History of Armenia, by Father Michael Chamich; from B. C. 2247 to ...

HISTORY OF ARMENIA.
147 ^^'
they were accustomed, on Sundays, to give
three or four blows with their hammers on
their anvils, that Artavazd might not get loose
during their cessation from work. Tiran the
First, brother of the last monarch, succeeded
him. He remained in a state of peace and A.D.131.
tranquillity, spendmg almost all his time in
hunting and other amusements. He had two
horses of such swiftness, that it is said they
went with the velocitv of birds. One day,
Datakey, prince
of the Buznunians, wishing to
reprehend the carelessness of the king in riding,
requested the latter to lend him one of his horses.
On mounting it, and discovering the value of
the animal, Datakey exclaimed, " If I possessed
such horses, I
should deem myseh happier than
the most powerful of kings/' When Antoninus a. d. 138.
Pius became emperor of Kome, Tiran sent
ambassadors to him to renew the treaty made
by Trajan and Artaces, between the two
states. Antoninus, in token of the friendship
and protection of the Komans, sent him
a royal crown and purple robes. The emperor
also caused medals to be struck, on
which were two figures engraven : one represented
Antoninus himself, the other Tiran ;
the
former with his hand placed on the shoulder of
the latter ;
and the whole surmounted bv this
inscription, "Rex Armeniis datus," that is, '^a
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