Artsruni (Armenian: Արծրունի; also transliterated as Ardzruni) was an ancient Armenian noble family that claimed descent from Sennacherib, King of Assyria (705 BC–681 BC). Although it mirrors the Bagratuni claim of Davidic descent and the Mamikonian claim of descent from the royal Han Dynasty, it is usually interpreted as a piece of genealogical mythology. The origin of this claim is attributed to Moses of Chorene according to whom Sennacherib's sons fled to Armenia after murdering him and founded the clans of the Artsruni and Gnuni. Chorene in turn was in all likelihood inspired by Biblical tradition:

Genealogist and historian Cyril Toumanoff favors an Orontid origin of the Artsruni family. Professor James Russell proposed the idea that the Artsrunis derived their name from the Urartian word artsibini (eagle) which survived in Armenian as artsiv (արծիվ). The eagle was a totemic animal for the Artsrunis and in a legend the progenitor of the Artsrunis is said to have been abandoned as a child but rescued by an eagle.

Vahan Artsruni (born December 5, 1965, Yerevan) is a modern Armenian rock musician, singer, composer and artist.

Artsruni started his musical career in 1984 in the underground minstrel and rock musician Arthur Meschian's band. He graduated at the Yerevan State Medical University and the Yerevan State Musical Conservatory (in 1995) majoring in vocal with the outstanding Armenian singer Gohar Gasparyan. Subsequently, he was soloing with "Narek" Male Choir from 1989 to 1994 and in 1993–1994 at the State Academic Cappella of Armenia and "Haysmavourk" Medieval Choir. He gave concerts with the Armenian National Symphonyc Orchestra, represented "Ethnophonica" and "Komitas. Ten Revelations" cycles. In 2000 Vahan Artsruni organized a progressive music band called ARTSRUNI.

Arthur (Artashes) Meschian (Armenian: Արթուր Մեսչյան, born March 3, 1949, Yerevan) is an Armenian rock musician, singer, composer, artist and architect. He is also known as one of the founders of Armenian rock. He is the author of different architectural projects, including Guest House and the new building of Matenadaran in Armenia.^{[citation needed]}

In the 1960s and 1970s, Meschian was the leader of the Apostles (Arakyalner), an Armenian underground rock band that become the voice of the generation during the period of stagnation and Soviet censorship.^{[citation needed]} The band consisted of three students of the Yerevan State Politechnic Institute were singing about pain and sorrow (they used the lyrics written by Moushegh Ishkhan and Meschian).^{[citation needed]} General themes in the songs included the philosophy of life's meaning, pain and mercy or joy and pride.^{[citation needed]}

In 1976, Apostles was banned by Soviet censorship. In 1989, before the fall of the iron curtain, Meschian moved to the United States with his family, settling in Boston.^{[citation needed]} He formed the Apostles-90 band and recorded four studio albums featuring both old works from Apostles as well as new songs.^{[citation needed]}