Who were the Armenians historically?
Armenians think of it as historic Armenia—a mountain plateau, which was occupied by Armenians from the 5th century B.C. They were an ancient people who in the early 4th century A.D. converted to Christianity. It was one of the oldest Christian civilizations.
What is Armenian known for?
What is Armenia Known For?
- First Christian Nation in the World. ...
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Armenia. ...
- Armenian Duduk. ...
- Ararat Mountain. ...
- Lavash (Bread) A unique flatbread that is in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is Lavash.
- Khor Virap Monastery. ...
- Ararat Brandy. ...
Who is the most famous Armenian?
- Khachatur Abovyan, Author and Intellectual.
- Daron Acemoğlu: Economist.
- Hovannes Adamian, Pioneer of Color Television.
- Cardinal Grigor Petros XV Agagianian, Candidate for Pope.
- Vittoria Aganoor, Poet.
- Andre Agassi, Tennis Star.
- Ivan Aivazovsky, Painter.
- Armen Alchian, Founder of the “UCLA Tradition” of Economics.
What are some facts about Armenia?
- The average life span in Armenia is 75.09 years (2019).
- Armenia is home to the longest non-stop double track cable car in the world, stretching an incredible 3.5 miles (5.7 kilometers) long, taking you up between Halidzor and the Tatev ...
- Armenia only has one official language, Armenian.
When did Armenian history start?
Assorted References. The Armenians, an Indo-European people, first appear in history shortly after the end of the 7th century bce. Driving some of the ancient population to the east of Mount Ararat, where they were known to the Greeks as…
How old is Armenian country?
The oldest known surviving document written in Romanian, a 1521 letter known as the "Letter of Neacșu from Câmpulung", is notable for including the first documented occurrence of Romanian in a country name: Wallachia is mentioned as Țeara Rumânească.
How old is the Armenian empire?
It follows Prehistoric Armenia and covers a period of approximately one thousand years, beginning at the end of the Iron Age with the events that led to the dissolution of the Kingdom of Urartu, and the emergence of the first geopolitical entity called Armenia in the 6th century BC.
How old is Armenian ethnicity?
~500 years agoArmenians have since remained isolated and genetic structure within the population developed ~500 years ago when Armenia was divided between the Ottomans and the Safavid Empire in Iran.
Where is Armenia situated?
Armenia, country of Transcaucasia, lying just south of the great mountain range of the Caucasus and fronting the northwestern extremity of Asia. To the north and east Armenia is bounded by Georgia and Azerbaijan, while its neighbours to the southeast and west are, respectively, Iran and Turkey.
Is Armenia older than Rome?
With nearly 2,800 years of history, Yerevan is one of the oldest continuously operating capitals in the world – 29 years older than Rome! In the 1st century B.C., Armenian territory grew to its largest extent under Tigran II's reign.
Is Armenia the oldest civilization?
Armenia: An Ancient Civilisation With a recorded history of more than 3,500 years, Armenia is home to one of the world's oldest civilisations. This article is a brief summary of Armenia's long history from ancient times to its modern-day independence.
Who is older Armenia or Iran?
Japan: 15 Million Years Old. China: 2100 BC. Armenia: 6500 BC. Iran: 620 BC.
Who are the ancestors of Armenians?
The Armenians are the descendants of a branch of the Indo-Europeans. The ancient Greek historians Herodotus and Eudoxus of Rhodes related the Armenians to the Phrygians—who entered Asia Minor from Thrace—and to the peoples of the ancient kingdom upon whom the Phrygians imposed their rule and language.
Does the Bible mention Armenia?
The word Bel is named in the bible at Isaiah 46:1 and Jeremiah 50:20 and 51:44. The name Armenia was given to the country by the surrounding states and it comes from the name Armenak or Aram, a great leader and ancestor of all Armenians, known as the great-grandson of Mesopotamian God Haya (Hayk).
Are Greeks and Armenians related?
According to a hypothesis proposed by linguists during the 20th century, the Armenian and Greek languages share a common ancestor. This has led to the proposal of a Graeco-Armenian language, post-dating the Proto-Indo-European language. Herodotus suggests that the Armenians are descendants of the Phrygians.
