Satenik

Satenik (Old Armenian: Սաթենիկ, romanized: Sat῾enik; also spelled Սաթինիկ Sat῾inik) was an Alanian princess who, according to Armenian tradition, married Artashes, the king of Armenia. The Artashes in the tradition is identified with the 2nd-century BC king Artaxias I, although it is generally believed that the real historical basis for the story came from the invasion of Armenia by the Alans in the 1st century AD, during the reign of Tiridates I. The story of Artashes and Satenik forms a part of the ancient Armenian epic known as Vipasank῾, fragments of which are presented by the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi in his History of Armenia. Movses notes 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.^[1] The name and character of Satenik are connected with Satana, a figure in the folklore of the Ossetians and other peoples of the North Caucasus.

Name

The name Satenik or Satinik (both versions appear in different manuscripts of Movses Khorenatsi's history)^[2] has the same ending as the Armenian feminine names like Varsenik and Nazenik. Hrachia Acharian tentatively suggests a derivation from the Armenian word sat῾ 'amber'.^[3] D. Lavrov was the first scholar to note the similarity between the names of Satenik and Satana, the heroine of the North Caucasian Nart sagas.^[4] Variants of the name Satana exist in various Caucasian languages. Harold W. Bailey compared the name with Avestan sātar- 'ruling woman'.^[5] Others have compared it with the Scytho-Sarmatian name Satti(o)nos.^[6][a] Sonja Fritz and Jost Gippert propose a connection with the Scythian name Xarthanos, which is thought to derive from the Iranian word *xšathra- 'rule'. Satana, however, cannot be the inherited Ossetian form of a name deriving from *xšathra- because of phonological rules; it must have been re-borrowed from another language where the cluster -rt- was replaced with -t-. According to this theory, the older form of the name is reflected in the form Sart῾enik, which appears in one manuscript of Khorenatsi, and the Shapsug Adyghe name for Satana, Sərtənay. Armenian Sa(r)t῾enik can be derived from a variation of a name with the root *xšathra- (with a suffix, *xšathriĭān), leading to *sa(r)tean-, which is appended with the Armenian diminutive suffix -ik to produce Sa(r)t῾enik.^[7]

Historicity

Khorenatsi describes Satenik as a historical figure but notes the existence of popular myths about her. Manuk Abeghian considers the stories about Satenik and Artashes to be part of the Armenian folk epic called Vipasank῾. Vasily Abaev postulates the existence of an Armeno-Alanian epic cycle, of which Satenik was one of the characters. Georges Dumézil thought the legends about Satenik to be an entirely fictional cycle of an ancient Armenian epic. It has been suggested that the Alans who settled in the Artaz province of Armenia contributed to the creation of the character of Satenik.^[8]

Different historical Armenian kings are often conflated with one another in the Armenian epic tradition. The Artashes in the story of Artashes and Satenik is identified with Artaxias I (r. 189 – 159 BC), who built the capital of Artaxata and founded the Artaxiad dynasty.^[9] However, it is generally accepted that the real historical archetype for the character of Artashes in the legend of Artashes and Satenik was the later, 1st-century Armenian king Tiridates I.^[10] An invasion of Armenia by the Alans in the 1st century AD is recorded by Josephus, who writes that the Armenian king Tiridates narrowly escaped capture by the Alans in battle. The epic cycle regarding Artashes and Satenik may have been composed on the basis of this historical event, with the earlier Armenian king Artashes being substituted for Tiridates in the epic.^[11]

