Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)

The Kingdom of Greater Armenia was an important country in the Ancient Near East that lasted from 331 BC to 428 AD. It was known at times as Greater Armenia, Armenia Major, or even the Armenian Empire, especially when Tigranes II ruled. The kingdom had three main royal families who ruled in turn: the Orontid, Artaxiad, and Arsacid dynasties.

The kingdom began as part of the Satrapy of Armenia in the big Achaemenid Empire of Iran. This area came from an older land called Urartu, which was taken over by the Medes. After Alexander the Great defeated Persia, the area became a kingdom in 321 BC under the Orontid dynasty. It was then part of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire.

Later, under Tigranes the Great, the kingdom grew very powerful. It took back the area of Sophene and added more lands from the Seleucid Empire, becoming an empire itself for a short time. But then Rome took control in 69 BC. The kingdom continued, often caught between powerful Rome and Parthia. In 301/314, Tiridates III made Christianity the official religion of Armenia, making it the first country to do so. Eventually, in 387, Armenia was split between the Byzantine Empire and the Sassanid Empire, and the last king was removed in 428.

History

See also: History of Armenia

Origins

Main article: Origin of the Armenians

Long ago, the land we now call the Armenian Highlands was home to many different groups of people. The first big kingdom there was Urartu, also called the Kingdom of Van or Ararat. Later, big empires like the Medes and the Achaemenid Persians took over. After Alexander the Great defeated the Persian empire, Armenia became its own kingdom under the Orontid dynasty.

Orontid dynasty

Main article: Orontid dynasty

The Orontid kings ruled Armenia for many years. They made Armenia strong and independent. But later, a new power, the Seleucid Empire, took over and a new dynasty began.

Artaxiad dynasty

Main article: Artaxiad dynasty

The Artaxiad dynasty started when a leader named Artaxias I founded a new capital called Artaxata. During this time, a king named Tigranes the Great expanded Armenia’s lands far beyond its borders, making it very powerful for a while.

Roman rule

Main article: Roman Armenia

Later, Armenia became a place where the powerful Romans and the Parthians often fought for control. Sometimes Rome supported a king, and sometimes the Parthians did. This made Armenia a contested land for many years.

Arsacid dynasty

Main article: Arsacid dynasty of Armenia

The Arsacid dynasty came next. During this time, Armenia faced attacks from the Parthian Empire. After a big war, Armenia became a place where Rome and Parthia shared power. Later, a king named Tiridates III the Great made Christianity the official religion of Armenia. Eventually, Armenia was split between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sassanid Empire, and later lost its independence for a time.

Army

Main article: Military history of Armenia

Under Tigranes the Great

The army of the Kingdom of Armenia grew very strong during the time of Tigranes the Great. Writers from that time said his army had chariots and 12,000 riders, most of whom were heavy cavalry or cataphracts, a type also used by nearby armies. His army had about 120,000 foot soldiers and 12,000 mounted archers, which were important in battles. Many writers from that time said his army was very large, with some even saying it had as many as 500,000 people, including those who followed the army to carry supplies and help in other ways.

Ayrudzi

For a long time, Armenia had a special group of riders called "Azatavrear," made up of elite Armenians. These riders were important to the king's court. In later times, these riders came from noble families. During peaceful times, they protected the king and his family, and also watched the borders. In times of war, the number of these riders grew to between 10,000 and 20,000. They had both heavy and light riders, with the light ones often shooting arrows from their horses.

Legio I Armeniaca-Armenian First Legion

Main article: Legio I Armeniaca

The "Armenian First Legion" was a group of soldiers in the Roman Empire. It probably formed in the second or third century AD to protect Armenia. This legion was part of a big campaign led by the Roman leader Julianus Apostata in 363.

Legio II Armeniaca-Armenian Second Legion

Main article: Legio II Armeniaca

The "Armenian Second Legion" was another group of soldiers in the Roman imperial army. It was created around the end of the third or beginning of the fourth century. This legion had a permanent base in the north and built a camp in Satala. Later, it became part of the Byzantine army.

Mythology and pre-Christian religion

Main articles: Armenian mythology, Armenian Apostolic Church, and Christianization of Armenia

The ancient people of Armenia had many gods and goddesses before they adopted Christianity. One of the most important gods was Aramazd, who was like the king of all gods. Another important goddess was Anahit, who was known for helping families have children. There was also Hayk](/w/23), a legendary hero who was said to be the ancestor of the Armenian people.

