armenia
History of Armenia
extends for over 3,000 years. Armenians have historically
inhabited the "Armenian Highlands", a vast section of mountains
and valleys through eastern Anatolia and the Southern Caucasus.
Armenian vassal states, counties, kingdoms and empires would
rise and fall in different parts of this highland during
history. They were only unified once, just before the time of
Christ in the empire of Tigran the Great, stretching from the
Caspian to the Mediterranean Sea. Much of the history was spent
under the domination of the great powers of the region. The
western parts of Armenia were for long periods under Byzantine
or Ottoman Turkish rule, while the eastern parts were under
Persian or Russian rule. These empires often fought their wars
on Armenian territory, using soldiers of Armenia. It was a rough
neighborhood, but population of Armenia managed to hold on to
their language and church, and prosper whenever given a chance.
Being located on the Silk Road, Armenians built merchant
communities and ties extending from Eastern Asia to Venice. Very
often, Armenians had to pay a heavy price for
their envy-inducing wealth.