Scholars also note the similarities between Satenik and another Alanian princess who married an Armenian king, Ashkhen, who was the wife of the 4th-century king Tiridates III, who converted his kingdom to Christianity. In Khorenatsi's history, both Artashes and Tiridates send a man named Smbat to bring the Alanian princess to them.^[b] The name Ashkhen is thought to derive from the Ossetian noun æxsin 'lady'. The Ossetian Satana is often referred to by the epithet æxsīn(æ). It has been suggested that Khorenatsi was drawing from the same information when writing about the two princesses,^[13] or that the royal couples of Artashes/Tiridates I–Satenik and Tiridates III–Ashkhen were conflated in the legends.^[10] Fritz and Gippert conclude that the historical nucleus of the information on Satenik in the Armenian sources is "[c]ertainly not much more than the legendary tradition about a young Alan lady named Satʿenik and/or Ašxēn who was married, under unusual circumstances, to an Armenian king named Tiridates/Trdat."^[14]

Parallels with Caucasian Satana

Scholars have noted numerous parallels between the legend of Artashes and Satenik and the traditions regarding the North Caucasian heroine Satana. Variants of Satana's name appear in nearly all of the epic traditions of the peoples of the Caucasus, except for Dagestan.^[8] Scholars believe Satana to have been the main goddess of the Alans.^[15] Both Satenik and Satana appear in stories in which they are subjected to bride-kidnapping: Satenik by Artashes, and Satana by her brother-husband Uryzmaeg. Both characters are involved in stories of adultery: Satenik with Artashes' rival Argavan, and Satana with Safa. In the Armenian epic, Artashes and Satenik's son Artavazd fights Argavan, who was plotting to lure Artashes using a feast; in the Nart sagas, the Narts plot to kill Uryzmaeg at a feast, but he is saved by his nephew on Satana's orders.^[16] In one widespread story from the Nart sagas, a shepherd sees Satana from across a river and falls in love with her. Unable to cross the river, he leaves his semen on a nearby rock. Satenik realizes this and later returns to open the stone, finding her son Soslan-Sosruko. This is reminiscent of the story of Artashes seeing Satenik from across a river and being enchanted by her beauty.^[17]

Legend

The story of Artashes and Satenik is presented by Movses Khorenatsi as follows. After conquering part of Iberia, the Alans moved further southwards, crossing the Kura River into Armenia.^[18] King Artashes of Armenia 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 Alans were forced to retreat back to the Kura River and camped on the northern side of the river. Meanwhile, Artashes' army pursued them and established their camp on the southern side of the Kura.^[19] The Alanian king sued for peace and offered an eternal alliance between his people and the Armenians, promising to give Artashes anything he wanted for the release of his son, but the Armenian king refused to do so.^[18]

At this time, Satenik came near the shore and, through an interpreter, called on Artashes to release her brother:^[20]

Original Classical Armenian Քեզ ասեմ, այր քաջ Արտաշէս, 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։

Transliteration (Hübschmann-Meillet) K῾ez asem, ayr k῾aǰ Artašēs, Or yałt῾ec῾er k῾aǰ azgin Alanac῾, Ek hawaneac῾ banic῾ ač῾agełoy dsters Alanac῾ Tal zpatanid. Zi vasn mioy k῾inu oč῾ ē crēn diwc῾azanc῾ Ayloc῾ diwc῾azanc῾ zarmic῾ baṙnal zkendanut῾iwn. Kam caṙayec῾uc῾anelov i strkac῾ kargi pahel, Ew t῾šnamut῾iwn yawitenakan I mēǰ erkoc῾unc῾ azgac῾ k῾aǰac῾ hastatel։

English translation I say to you, brave man Artashes, Who has defeated the brave Alan people; Come, consent to the request of the beautiful-eyed Alan princess To return the youth. For it is unbecoming of heroes for the sake of vengeance To destroy the lives of the progeny of other heroes Or by subjecting them to keep them in enslavement, So that two valiant peoples Are consigned to perpetual enmity.

 

Painting of Artashes and Satenik at the Kura River, by Zabelle C. Boyajian.