How old is the Armenian language?
The Armenian language was first spoken more than 3,000 years ago. Armenians call their language Hayeren or Haieren, and they refer to themselves as Hay.
How old is Azerbaijan history?
With its statehood history spanning 5,000 years, the Azerbaijani nation boast the most ancient statehood traditions in the world. First state or ethnic-political establishments in the Azerbaijani territory date back to the BC.
Where are Armenian people from?
Armenians are indigenous to a region known as the Armenian Highland, which today is a part of Armenia, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and a few other countries. Many Armenians used to live in present-day Turkey- referred among Armenians as Western Armenia- until the Armenian Genocide of 1915.
Is Kim Kardashian an Armenian?
KK was born in Los Angeles way back in 1980, the daughter of a third-generation Armenian-American father and a mother who's ancestry is about as European as it gets.
Why did Armenians hate Nagorno Karabakh?
In addition to fearing the loss of their numerical superiority, Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh resented restrictions on the development of the Armenian language and culture in the region. Although the Armenians generally lived better than Azerbaijanis in neighboring districts, their standard of living was not as high as that of their countrymen in Armenia. Hostile to the Azerbaijanis, whom they blamed for their social and cultural problems, the vast majority of Karabakh Armenians preferred to learn Russian rather than Azerbaijani, the language of Azerbaijan. As early as the 1960s, clashes occurred between the Karabakh Armenians and the Azerbaijanis, and Armenian intellectuals petitioned Moscow for redress of their situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. )
What is the name of the land of Armenia?
The original Armenian name for the country was Hayk, later Hayastan ( Armenian: Հայաստան), translated as the land of Haik, and consisting of the name Haik and the suffix '-stan' (land). Hayk is identified with the Sun-God Orion.
Why did Moscow send paratroopers to Armenia?
Although literal compliance would mean that Armenia would not be fully independent for five years after the referendum, Moscow soon moved to change Armenia's course. Without notifying the Armenian government, Moscow sent paratroopers to the republic in early May, ostensibly to protect Soviet defense installations in Armenia. Ter-Petrosian's official statement in reaction characterized the move as a virtual declaration of war by the Soviet Union.
How did Armenia's economy change?
During the rule of Joseph V. Stalin (in power 1926-53), Armenian society and its economy were changed dramatically by Moscow policy makers . In a period of twenty-five years, Armenia was industrialized and educated under strictly prescribed conditions, and nationalism was harshly suppressed. After Stalin's death, Moscow allowed greater expression of national feeling, but the corruption endemic in communist rule continued until the very end in 1991. The last years of communism also brought disillusionment in what had been one of the most loyal republics in the Soviet Union until the late 1980s.
What was Hayk's most famous scion?
One of Hayk's most famous scions, Aram, considerably extended the borders of his country, transforming it into a powerful state of Mitanni ( Nahrin from Armenian Nar, Nareh, Narin-eh). Since then, Greeks and Persian began to call the country Armenia, i.e. the country of Aram.
What were the major states in the Bronze Age?
In the Bronze Age, several states flourished in the area of Greater Armenia, including the Hittite Empire (at the height of its power), Mitanni (South-Western historical Arme nia), and Hayasa-Azzi (1600-1200 BC).
How did World War 1 affect Armenia?
As was the case for most of Europe, World War I changed Armenia's geopolitical situation. The war also precipitated an ethnic disaster of rare magnitude and brought the Armenians who remained in their native territory into a new type of empire.
What is the oldest country in the world?
Armenia is one of the oldest countries in the world with a recorded history of about 35 3500 years. The earliest known ancestors of modern Armenian settlers, the Hayasazi tribe, also known as the Proto-Armenians, were native to the Armenian hills in eastern Anatolia. These tribes formed the Neri Tribal Union, which existed until the end of the 13th century BC. The Armenian aristocratic ancestor, Haik, was known for his fight with the Babylonian ruler Bell, probably one of the tribal leaders of the Hyas. The words ‘Neri’ and ‘Nerien’ are still used by Armenians as poetic synonyms of the words ‘Armenia’ and ‘Armenian’.
