ABSTRACT
The reign of Sarduri II, King of Kings, son of mighty Argishti, marks the apogee of Urartian power. In 1912, I.A. Orbeli, the Armenian archaeologist, explored Urartian sites, and at Van discovered inscriptions of Sarduri II, from which the following are two extracts: 1 ‘Sarduri speaks: I went to the country of Mannai, I conquered the country, I burnt the towns, pillaged the countryside and exiled the population to Biaina. In the same year, my troops went to the country of Eriahini [or Eriach in Transcaucasia, north of Mount Ararat] conquering the country, setting fire to the towns, pillaging the countryside.’ Claims of conquests such as this appear repeatedly: ‘The same year, for the third time, I went to Eriahini, fired the cities, pillaged the countryside and exiled the population to Biaina. I built forts at Eriahini and annexed the country. The god Khaldi I glorified. Sarduri speaks: I made prisoners: 6436 men I took, 15,553 women. In all I led [away from their country] 21,989 people, some I have killed, others I have taken alive. 1613 horses, 115 camels, 16,529 head of cattle, 37,685 sheep [I have taken].’