Hearing these words, Artashes traveled down to the river and, upon seeing Satenik, was immediately captivated by her beauty.^[20] Artashes called for one of his close military commanders, Smbat Bagratuni, and, confessing his desire for Satenik, expressed his willingness to conclude the treaty with the Alans and ordered Smbat to bring her to him. Smbat dispatched messengers to the Alanian king, who gave the following reply:

Original Classical Armenian Եւ ուստի տացէ քաջն Արտաշէս հազարս ի հազարաց եւ բիւրս ի բիւրուց ընդ քաջազգւոյ կոյս օրիորդիս Ալանաց։

Transliteration Ew usti tac῾ē k῾aǰn Artašēs hazars i hazarac῾ ew biwrs i biwruc῾ ənd k῾aǰazgwoy koys ōriordis Alanac῾։

English translation And whence shall brave Artashes give thousands upon thousands and tens of thousands upon tens of thousands for the maiden of the brave Alan people?

Artashes instead sought to abduct Satenik:^[21]

Original Classical Armenian Հեծաւ արի արքայն Արտաշէս ի սեաւն գեղեցիկ, Եւ հանեալ զոսկէօղ շիկափոկ պարանն, Եւ անցեալ որպէս զարծուի սրաթեւ ընդ գետն, Եւ ձգեալ զոսկէօղ շիկափոկ պարանն Ընկէց ի մէջք օրիորդին Ալանաց. Եւ շատ ցաւեցոյց զմէջք փափուկ օրիորդին, Արագ հասուցանելով ի բանակն իւր:

Transliteration Hecaw ari ark῾ayn Artašēs i seawn gełec῾ik, Ew haneal zoskēōł šikap῾ok parann, Ew anc῾eal orpēs zarcui srat῾ew ənd getn, Ew jgeal zoskēōł šikap῾ok parann Ənkēc῾ i mēǰk῾ ōriordin Alanac῾. Ew šat c῾awec῾oyc῾ zmēǰk῾ p῾ap῾uk ōriordin, Arag hasuc῾anelov i banakn iwr:

English translation Brave King Artashes mounted his handsome black [horse], And taking out a red leather rope studded with golden rings, And crossing the river like a sharp-winged eagle, And throwing his red leather rope studded with golden rings, Cast it upon the waist of the Alanian maiden, And greatly hurt the delicate maiden's waist, Quickly taking her back to his camp.

Khorenatsi considers this passage to be allegorical and writes that, rather than capturing Satenik with a "red leather rope studded with golden rings," Artashes actually paid as a bride price vast amounts of gold and red leather, the latter of which was highly valued by the Alans.^[22] According to another interpretation, the passage is not allegorical and is a literal account of bride abduction,^[23] which was considered more honorable during this period than formal acquiescence.^[18]

The two kings concluded a peace treaty, and a lavish and magnificent wedding took place.^[18] Movses, quoting from the epic, writes that during the wedding a "golden shower rained down" on Artashes and a "pearl shower" rained down on Satenik. It was a popular tradition among the Armenian king, according to Movses, to stand in front of the entrance of a temple and scatter money and to shower the queen's bedroom with pearls.^[18][24] Satenik became the first among Artashes' wives;^[24] that is, she was considered queen of Armenia.^[25] They had six sons: Artavazd,^[c] Vrоyr, Mazhan, Zareh, Tiran and Tigran.^[28]

The later relationship between Artashes and Satenik remains largely unknown.^[29] Earlier in History of Armenia, Khorenatsi writes that, according to the songs of Goghtn, Satenik had fallen in love with Argavan, who is described as a descendant of a race of dragons (vishaps in Armenian).^[30][d] The remainder of the story that was sung by the minstrels is not recorded by Khorenatsi and is believed to be lost.^[29]

Later references

Later references to the story of Satenik in Armenian sources appear to rely on Khorenatsi's account directly or indirectly. The story of Satenik's marriage to Artashes is mentioned by the c. 10th-century historians Ukhtanes and Movses Kaghankatvatsi; the latter confuses the Alans (alank῾) for the Caucasian Albanians (ałuank῾). It is also rendered in six verses in the poetic history of Nerses the Gracious.^[32] At some point, Artashes and Satenik became associated with the tradition regarding the Christian saints Oski and Sukias, who were said to be pupils of the apostle Thaddeus. Versions of this tradition appear in the histories of Ukhtanes, Catholicos Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi and Tovma Artsruni.^[33]

