on the southern side of the Kur. The Alanian king asked for an eternal peace treaty to be concluded between his people and the Armenians and promised to give Artashes anything he wanted so long as he would release his son, but the Armenian king refused to do so.

At this time, Satenik came near the shore and, through an interpreter, called on Artashes to release her brother:

Որ յաղթեցեր քաջ ազգին Ալանաց,
Ե՛կ հաւանեա՛ց բանից աչագեղոյ դստերս Ալանաց՝
Տալ զպատանիդ.
Զի վասն միոյ քինու ոչ է օրէն դիւցազանց՝
Այլոց դիւցազանց զարմից բառնալ զկենդանութիւն.
Կամ ծառայեցուցանելով ի ստրկաց կարգի պահել,
Եւ թշնամութիւն յաւիտենական
Ի մէջ երկոցունց ազգաց քաջաց հաստատել»