Portal:Armenia

WikiPortal Armenia / Վիկիպորտալ Հայաստան

Armenia (Armenian: Հայաստան, Hayastan, Հայք, Hayq), officially the Republic of Armenia, is a country in Eurasia (Eastern Europe/Western Asia) to the east of the Black Sea, located in the South Caucasus. A former republic of the Soviet Union, it shares borders with Georgia in the North, Turkey in the West, Iran in the South, and Azerbaijan in the East. Armenia has both a rich culture and history and takes its place as one of the oldest civilizations in the world, dating back to Biblical Noah and his Ark. Armenia was first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion in AD 301. Since then, the Armenian people have identified strongly with their Christian faith.

Selected article

The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (Armenian: Հայկական Սովետական Սոցիալիստական Հանրապետություն; Russian: Армянская Советская Социалистическая Республика) was the name of Armenia when it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union. From March 12, 1922 to December 5, 1936 it was part of the Transcaucasian SFSR together with the Georgian SSR and the Azerbaijan SSR. Armenians enjoyed a period of relative stability under Soviet rule. Life under the Soviet Union proved to be a soothing balm in contrast to the turbulent final years of the Ottoman Empire. The Armenians received medicine, food, as well as other provisions from Moscow. Additionally, the Armenian alphabet was reformed to increase literacy among the populace. The situation was difficult for the church which struggled under Communism.

Selected picture

The Coat of Arms of Armenia

The Coat of Arms of Armenia consists of an eagle and a lion supporting a shield. The coat of arms combines new and old symbols. The eagle and lion are ancient Armenian symbols dating from the first Armenian kingdoms that existed prior to Christ. The shield itself consists of many components. In the center is a depiction of Mount Ararat, where Noah's ark came to rest after the great flood. Surrounding Mount Ararat are symbols of old Armenian dynasties. In the lower left is the emblem of the Artaxiad Dynasty that ruled in the 1st century BC. In the upper left is the emblem for the Bagratuni dynasty that ruled during the Middle Ages, between 7th and 11th centuries. That dynasty was destroyed by the Byzantine Empire's encroachment and by Seljuk invasions in the 11th century AD. In the upper right is the emblem of the first dynasty to reign over a Christian Armenia, the Arsacid Dynasty of Armenia. This dynasty ruled from the 1st century AD to 428 AD. In the lower right is the emblem of the Rubenid dynasty. This dynasty reigned in Lesser Armenia (also known as Cilicia), a state that expanded and prospered during the 12th and 13th centuries, until the Mamelukes and Turks eventually conquered it.

Selected biography

Coin of Tigranes II. The Greek inscription reads ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΤΙΓΡΑΝΟΥ ("[coin] of King Tigranes").

Tigranes the Great (Armenian: Տիգրան Մեծ, translit. Tigran Mets or Dikran Medz ) (ruled 95 BCE-55 BCE) (also called Tigranes II and sometimes Tigranes I) was a king of Armenia. Tigranes was born around 140 BCE and was the son or nephew of Artavasdes I.

Tigranes had been a hostage until the age of 40 at the court of King Mithradates II of Parthia who defeated the Armenians in 105 BCE. After the death of King Tigranes I in 95 BCE, Tigranes bought his freedom by handing over "seventy valleys" in Atropatene (Azerbaijan) to the Parthians (Strabo 11.14.15). He deposed Artanes, the last king of Armenian Sophene and a descendant of Zariadres (Strabo XI. 532). He invaded Cappadocia in 93 BCE on behalf of Mithradates II, but was driven back by Sulla in 92 BCE.

Did you know...

• ...that the vestry of Makaravank Monastery (pictured) in Armenia served two adjacent churches?

• ...that the medieval Armenian sect of Tondrakians denied the immortality of the soul, the afterlife, the church and its feudal rights?

• ...that the Battle of Kelbajar was the first time Armenian military forces crossed and captured a region of Azerbaijan during the Nagorno-Karabakh War?

• ...that the Battle of Shusha in May 1992 was the first significant Armenian military victory during the Nagorno-Karabakh War, and marked a turning point during the conflict?

• ...that the reconstruction of Kecharis Monastery (pictured) in Armenia was delayed a decade due to an earthquake, war, blockade, and the collapse of the USSR?

• ...that Noravank monastery (pictured) has a 667 year old two-storey church and a rare depiction of God the Father holding Adam's head and blessing a crucifix?

• ...that, during the Yalta Conference, Winston Churchill was so impressed with the brandy produced by the Yerevan Brandy Company, that he asked Joseph Stalin to send him about 400 bottles annually?

• ...that a group of rock stars formed a supergroup in 1989 called Rock Aid Armenia and re-recorded Deep Purple's hit song Smoke on the Water to benefit the victims of the 1988 Leninakan Earthquake?

• that General Valerian Madatov (pictured) was called the Russian Joachim Murat by Field Marshal Hans Karl von Diebitsch during the Russian occupation of Paris in 1814?

• ...that although the presence of Armenians in Bulgaria dates to the Early Middle Ages, their large-scale emigration to the country only began in the 19th century?

• ...that Garo Yepremian was voted as Kicker of the Decade by the Pro Football Hall of Fame between 1970 and 1980?

Armenia news

• October 12: The French parliament has adopted a bill making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide at the hands of the Young Turks in the last years of the Ottoman Empire, infuriating Turkey. (BBC)
• October 6: The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan meet in Moscow for fresh negotiations over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Both described the negotiations as useful and agreed to hold more talks. (ArmeniaLiberty)
• September 30: On a trip to Yerevan, French President Jacques Chirac underscored France's recognition of the Armenian Genocide when commenting of the French Socialist Party's initiative to adopt a law criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial. Chirac said that demonstration of racism and xenophobia in France is punishable in compliance with the Penal Code. "The rest, in my opinion," he said, "is politics having nothing in common with the legal side of the issue." (PanArmenian)
• September 21: Armenia celebrates its 15th anniversary of independence with a military parade along Republican Square in Yerevan. In a speech, Armenian President Robert Kocharian congratulated the Armenian people for the feat. He spoke of economic and social reforms in Armenia, the importance of the Armenian military, and the work of the Armenian Diaspora. Kocharian concluded by stating, "Long live the Republic of Armenia! Long live the glorious Army of Armenia!" (PanArmenian)
• August 16: Britain's Ian Porterfield has been named new Armenia coach, the country's soccer federation said on Wednesday. The 60-year-old Scotsman replaces Dutchman Henk Wisman, who was fired four months ago following a string of poor results. (Reuteurs UK)
• August 1: As some countries distance themselves from Iran due to the nuclear standoff, Armenia moves in to form a closer partnership. (ISN)

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• Founded: 31 July 2006
• Founder: Eupator
• Maintainers: Eupator, Clevelander, members of WP:AM

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