Parandzem (; died winter 369/70) was the consort of King Arshak II of Armenia. She was a member of the noble house of Siwni. She was regent of Armenia during the absence of her spouse and son in 368–370, and is famous for her defense of the fortress of Artagers against Persia. She was brutally put to death by the Persians after the fall of Artagers in the winter of 369/70. Her son Pap was soon after restored to the throne with Roman assistance.
Early life
Parandzem was the daughter of Andovk Siwni, a senior nakharar of the princely house of Siwni, which ruled the Siwnik province of Armenia. Her paternal uncle Valinak Siak c.330, was the first known nakharar of the Siwni dynasty in the Syunik Province, while Valinak's successor and brother who was Parandzem's father, Andovk served as the nakharar of Syunik in c.340. Parandzem's mother was an unnamed noblewoman from the Mamikonian family and she had at least one known sibling, a brother called Babik (Bagben) who served as a Naxarar of Syunik in 379. Little is known of her early life. Parandzem was extremely well known for her beauty and modesty.
First marriage
Parandzem in 359 married the Arsacid Prince Gnel. Gnel was the son of the Arsacid Prince Tiridates whose brother was Arshak II who ruled as King of Armenia from 350 until 368. During the reign of Arsaces II, Gnel was a popular prince in Armenia and could have been seen as a potential successor to his uncle.
Parandzem's reputation for her beauty had become renown and widespread to the point as Gnel's paternal cousin Tirit had become passionately in love with her and desired for her to be his wife. Finding a way to plot against his cousin Gnel, Tirit approached their uncle Arsaces II and said to him: “Gnel wants to rule, and to kill you. All the grandees, the Naxarars and the Azats like Gnel and all the Naxarars of the land prefer his lordship over them than yours. Now they say, ‘look and see what you do, king, so that you can save yourself”. Believing the words of Tirit, Arsaces II became agitated and did confirm the statements of Tirit.
Murder of Gnel
Arsaces II from then until Gnel's death had a grudge against Gnel which he had frequently tried to persecute and plot treachery against him for a long time. From that moment Gnel was on the run with Parandzem from Arsaces II. Arsaces II did eventually kill Gnel around the time of the festival of Nawasard (which was held in August) as his falsely lured his nephew and Parandzem into Shahapivan a native camping place of the Arsacids which was below a walled hunting preserve based on a lie that Arsaces II wanted to reconcile with Gnel. When Gnel was captured by Arsaces II's soldiers he was taken to a nearby hill of the mountain called Lsin where he was executed. After the death and burial of Gnel, Arsaces II issued an order to mourn the death of his nephew which Arsaces II weep and mourn for Gnel greatly while Parandzem mourned so much for Gnel she tore off her clothes, was screaming and cried so much.
Now Tirit had successfully got rid of his cousin, he was unable to control his lust for Parandzem. Tirit had sent his messenger to Parandzem a note reading: “Do not mourn so much, for I am a better man that he was. I loved you and therefore betrayed him to death, so that I could take you in marriage”. In her mourning Parandzem, raised a protest, pulling out her hair and screaming as she mourned that her husband died because of her.
When the Armenians in particular Arsaces II heard the cries of Parandzem, Arsaces II began to realise the plotting of Tirit and the senseless death of Gnel. Arsaces II was stunned in what happened and had regretted in killing Gnel. For a while Arsaces II, didn't do anything to Tirit. Tirit had sent a message to Arsaces II stating, “King, I want you to order that I be allowed to marry Gnel’s wife”. As Arsaces II heard this he said: “Now I know for sure that what I have heard is accurate. Gnel’s death occurred for his wife”. Arsaces II planned to kill Tirit in return for Gnel's murder. When Tirit heard this, he was in so much fear for Arsaces II he fled at night. Arsaces II was informed that Tirit had left and ordered his soldiers to find Tirit and kill him. His soldiers found Tirit in the forests in the district of Basen and killed him there.