Notes

1. For a survey of other proposed etymologies, see Dalalyan 2006.
2. Khorenatsi and an earlier Armenian historian Agathangelos, who also mentions Ashkhen, say nothing about her Alanian origin. Later Armenian sources do, possibly because of a confusion with Satenik.^[12]
3. The historical Artavazd I, Artashes' successor, but mainly based on or conflated with the later Artaxiad king Artavazd II.^[26][27]
4. Khorenatsi identifies the mythological Argavan with the historical prince Argam of the Muratsan dynasty,^[9] which, according to Khorenatsi, was of Median origin. References to višaps ('dragons') or višapazunk῾ ('descendants of the race of dragons') in the Armenian epic are interpreted by Khorenatsi as allegorical references to the Medes and their descendants in Armenia.^[31]

References

Citations

1. Movses Khorenatsʻi 1997, p. 165 (2.50).
2. Dalalyan 2002, p. 239.
3. Achaṛyan 1948, p. 342.
4. Fritz & Gippert 2005, p. 1.
5. Abaev 1979, p. 40.
6. Dalalyan 2002, p. 192, n. 6.
7. Fritz & Gippert 2005, pp. 31–33.
8. Dalalyan 2006, p. 239.
9. Petrosi͡an 2016, pp. 10.
10. Dalalyan 2006, p. 245.
11. Petrosi͡an 2016, pp. 9–10.
12. Fritz & Gippert 2005, pp. 27–28.
13. Fritz & Gippert 2005, pp. 26–28.
14. Fritz & Gippert 2005, p. 29.
15. Dalalyan 2006, p. 240.
16. Dumézil 1929, pp. 50–53; Fritz & Gippert 2005, p. 2.
17. Fritz & Gippert 2005, pp. 30–31.
18. "Artashes ev Satʻenik" 1976.
19. Movses Khorenatsʻi 1997, p. 164 (2.50); Moses Khorenatsʻi 1978, p. 191.
20. Movses Khorenatsʻi 1997, p. 165 (2.50); Moses Khorenatsʻi 1978, pp. 191–192.
21. Movses Khorenatsʻi 1913, p. 179 (2.50); Moses Khorenatsʻi 1978, p. 192.
22. Movses Khorenatsʻi 1997, pp. 165, 305; Moses Khorenatsʻi 1978, p. 193.
23. Movses Khorenatsʻi 1997, p. 305.
24. Movses Khorenatsʻi 1997, p. 166 (2.50); Moses Khorenatsʻi 1978, p. 193.
25. Dalalyan 2002, p. 191.
26. Petrosyan 2018, p. 316.
27. Russell 2004, p. 158.
28. Moses Khorenatsʻi 1978, pp. 193–196, 208.
29. Hacikyan et al. 2000, p. 54.
30. Movses Khorenatsʻi 1997, p. 110 (1.30).
31. Abeghyan 1985, pp. 178–180.
32. Fritz & Gippert 2005, pp. 3–6.
33. Fritz & Gippert 2005, pp. 11–20.

