The history of Ancient Armenia has more than one thousand years, and the Armenians themselves lived long before the emergence of the nations of modern Europe. They existed even before the appearance of the ancient peoples - Romans and Hellenes.
First mention
In the cuneiform inscriptions of the Persian rulers the name "Arminius" is found. Herodotus also mentions “Armen” in his writings. According to one version, it was an Indo-European people who migrated from Europe in the XII century. BC e.
Another hypothesis states that the pra-Armenian tribal unions arose for the first time in the Armenian Highlands by 4-3 millennium BC. They, as some scholars claim, are found in Homer's poem The Iliad, entitled Arims.
One of the names of Ancient Armenia - Khai - according to the proposals of scientists, comes from the name of the people "Hayas". This name is mentioned on clay Hittite tables in the II millennium BC. e., discovered during archaeological excavations of Hattushashi - the ancient capital of the Hittites.
There is evidence that the Assyrians called this territory the country of rivers - Nairi. According to one hypothesis, it included 60 different nations.
At the beginning of the IX century. BC e. a powerful kingdom of Urartu arose with the capital Van. It is believed that this is the oldest state in the territory of the Soviet Union. The civilization of Urartu, the successors of which were the Armenians, was quite developed. There was writing based on the Babylonian-Assyrian cuneiform writing, agriculture, cattle breeding, metallurgy.
Urartu was famous for the technology of building impregnable fortresses. On the territory of modern Yerevan were two of them. The first - Erebuni, was built by one of the first kings of Argishti. It was she who gave the name to the modern capital of Armenia. The second is Teishebaini, founded by Tsar Rus II (685-645 BC). This was the last ruler of Urartu. The state could not resist the powerful Assyria and perished forever from its weapons.
It was replaced by a new state. The first kings of Ancient Armenia were Eruand and Tigran. The latter should not be confused with the famous ruler Tigranes the Great, who would later terrify the Roman Empire and create a great empire in the East. A new people appeared, formed as a result of the assimilation of Indo-Europeans with the local ancient tribes of Khayami and Urartu. The new state came from here - Ancient Armenia with its own culture, language.
Persian vassals
At one time, Persia was a powerful state. All peoples living in Asia Minor obeyed them. This fate befell the Armenian kingdom. The domination of them by the Persians lasted more than two centuries (550-330 years. BC. E.).
Greek historians about Armenia from Persian times
Armenia is an ancient civilization. This is confirmed by many historians of antiquity, for example, Xenophon in the 5th century BC. e. As a participant in the events, the author of Anabasis described the retreat of 10 thousand Greeks to the Black Sea through a country called Armenia Ancient. The Greeks saw the developed economic activity, as well as the life of the Armenians. Everywhere they found wheat, barley, aromatic wines, lard, various oils - pistachio, sesame, and almond in these parts. The ancient Greeks also saw raisins, leguminous fruits. In addition to crop products, the Armenians raised domestic animals: goats, cows, pigs, chickens, horses. Xenophon data tells descendants that the people living in this place were developed economically. The abundance of various products is striking. The Armenians not only produced food themselves, but also actively engaged in trade with neighboring lands. Of course, Xenophon did not say anything about this, but he listed some products that do not grow in this territory.
Strabo in the 1st century n e. reports that ancient Armenia had very good pastures for horses. The country was not inferior to Media in this regard and supplied horses annually for the Persians. Strabo mentions the obligation of the Armenian satraps, administrative governors of the Persian rule, the obligation to deliver about two thousand young foals in honor of the famous Mithras festival.
Armenian wars in antiquity
The historian Herodotus (V century BC) described the Armenian soldiers of that era, their weapons. The soldiers wore small shields, had short spears, swords, and darts. On their heads - woven helmets, they were shod in high shoes.
The conquest of Armenia by Alexander the Great
The era of Alexander the Great redrawn the entire map of Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. All the lands of the vast Persian empire became part of the new political association under the rule of Macedonia.
After the death of Alexander the Great, the state disintegrates. In the east, the Seleucid state is formed. The once united territory of a single people was divided into three separate regions within the new country: Great Armenia, located on the Ararat plain, Sofena - between the Euphrates and the upper reaches of the Tigris, and Little Armenia - between the Euphrates and the upper reaches of Lycos.
The history of ancient Armenia, although it speaks of constant dependence on other states, however, shows that it concerned only foreign policy issues, which had a beneficial effect on the development of the future state. It was a kind of prototype of an autonomous republic in the composition of successive empires.
