Armenian Queens: Sosem

The 1st Armenian to be crowned kind was Aram, son of Harma Nahabed. This occurred several thousand years ago at a time when years were counted by tens and kings lived for hundreds. Movses Khorenatsi believed that the state’s name Armenia developed from King Aram. Though there is little evidence for it, Aram’s wife was believed to be named Sosem, mother of Ara Keghetsig (Ara the Beautiful). Legends say that young Armenian women would try to meet Sosem, believing that seeing her would bring beauty to their own children. The name Sosem is connected to the Armenian poplar trees, the Sosis… However, it’s not possible to tell which came first: the name of the queen or the name of the tree.