How many Armenians died in the first genocide?
In the first genocide of the twentieth century, more than half a million Armenians, or 80% of the Armenian population of western Armenia, were killed. Hundreds of millions of survivors of the genocide found refuge in neighboring countries, which established the Armenian Diaspora worldwide. By 1923, Western Armenia was fully de-ordinated, and was successfully incorporated into the newly formed Republic.
What was the role of Armenia in the Crusades?
The new Armenian state established very close ties with European countries, and during the Crusades played a very important role in providing Christian troops with a safe haven and on the road to Jerusalem. Marriage was common to European Crusader families, and European religious,
What was the Armenian question?
The so-called “Armenia Question” arose in the relationship between the Ottoman Empire – the “sick man of Europe” – and the European superpower. After the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78, in which East Armenians participated, Russia insisted on the Treaty of San Stefano to reform the Sultan’s Armenian subjects and guarantee their protection against the Kurds. ۔ The demand was softened by the Berlin congress, but by the end of the century Britain had been an element of international politics with Britain over the role of the protector of Turkey.
What was the first state in Armenia?
The first important state of the Armenian Highland was a noble kingdom of Ararat (with capital Tashpa, today’s van), known as Assur’s name, Orato (Ararat). The kingdom was established in the XI century BC and was present until VII century BC. Although mostly Armenian, the Yarrato was ruled (at least during the first centuries) by non-Armenian and non-European families. 2 In 782 BC, the Eurasian King Eragashti I founded the fortified city of Eri Boni, which is today the capital of Yerevan, Armenia. Another large town in the Errat Valley was the Argashti Mines, which was founded by Argusti I in the year 775 BC.
What did Armenians do to maintain their identity?
Having been around for centuries in terms of physical annihilation, Armenians still managed to maintain and develop their national, religious, and cultural identity. In addition to architecture, Armenians have successfully demonstrated themselves in literature, painting, sculpture and music. Armenians were the 10th nation in the world to print their language.
What happened to Armenia after the fall of Silesian Armenia?
After the fall of Silesian Armenia, the historical Armenian homeland, or Greater Armenia, was subjected to various Muslim fighters, and eventually split between the Ottoman Empire (West Armenia) and Persia (East Armenia). Many Armenian states have been able to maintain their independence or independence. Most notable of these was the Federation Khamsa in Artsakh (today’s Nagorno-Karabakh), which included the governments of five unions. The de facto independent Armenian kingdoms also existed in the Sasson and Olive areas of western Armenia.
What was the division of Armenia?
The dissatisfaction of the nakharar s with Arshak II led to the division of Armenia into two sections, Byzantine Armenia and Persarmenia (c. 390). The former, comprising about one-fifth of Armenia, was rapidly absorbed into the Byzantine state, to which the Armenians came to contribute many emperors and generals.
What is the name of the book that describes the adventures of Greek mercenaries in Persia?
Xenophon’s Anabasis, recounting the adventures of Greek mercenaries in Persia, describes the local government about 400 bce as being in the hands of village headmen, part of whose tribute to the Persian king consisted of horses.
Who were the two satraps of Armenia?
After the defeat of the Seleucid king Antiochus III (the Great) by Rome at the Battle of Magnesia (winter 190–189 bce ), his two Armenian satraps, Artaxias (Artashes) and Zariadres (Zareh), established themselves, with Roman consent, as kings of Greater Armenia and Sophene, respectively, thus becoming the creators of an independent Armenia. Artaxias built his capital, Artashat (Artaxata), on the Aras River near modern Yerevan. The Greek geographer Strabo refers to the capital of Sophene as Carcathiocerta. An attempt to end the division of Armenia into an eastern and a western part was made about 165 bce when the Artaxiad ruler sought to suppress his rival, but it was left to his descendant Tigranes II (the Great; 95–55 bce) to establish, by his conquest of Sophene, a unity that was to last almost 500 years.