Armenian rulers were often called basileus, i.e. kings. They retained only formal dependence, sending tribute to the center and the army in wartime. Neither the Persians nor the Hellenistic state of the Seleucids made any attempts to penetrate the internal structure of the Armenians. If the former ruled almost all of their remote territories, the successors of the Greeks always changed the internal structure of the conquered peoples, imposing “democratic values” and a special order on them.
The collapse of the state of the Seleucids, the unification of Armenia
After the defeat of the Seleucids from Rome, the Armenians gained temporary independence. Rome was not yet ready, after the war with the Hellenes, to begin new conquests of the peoples. The once united people took advantage of this. Attempts began to restore a single state, which was called "Ancient Armenia."
The ruler of Greater Armenia Artashes declared himself an independent king Artashes I. He united all the lands that spoke the same language, including Lesser Armenia. The last region of Sophena became part of the new state later, 70 years later, under the famous ruler Tigran the Great.
The final formation of Armenian nationality
It is believed that the great historical event occurred during the new Artashes dynasty - the formation of the Armenian nationality with its own language and culture. They were greatly influenced by the neighborhood with developed Hellenistic peoples. The minting of their own coins with Greek inscriptions spoke of the strong influence of neighbors on culture and trade.
Artashat - the capital of the ancient state of Great Armenia
During the reign of the Artashesid dynasty, the first large cities appeared. Among them is the city of Artashat, which became the first capital of the new state. Translated from Greek, it meant "joy Artaxia."
The new capital had a favorable geographical position in that era. It was located on the main road to the ports of the Black Sea. The time of the appearance of the city coincided with the establishment of overland trade ties of Asia with India and China. Artashat began to acquire the status of a major commercial and political center. Plutarch praised the role of this city. He gave him the status of "Carthage of Armenia", which translated into modern language meant a city that unites all the surrounding lands. All the Mediterranean powers knew about the beauty and luxury of Artashat.
The heyday of the Armenian kingdom
The history of Armenia from ancient times contains vivid moments of the power of this state. The golden age falls on the reign of Tigran the Great (95-55), the grandson of the founder of the famous dynasty Artashes I. Tigranakert became the capital of the state. This city has become one of the leading centers of science, literature and art throughout the Ancient World. The best Greek actors performed at the local theater, famous scientists and historians were frequent guests of Tigranes the Great. One of them is the philosopher Metrodor, who was an ardent opponent of the expanding Roman Empire.
Armenia has become part of the Hellenistic world. Greek penetrated the aristocratic elite.
Armenia is a unique part of Hellenistic culture
Armenia in the 1st century BC e. - developed advanced state of the world. She took all the best that was in the world - culture, science, art. Tigran the Great developed theaters, schools. Armenia was not only the cultural center of Hellenism, but also a strong state in economic terms. Grew trade, industry, crafts. A distinctive feature of the state was that it did not take the system of slavery, which was used by the Greeks and Romans. All land was cultivated by peasant communities, whose members were free.
Armenia Tigranes the Great spread over vast territories. This was an empire that spanned a huge part of Western Asia from the Caspian to the Mediterranean. Many peoples and states became its vassals: in the north - Tsibaniya, Iberia, in the southeast - Parthia and Arab tribes.
The conquest of Rome, the end of the Armenian Empire
The rise of Armenia coincided with the heyday of another eastern state in the territory of the former USSR - Pontus, led by Mithridates. After long wars with Rome, Pontus also lost its independence. Armenia was in good neighborly relations with Mithridates. After his defeat, she was left face to face with the mighty Rome.
After long wars, the united Armenian Empire in 69-66 BC e. split up. Under the rule of Tigranes, only Great Armenia remained , which was declared the "friend and ally" of Rome. So called all the conquered states. In fact, the country has turned into another province.
After entering the Roman Empire , the ancient stage of statehood begins. The country fell apart, its lands were appropriated by other states, and the local population constantly clashed with each other.
Armenian alphabet
In ancient times, Armenians used writing based on the Babylonian-Assyrian cuneiform. In the heyday of Armenia, during the time of Tigran the Great, the country completely switches to Greek in business circulation. On coins, archaeologists find Greek writing.
The Armenian alphabet was created by Mesrop Mashtots relatively late - in 405. It originally consisted of 36 letters: 7 vowels and 29 consonants.
The main 4 graphic forms of Armenian writing - erkatagir, bolorgir, shhagir and notrgir - develop only in the Middle Ages.