Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/95

 HISTORY OF ARMENIA. Page 50

whose head he severed from the body. The army of the slain leader fled to Armenia. His auxiliaries retired to their respective homes. Some years afterwards, when Eumenes and Perdiccas were dead, Ardward, the great chief of the Armenians, whom some of the ancients style king, assembled a considerable force, for the purpose of restoring Arithes, prince of Cappadocia, who had taken refuge in Armenia, to the throne of his ancestors. The latter, placed at the head of this army, marched into Cappadocia, overthrew his enemies, and firmly established himself in the possession of the kingdom. Not unmindful of his Armenian friends he distributed presents to the army, and sent it back to Ardward, to whom also he testified his gratitude by many valuable gifts. Ardward governed the kingdom of Armenia happily for a period of 33 years, and died to the infinite regret of the whole people. The power of the Seleucidae preponderating at this period in the east, whose sway was acknowledged by the Persians, Medes, Parthians, and Armenians, a governor from amongst them was readily admitted as the successor of Ardward. This individual, whom history designates by the name of Hirant, exercised the supreme controul of Armenia for a period of 46 years unmarked by any incident worthy of record.