Armenia

Hayastan or Armenia lies between the highlands of Asia Minor and Iran.  Archeological excavations have revealed that the Armenian plateau has been one of the earliest cradles of civilization.  Even in the middle of the second millennium B.C. there existed the Hayassa racial unification in the Armenian highland, which later on became the main element in the formation of the Armenian people.  Armenia is rich of stones and ores such as iron, copper, gold, and silver.  This supported the tradition of metallurgy and stone carving for thousands of years.  The Christian identity is still reflected through the traditions of stone carving and metallurgy in that area.  Armenia has been invaded by Syrians, Persians, Byzantines, Seljuk Turks, Ottoman Turks, Mongols and the government of the former USSR.  Because of these continuous persecutions and intolerance throughout its history Armenian refrained from publicly displaying their religious and cultural identity.

The state of Urartu was founded at the beginning of the first millennium B.C. in the Armenian highland (880-585), which was called Ararat by its contemporary neighbors.  After the fall of the Urartian state, the native tribes, including the racial unifications of Armens and Nairi, were unified and joined in the Hayassa racial unification.  Thus was the Armenian nation formed and the Armenian state- the Yervandouni dynasty - was founded which developed on the territory of former Urartu and included most of Armenian highland.

During the second and first centuries B.C., under the reign of Artashes I (189-160 B.C.), the Artasshessian Kingdom was established in the Armenian highland, which reached its highest power in the days of Tigran II (95-55 B.C.) And played an important part in the Middle East.  This Kingdom was called “Great Haik.” In 301 A.D. Christianity was proclaimed state religion in Armenia. Armenia is the first country in the world where Christianity became an official state religion.  Holy Echmiadzin, the present-day Mother Church, was founded in 301 A.D. and remains the hierarchical center of Armenian Church.  The church is called “The Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.”

Armenia fell under the domination of Sassanide Persia, Byzantium and the Arab Caliphate between 429 and 885 A.D. However, it regained its independence under the dynasty of the Bakratounies (885-1045 A.D.), with Ani as its capital.  During this time Armenia prospered both economically and culturally. Bakratounies fell, then Armenians established the Rubenian Armenian dynasty in Cilicia (1080-1375 A.D.)  With the fall of the Cilician dynasty, Armenians lost their independence.

The grimmest period for the Armenian people began in the middle of the XIII century with the invasion of the Mongols and Tatars.  The majority of the population migrated from their fatherland and established colonies in Constantinople, the Crimea, Poland, Moldavia and Transylvania.  By the end of the XV century the invasion of Armenia by the Ottoman Turks started.  In 1639 Armenia was divided between Sefevide Persia and Ottoman Turkey.  During the next three centuries the Armenian people waged a bloody and heroic struggle to liberate Armenia from the Turco-Persian yoke. 

In 1828, by the Treaty of Turkmenchai, and in 1829, by the Treaty of Adrianapolis, the northeastern part of Armenia was annexed to Tsarist Russia.  The greater part of land remained under Turkish domination and a great part of it under the domination of Iran. 

The Ottoman (Turkish) domination became heavier and more disastrous.  At the very end of the 19^th century and in the beginning of the 20^th century, up until the end of World War I the great Armenian genocide has occurred.  Close to 2 million Armenian people were massacred in Western Armenia and the survivors were deported from their native land.  The surviving Armenians took refuge in Eastern Armenia, the Transcaucasus, Europe, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and in North and South America. 

In 1920 Armenia was forced under Soviet domination and gained its independence after over 70 years of Soviet regime following the break up of the USSR. Currently Armenia is an independent nation. Its capital Yerevan is one of the most ancient cities in the world which has been founded as a town in 782 B.C. but much archeological evidence has been gathered indicating that the present territory of Yerevan was inhabited as far back as 6000 years B.C.

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