During the first few centuries after the birth of Jesus, Christianity began to spread in Armenia. After facing some difficulties, the king Tiridates III decided to make Christianity the official religion of Armenia. This made Armenia the first country in the world to choose Christianity as its main religion, which helped set it apart from its neighbors.

Zoroastrianism

Main article: Zoroastrianism in Armenia

Before Christianity, many people in Armenia followed a religion called Zoroastrianism. This changed when Christianity became the main religion, and over time, fewer people followed the old beliefs. Even some Armenian kings, like Tiridates I, had strong ties to Zoroastrianism before the shift to Christianity.

Literature

Little is known about stories and poems from old Armenia before Christianity. Many pieces of writing were saved and shared by a writer named Moses of Chorene. Here is a poem from old Armenian times about the birth of a hero named Vahagn:

In the poem, heaven and earth were moving and changing, and the sea was filled with color. From a special plant came smoke and fire, and from the fire came a young hero. He had bright hair and a shining face, and his eyes were like the sun.

Language

Main articles: Armenian language and Armenian alphabet

Before the Armenian alphabet was created, Armenians used the Aramaic and Greek alphabets. The Armenian alphabet was made by Saint Mesrop Mashtots and Isaac of Armenia in AD 405, mainly to help translate the Bible into the Armenian language.

By the 2nd century BC, people in Greater Armenia spoke the Armenian language, showing that today’s Armenians come from those ancient people.

Capitals

• Yervandashat – This old town stood near where two rivers, the Arax River and Akhurian River, meet. It was built by a king named Orontes IV to replace another town called Armavir. Some old walls and palace pieces have been found there, but not much is known. The town was destroyed by soldiers from Persian King Shapur II in the 360s.
• Artashat (Artaxata) – King Artashes I created this city in 185 BC. It became an important trading place because it was near many roads used by merchants. The city had markets, baths, and big walls. Later, it stopped being the main city and lost its importance.
• Tigranakert was built by the emperor Tigranes the Great in the 1st century BC. It was made the capital of the Armenian Empire and had many temples and an amphitheater. The city was home to 120,000 people.
• Vagharshapat – This town was renamed during the time of King Vologases I (Vagharsh I). It became very important when Armenia chose Christianity as its religion. The city was known as Ejmiatsin or Etchmiadzin and became a centre for learning and religion. It was very important until the 6th century.
• Dvin – Built by Khosrov III the Small in 335, this city became a home for Armenian kings. It had many people with different jobs like trading and crafting. After the Armenian Kingdom ended, Dvin was used by leaders from different empires. In 640, it became an important place for leaders of the emirate of Armenia.

Political geography

The Kingdom of Armenia was located between several important places. To the east was Caucasian Albania, to the north was Iberia, to the west was the Roman Empire, and to the south was Parthia, which later became the Sassanian Empire. The river called the Kur marked the border between Iberia and the Kingdom of Armenia, and also between Caucasian Albania and the kingdom.

After the year 331 BC, Armenia was split into three parts: Lesser Armenia, which was part of the Kingdom of Pontus, the Kingdom of Armenia itself (called Armenia Major), and the Kingdom of Sophene. When Artashes I became king in 189 BC, other countries like Media, Caucasian Iberia, and the Seleucid Empire took some faraway lands from Armenia because it was weak. Artashes I fought back and brought back places such as Caspiane and Paytakaran in the east, Gugark in the north, and areas like Karin in the west. His grandson, Tigranes the Great, later added more lands, including Cappadocia, Cilicia, Armenian Mesopotamia, and others, making the kingdom very large for a time.

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of the kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)

Greater Armenia was traditionally divided into 15 provinces, though not all existed at the same time. These provinces included places like Upper Armenia, Aghdznik, Turuberan, Corduene, and many others. There were also other regions such as Lesser Armenia and Armenian Mesopotamia, which were not part of the kingdom.

Maps

World in 323 BC

World in 200 BC

World in 100 BC

Orontid Armenia

Armenian Empire under Tigranes the Great

Arshakuni Armenia in 150 AD

Persian Armenia

Byzantine Armenia