Anak the Parthian
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Anak the Parthian (Old Armenian: Անակ Պարթեւ, romanized: Anak Part῾ew; fl. third century) was a Parthian noble who, according to the Armenian tradition, was the father of Gregory the Illuminator, who converted Armenia to Christianity in the early fourth century. Anak is said to have killed King Khosrov of Armenia at the incitement of the Sasanians, leading to his own murder and the extermination of his family, except for the child Gregory, who was saved and taken to Roman territory. The details and historicity of this account have been debated by historians.
Biography
According to the version of the history attributed to Agathangelos accepted in the Armenian literary tradition, Anak was a noble of Parthian origin who was related to the king of Armenia.[4] The later history of Movses Khorenatsi adds that Anak was a member of the Parthian noble house of Suren.[2] During the third-century wars between Arsacid Armenia and Sasanian Iran, Anak was recruited by the Sasanian king (whom Agathangelos calls Artashir) to assassinate King Khosrov of Armenia (probably Khosrov II),[5][6][a] promising to return Anak his domain as reward.[4][9] Anak went to Armenia and murdered Khosrov after gaining his confidence, after which he himself was killed by angry Armenian nobles along with his whole family.[9] Agathangelos describes the circumstances of Khosrov's murder as follows: Anak and his brother met with the king in Vagharshapat as he was preparing to campaign against the Persians and killed him with their swords.[b] They attempted to flee on horseback, but were chased down by the Armenian princes who threw them from the Taperakan bridge (over the Araxes River, near Artaxata)[11] to their deaths.[12] One of Anak's sons, the future Gregory the Illuminator, was rescued by his nurse and taken to Roman territory.[9] Khosrov's son Trdat (Tiridates) was also saved and taken to Rome.[5] After Khosrov's death, the Persians conquered Armenia.[9] Later, Trdat returned to reclaim the Armenian throne with Roman help.[5] Gregory, who was raised a Christian in Caesarea of Cappadocia, also returned to Armenia as an adult and eventually converted Trdat and his kingdom to Christianity.[13] This story is repeated in all the other Armenian histories except that of Elishe, which attributes Khosrov's murder to his unnamed brothers.[9][14]
Family
Anak's exact relation to Khosrov is not stated in the main Armenian version of Agathangelos, but a Karshuni recension of Agathangelos's history claims that Anak was Khosrov's brother.[15] Anak's wife and the mother of Gregory of Illuminator is called Oguhi (Ոգուհի) in the history attributed to Zenob Glak.[16] Agathangelos mentions two sons of Anak who survive the extermination of his house: one, Gregory, and another who is taken to Persia, although no other information is given about the latter.[17] Khorenatsi, on the other hand, writes that only one son of Anak (i.e., Gregory) was saved.[10] Zenob Glak refers to Gregory's brother as Suren.[18]