Bibliography

• Abaev, V. I. (1979). "Satána". Istoriko-ėtimologicheskiĭ slovarʹ osetinskogo i͡azyka Историко-этимологический словарь осетинского языка [Historical-etymological dictionary of the Ossetian language] (in Russian). Vol. III. Leningrad: Nauka. pp. 39–40.
• Abeghyan, Manuk (1985). "Hay zhoghovrdakan aṛaspelnerě M. Khorenatsʻu hayotsʻ patmutʻyan mej (Kʻnnadatutʻyun ev usvatskʻ)" Հայ ժողովրդական առասպելները Մ. Խորենացու հայոց պատմության մեջ (Քննադատություն և ուսվածք) [Armenian popular legends in M. Khorenatsi's History of Armenia (criticism and study)]. Erker Երկեր [Works] (in Armenian). Vol. VII. Erevan: HSSH GA hratarakchʻutʻyun. pp. 66–272.
• Achaṛyan, Hrachʻya (1948). "Satʻenik" Սաթենիկ. Hayotsʻ andznanunneri baṛaran Հայոց անձնանունների բառարան [Dictionary of Armenian personal names] (in Armenian). Vol. I. Erevan: Petakan hamalsarani hratarakchʻutʻyun. pp. 342–343.
• Dalalyan, Tork (2006). "On the Character and Name of the Caucasian Satana (Sat'enik)". Aramazd: Armenian Journal of Near Eastern Studies. 2: 239–253. ISSN 1829-1376.
• Dalalyan, Torkʻ (2002). "Hayotsʻ vipakan Satʻenik tʻaguhu kerpari tsagumnabanutʻyan shurj" Հայոց վիպական Սաթենիկ թագուհու կերպարի ծագումնաբանության շուրջ [On the origin of the character of the Armenian epic queen Satenik]. Patma-Banasirakan Handes (2): 191–213. ISSN 0135-0536.
• Dumézil, Georges (1929). "Le dit de la princesse Satinik". Revue des Études Arméniennes (in French). 9: 41–53.
• Fritz, S.; Gippert, J. (2005). "Nartica I: The Historical Satana Revisited" (PDF). Nartamongae. The Journal of Alano-Ossetic Studies. 3 (1–2).
• Hacikyan, Agop Jack; Basmajian, Gabriel; Franchuk, Edward S.; Ouzounian, Nourhan (2000). The Heritage of Armenian Literature: From the Oral Tradition to the Golden Age, Vol. I. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-2815-6.
• Movses Khorenatsʻi (1997). Sargsyan, Gagik (ed.). Hayotsʻ Patmutʻyun, E dar Հայոց Պատմություն, Ե դար [History of Armenia, 5th century] (PDF) (in Armenian). Introduction, notes and translation into modern Armenian by Stepʻan Malkhasyantsʻ. Erevan: Hayastan. ISBN 5-540-01192-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Moses Khorenatsʻi (1978). History of the Armenians. Translation and commentary by Robert W. Thomson. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-39571-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Movsēs Khorenats‘i (1913). Abeghean, M.; Yarutՙiwnean, S.; Malkhaseantsՙ, St. (eds.). Movsisi Xorenacՙwoy Patmutՙiwn Hayotsՙ [Movses Khorenatsi's History of Armenia] (in Armenian). Tpՙghis [Tbilisi].{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Petrosi͡an, Armen (2016). "Armi͡anskai͡a Satenik/Satinik i kavkazskai͡a Satana/Sataneĭ" Армянская Сатеник/Сатиник и кавказская Сатана/Сатаней [Armenian Satenik/Satinik and Caucasian Satana/Sataney]. Vestnik Vladikavkazskogo nauchnogo t͡sentra (in Russian). 1: 8–17. ISSN 1683-2507.
• Petrosyan, Armen (2018). "Haykakan Satʻenikě ev nra kovkasyan zugaheṛnerě" Հայկական Սաթենիկը և նրա կովկասյան զուգահեռները [Armenian Satenik and her Caucasian parallels]. Lraber hasarakakan gitutʻyunneri (3): 310–331.
• Russell, James R. (2004). "Some Iranian Images of Kingship in the Armenian Artaxiad Epic". Armenian and Iranian Studies. Belmont, MA: Armenian Heritage Press. pp. 157–174.
• Simonyan, Abel, ed. (1976). "Artashes ev Satʻenik" Արտաշես և Սաթենիկ. Haykakan sovetakan hanragitaran Հայկական սովետական հանրագիտարան [Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia] (in Armenian). Vol. 2. Erevan: Haykakan SSH Gitutʻyunneri Akademia. p. 140.