He was educated in Rome and was skilled in languages and military tactics;[7][8] in addition he firmly understood and appreciated Roman law.

The Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi describes him as a strong and brave warrior, who participated in combat against his enemies, and personally led his army to victory in many battles.

Tiridates, as heir to the now Persian-occupied Armenian throne, came to Armenia and quickly raised an army and drove the enemy out in 298.

[7] In 299, Diocletian left the Armenian state in a quasi-independent and protectorate status possibly to use it as a buffer in case of a Persian attack.

The traditional story of the conversion of the king and the nation is primarily based on the fifth-century Armenian history attributed to Agathangelos.

[11][12] It tells of Gregory the Illuminator, the son of Anak, who was brought up as a Christian and, feeling guilt for his own father's sin, joined the Armenian army and worked as a secretary to the king.

During a Zoroastrian religious ceremony Tiridates ordered Gregory to place a flower wreath at the foot of the statue of the goddess Anahit in Eriza.

His fury was only exacerbated when several individuals declared that Gregory was in fact, the son of Anak, the traitor who had killed Tiridates's father.

During the years of Gregory's imprisonment, a group of virgin nuns, led by Gayane, came to Armenia as they fled the Roman persecution of their Christian faith.

After this event, he fell ill and according to legend, adopted the behavior of a wild boar, aimlessly wandering around in the forest.

An actual battle took place between the king's forces and the Zoroastrian camp, resulting in the weakening of polytheistic military strength.

Tiridates thus spent the rest of his life trying to eliminate all ancient beliefs and in doing so destroyed countless statues, temples and written documents.