Which kingdom was taken from Tigranes?
Extensive territories were taken from the kingdom of Parthia in Iran, which was compelled to sign a treaty of alliance. Iberia (Georgia), Albania, and Atropatene had already accepted Tigranes’ suzerainty when the Syrians, tired of anarchy, offered him their crown (83 bce ).
Where are leather shoes found?
The oldest-known leather shoe, dated about 3,500 bce, found in southern Armenia; film 2010. University College Cork, Ireland ( A Britannica Publishing Partner) See all videos for this article. The Armenians, an Indo-European people, first appear in history shortly after the end of the 7th century bce. Driving some of the ancient population ...
Who were the Arsacids?
The Arsacids. Both Rome and Parthia strove to establish their own candidates on the Armenian throne until a lasting measure of equilibrium was secured by the treaty of Rhandeia, concluded in 63 ce between the Roman general Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo and Tiridates (Trdat), brother of the Parthian king Vologeses I.
Who ruled Armenia?
Armenia continued to be governed by Persian or native satraps until its absorption into the Macedonian empire of Alexander the Great (331). After the empire was divided between Alexander’s generals, Armenian rulers paid tribute to the Seleucid kingdom (301), although in practice they wielded considerable autonomy.
What is the artakh?
Artsakh (Karabakh) was one of the 15 provinces of Metz Hayk (Armenia Maior, Great Armenia). It played a significant strategic role for the Armenian statehood throughout its history. Artsakh world (ashkhar-province) served as a shield for the central regions of Armenia from the raids of nomadic and barbarian tribes from the east.
What is the Armenian Apostolic Church?
Armenian Apostolic Church is one of the most ancient Christian institutions. Etchmiadzin Cathedral is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Armenian Coins. Ancient and medieval Armenian Coins, Silver, Coper and Golden Coins, Banknotes, Money, Dram, Currency of Modern Armenia.
What is the artakh world?
Artsakh world (ashkhar-province) served as a shield for the central regions of Armenia from the raids of nomadic and barbarian tribes from the east. Artsakh (Karabakh) is a part of historic Armenia. Read more about Republic of Artsakh or the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Samtskhe-Javakhk.
What is the Armenian diaspora?
Today, The Armenian diaspora refer s to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia. Armenian Kings.
Who is Hovsep Pushman?
Hovsep Pushman (Յովսէփ Փուշման May 9, 1877 – February 13, 1966) was an American artist of Armenian background. He was known for his contemplative still
How did the Armenians come to be?
The current consensus is that the Armenian people emerged as the result of amalgamation between the various peoples who inhabited the mountainous region known in the Iron Age by various forms of the name Urartu (a.k.a., Uruatri, Urashtu, and Ararat ). The process of amalgamation is presumed to have been accelerated by the formation of Urartu and completed in succeeding Armenian realms.
What is the genetic landscape of the Near East?
The Near East's genetic landscape appears to have been continuously changing since the Bronze Age. There is a sub-Saharan African gene flow around 850 years ago in Syrians, Palestinians, and Jordanians consistent with previous reports of recent gene flow from Africans to Levantine populations after the Arab expansions. There is also an East Asian ancestry in Turks from admixture occurring around 800 years ago coinciding with the arrival of the Seljuk Turks to Anatolia from their homelands near the Aral sea. The introduction of these populations doesn't seem to have affected Armenians significantly. Around 500 years ago, a genetic structure within the population appears to have developed, which coincides with a period when the Armenian people were divided between the Ottoman Empire and the successive Iranian empires .
What is the genetic affinity of the Armenian Highlands?
It reveals a "strikingly high" level of regional genetic continuity for over 6,000 years with only one detectable input from a mysterious Sardinian -like people during or just after the middle to late Bronze Age. Modern Sardinians, having the highest genetic affinity to early European farmers who migrated into Europe from Anatolia and introduced farming around 8,000 years ago, have 38–44% of ancestry from an Iranian, Steppe, and North-African -related source. However, no detectable signs of input from sources similar to Anatolian farmers or Iranians were detected that may have altered the gene pool of the population of the Armenian Highlands. The input plausibly came by northwards migrations from the Middle East rather than the isolated island of Sardinia, but no conclusions have been made about the identity of the migrating peoples as of yet, nor whether the cause was cultural or climatic.
