Editing Ardashir II (section)

==Reign==
[[Image:Armenian4thcenturies.gif|thumb|300px|Map of [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Armenia]] and its surroundings]]
[[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Armenia]] had been constantly the source of war between the Roman and Sasanian Empires. In 378/9, Shapur II had achieved Iranian hegemony over the country after its regent [[Manuel Mamikonian]] submitted to him. A force 10,000 of Iranian soldiers led by general [[Surena (4th century)|Surena]] were dispatched to Armenia.{{sfn|Chaumont|1986|pp=418–438}}{{sfn|Lenski|2002|p=185}} Surena was given the title of ''[[marzban]]'' ([[margrave]]), which indicates that Armenia was now a Sasanian province.{{sfn|Chaumont|1986|pp=418–438}} But this did not work for long. During the early reign of Ardashir II,{{sfn|Lenski|2002|p=185 (see also note 172)}} a nobleman named [[Meruzhan Artsruni]] deliberately gave Manuel wrong information, informing him that [[commandant]] of the Iranian garrison desired to capture him. Enraged, Manuel fell upon the ten thousand Iranian soldiers stationed in Armenia and murdered them.<ref>Faustus of Byzantium, History of the Armenians, Book 5, Chapter 38–41</ref>

Ardashir responded by sending an army into Armenia, but Manuel defeated the invaders and killed their commander, Gumand Shapuh. A second Iranian force, led by Varaz, met the same fate as its predecessor. A third army, led by general Mrkhan, captured some Armenian territory before it too was massacred by Manuel and his forces. This new victory guaranteed Armenia seven years of peace.<ref>Faustus of Byzantium, History of the Armenians, Book 5, Chapter 38–42</ref> Ardashir was soon deposed or killed by the nobility, due to his continuation of Shapur II's policy of restricting the authority of power-hungry nobles. He was succeeded by [[Shapur III]].{{sfn|Shahbazi|1986|pp=380–381}}

Ardashir II was seemingly a strong-willed character, and is known in some sources by the epithet of ''nihoukar'' ("the beneficent").{{sfn|Shahbazi|1986|pp=380–381}}