Argishti

Argishti is a masculine given name in Armenian and a title used for two notable rulers of the ancient kingdom of Urartu. Urartu was a Kingdom in the region around Lake Van (in what is now eastern Turkey and Armenia) that flourished from roughly the 9th to the 6th century BCE. The name Argishti appears in Urartian inscriptions and in Armenian historiography, and it is sometimes used to refer to the Urartian kings collectively.

Argishti I, sometimes transliterated Argisti, reigned in the early 8th century BCE. He is best known for founding the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BCE, at the site of present-day Yerevan, and for expanding Urartu’s frontiers to the north and west. His reign established a pattern of fortified settlements and centralized administration that characterized Urartian rule and left a legacy of monumental building.

Argishti II ruled later in the 8th century BCE, approximately from 714 to 680 BCE. His reign saw continued expansion and fortification, including the construction of the fortress of Teishebaini near Yerevan. He is associated with a high point in Urartian architecture and state organization, and with military campaigns that defended Urartu against rival powers of the region, including pressure from Assyrian forces.

Legacy and usage: The historical figures named Argishti are among the best-documented Urartian rulers and are frequently cited in discussions of Urartu’s architecture and expansion. In modern Armenia, Argishti remains a traditional given name, reflecting the cultural memory of Urartian rulers.