Etymology
Old Persian: Arta + Farnah(endowed with the Glory of Righteousness); Arta's equivalent in Middle Persian becomes Arda/Ard/Ord that could be seen in names such as Ardabil (Arta vila or Arta city), Ardavan (protected or protecting Arta) and Ordibehesht (the best Arta). Arta is a common prefix of Achaemenid names meaning correctness, rightness, and ultimate (divine) truth. Farnah is the old Persian cognate of Avestan Xvarənah meaning "splendor, glory". Farnah is an important concept to pre-Islamic Iranians as it signifies a mystic, divine force that is carried with some individuals of greatness. So Artafarnah means something like "splendid truth". The concept of "arta" is also mirrored in the Vedic civilization through the Sanskrit word "ŗtá", or righteousness.
Read more about this topic: Artaphernes
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