How many mitochondrial genomes are there in Armenia?
In a study published in 2017, the complete mitochondrial genomes of 52 ancient skeletons from present-day Armenia and Artsakh spanning 7,800 years were analyzed and combined with 206 mitochondrial genomes of modern Armenians and previously published data of seven neighboring populations (482 people).
What was the impact of the Bronze Age on Armenians?
Admixture during the Bronze Age. Bronze Age demographic processes had a major impact on the genetics of populations in the Armenian Highlands. Armenians appear to originate from a mixture of diverse populations occurring from 3000 BC to 2000 BC.
Why did Armenians become isolated?
It seems that widespread destruction and abandonment of major cities and trade routes caused the Armenians' isolation from their surroundings, and their adoption of a distinct culture and identity early on in their history genetically isolated them from major admixture throughout the following millennia.
When were Armenians mentioned?
Armenians (as "Hai") were possibly mentioned in the 10th century BC Hieroglyphic Luwian inscriptions from Carchemish.
The Ancient Period
- Armenia has been populated since prehistoric times, and has been proposed as the site of the Biblical Garden of Eden. Armenia lies in the highlands surrounding the Biblical mountains of Ararat, upon which Noah's Ark came to rest after the flood. (Gen. 8:4). Armenic Sumerian records written ca. 2,700 BC, tell us the story of the Great Flood and the ...
Early Christianity
- After contact with centers of early Christianity at Antioch and Edessa, Armenia accepted Christianity as its state religion in 301 A.D. (the traditional date - the actual date may have been as late as 314 A.D.), following miracles said to have been performed by Saint Gregory the Illuminator, son of a Parthian nobleman. Thus Armenians claim that Tiridates III (238-314 A.D.) was the first …
Armenian Empire
- From 87 to 85, Tigran's Army victoriously entered Armenian Mesopotamia [Northern Mesopotamia], the province of Korduk', Migdonia and Adiabenē, which were previously under the control of the Parthians. The kingdoms of Osroyenē and Atrpatakan [Atropatene] also pledged their loyalty and support to Tigran the Great. In 85, the Parthians officially recognized him as the …
Language
- By Thomas V. Gamkrelidze and V. V. Ivanov Scientific American, March 1990, P.110This inference is supported by what is known about the portion of the Indo-European community that remained after the Anatolian family had broken away. From that community came the languages that persisted into written history. The first to branch off was the Greek-Armenian-Indo-lranian langu…
The Middle Ages
- Particularly under Bagratid kings Ashot I (also known as Ashot the Great or Ashot V, r. 862-890 A.D.) and Ashot III (r. A.D. 952-977), a flourishing of art and literature accompanied a second golden age of Armenian history. The relative prosperity of other kingdoms in the region enabled the Armenians to develop their culture while remaining segmented among jurisdictions of varyin…
Between Russia and Turkey
- Beginning in the eighteenth century, the Russian Empire played a growing role in determining the fate of the Armenians, although those in Anatolia remained under Turkish control, with tragic consequences that would endure well into the twentieth century.
World War I and Its Consequences
- As was the case for most of Europe, World War I changed Armenia's geopolitical situation. The war also precipitated an ethnic disaster of rare magnitude and brought the Armenians who remained in their native territory into a new type of empire.
The Communist Era
- During the rule of Joseph V. Stalin (in power 1926-53), Armenian society and its economy were changed dramatically by Moscow policy makers. In a period of twenty-five years, Armenia was industrialized and educated under strictly prescribed conditions, and nationalism was harshly suppressed. After Stalin's death, Moscow allowed greater expression of national feeling, but the …
Nagorno-Karabakh and Independence
- The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh (often called simply Karabakh) served as a catalyst for nationalist movements following the precipitous decline of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s (see fig. 3). In the early 1990s, the struggle defied all negotiating efforts of the West and Russia.
See Also