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Shushanik

440 – 475

Armenian Christian martyr

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About Shushanik

Lived 440 – 475 (aged 34–35). Shushanik was a consort.

Shushanik (; ; 440 – 475), also known as Shushanika or Vardandukht, was a Christian Armenian woman who was tortured to death by her husband Varsken in the town of Tsurtavi, Georgia. Since she died defending her right to profess Christianity, she is regarded as a martyr. Her martyrdom is described in her confessor Jacob’s hagiographic work, the oldest extant work of Georgian language literature. The hagiography details Shushanik's extensive resistance to imprisonment, isolation, torture and cruelty.

According to this legend, Shushanik was a daughter of the Armenian military commander Vardan Mamikonian and married the Mihranid ruler (pitiakhsh) Varsken, son of Arshusha II. Varsken was a defiant vassal of Vakhtang I Gorgasali, King of Kartli (Iberia), and took a pro-Persian position, renouncing Christianity and adopting Zoroastrianism. He killed Shushanik after she refused to submit to his order to abandon her Christian faith. Varsken himself was killed by King Vakhtang in 482.

Shushanik has been canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church and is venerated by the Armenian Apostolic Church. Her feast day is celebrated on October 17 in Georgia and the Tuesday between September 20–26 in Armenia.

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Important facts

Born
440, Ancient Armenia
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Kingdom of Iberia, Kingdom of Armenia
Also known as
Saint Shushanik, Saint Susanna

People in Shushanik's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Shushanik's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Shushanik?

Armenian Christian martyr

When was Shushanik born?

Shushanik was born in 440 in Ancient Armenia.

When did Shushanik die?

Shushanik died on 18 October 475 in Georgia (country).

What was Shushanik's occupation?

Shushanik was a consort.

What nationality was Shushanik?

Shushanik's recorded nationality: Kingdom of Iberia, Kingdom of Armenia.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Shushanik

· Wikidata: Q266278

· DBpedia: Shushanik

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Shushanik. https://biography.guide/shushanik/

MLA: "Shushanik." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/shushanik/.

Chicago: "Shushanik." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/shushanik/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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