Ἁρμαμίθρης: A Median Name in the Assyrian Kings List

Onomastics, a branch of historical linguistics, is of great significance for historical, historico-geographical, and anthropological studies. In the field of ancient Iranian studies, onomastics serves as a means to respond to a broad range of questions. For example, study of Median history and culture, suffering a lack of written evidence in Median language, has always been dependent on onomastic data recorded in non-Median sources. The present article focuses on the etymology of Ἁρμαμίθρης, an originally Median personal name attested in the list of Assyrian kings by Ctesias of Cnidus, and attempts at explaining the presence of a Median name in that context, that may lead to a better understanding of the narrative history of Assyria and Media in ancient time.