Armenian HistoryAncient Armenia
Tigran the Great
The Artaxiad king who expanded Armenia into the strongest state of the Near East, founded Tigranocerta, and met the Roman legions of Lucullus and Pompey.
10 min readRead the article
Armenian History
Three thousand years of history on the Armenian Highland, told in short, readable articles. Every topic includes key facts, a timeline of dates and the sources behind it, so it can be used for homework, lesson planning or simple curiosity.
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Ancient ArmeniaRead the article
Tigran the Great
The Artaxiad king who expanded Armenia into the strongest state of the Near East, founded Tigranocerta, and met the Roman legions of Lucullus and Pompey.
10 min read · Updated 2 June 2026
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Periods, people and events
Articles are added regularly. Use the search field and the period filters above to narrow the archive.
Armenian HistoryAncient Armenia
Urartu: the Kingdom of Van
Urartu was a powerful highland kingdom around Lake Van whose fortresses, canals and cuneiform records shaped the later history of the Armenian Highlands.
12 min readRead the article
Armenian HistoryAncient Armenia
Mesrop Mashtots and the Armenian Alphabet
Around 405 the scholar and monk Mesrop Mashtots created an alphabet that gave Armenian its own written voice and reshaped the nation's culture.
9 min readRead the article
Armenian HistoryAncient Armenia
The Adoption of Christianity in Armenia (301)
Armenia is traditionally recognised as the first state to adopt Christianity as its official religion, a decision that reshaped its law, art and identity.
10 min readRead the article
Armenian HistoryMarzpanate Armenia
The Battle of Avarayr (451)
In 451 Armenian forces under Vardan Mamikonian faced what the sources describe as a far larger Persian army to defend their faith, losing the battle but winning religious freedom.
8 min readRead the article
Armenian HistoryMedieval Armenia
Bagratid Armenia and the City of Ani
The Bagratid kings restored Armenian statehood after two centuries of foreign rule and built Ani into one of the great cities of the medieval world.
8 min readRead the article
Armenian HistoryModern Armenia
The First Republic of Armenia (1918–1920)
Declared in 1918 amid war and famine, the First Republic gave Armenians a modern independent state for two and a half difficult years.
9 min readRead the article
Timeline
Armenian history at a glance
A quick overview of the periods covered on the platform.
9th–6th c. BC
Kingdom of Urartu
A powerful state around Lake Van builds fortress cities, among them Erebuni, the ancestor of Yerevan. With them, recorded history on the Armenian Highland begins.
189 BC – 12 AD
Artaxiad Dynasty
Artashes I founds an independent kingdom; under Tigran the Great it briefly stretches from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean.
301 AD
Adoption of Christianity
King Trdat III makes Christianity the religion of the Armenian state. The decision reshapes Armenian art, architecture and identity.
451 AD
Battle of Avarayr
Vardan Mamikonian leads Armenian forces against the Sasanian army in defence of religious freedom. The battle is lost, but it leads to a political victory.
885–1045 AD
Bagratid Armenia
A restored kingdom flourishes around its capital, Ani, known as the city of a thousand and one churches and one of the largest cities of its age.
1918–1920
First Republic of Armenia
After centuries without a state of their own, Armenians declare an independent republic. It lasts only a short time, but it is the direct predecessor of today's republic.
9th–6th c. BC
Kingdom of Urartu
A powerful state around Lake Van builds fortress cities, among them Erebuni, the ancestor of Yerevan. With them, recorded history on the Armenian Highland begins.
189 BC – 12 AD
Artaxiad Dynasty
Artashes I founds an independent kingdom; under Tigran the Great it briefly stretches from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean.
301 AD
Adoption of Christianity
King Trdat III makes Christianity the religion of the Armenian state. The decision reshapes Armenian art, architecture and identity.
451 AD
Battle of Avarayr
Vardan Mamikonian leads Armenian forces against the Sasanian army in defence of religious freedom. The battle is lost, but it leads to a political victory.
885–1045 AD
Bagratid Armenia
A restored kingdom flourishes around its capital, Ani, known as the city of a thousand and one churches and one of the largest cities of its age.
1918–1920
First Republic of Armenia
After centuries without a state of their own, Armenians declare an independent republic. It lasts only a short time, but it is the direct predecessor of today's republic.