ARTAVARDIYA, Old Persian personal name (Elamite Ir-du-mar-ti-ya, Akkadian Ar-ta-mar-zi-ya, Aramaic ʾrtwrzy), from Old Pers. arta- and *vard -, meaning “doer of Justice.”
1. A Persian general under Darius I who was sent with an army to put down Vahyazdāta’s rebellion, who had declared himself to be Bardiya, son of Cyrus II. Artavardiya defeated Vahyazdāta on 25 May 521 B.C. in a battle at the city Raxā, in Persis, where 4404 rebels were killed. But the decisive battle took place on 16 July 521 at Mount Parga, in Persis, in which 6246 rebels were killed and 4464 taken captive, including Vahyazdāta himself (Behistun inscription, DB 3.30-48, see Kent, Old Persian, pp. 125-27 and 171; E. N. von Voigtlander, The Bisitun Inscription of Darius the Great. Babylonian Version, Corp. Inscr. Iran. I/II, Texts I, London, 1978, pp. 33 and 59).
2. Irdumartiya, an official (officials) of the royal economy in Persia under Darius I mentioned in the Persepolis Treasury and Fortification tablets, see R. T. Hallock, Persepolis Fortification Tablets, Chicago, 1969, p.703.
(M. A. Dandamayev)
Originally Published: December 15, 1986
Last Updated: August 15, 2011
This article is available in print.
Vol. II, Fasc. 6, p. 653
