By Tim Lambert
Early Armenia
In the 9th century BC, what is now Armenia was part of the kingdom of Urartu. This Iron Age realm flourished until the 6th century, when it fell to the Medes. Armenia was then ruled by a succession of empires.
The Medes were conquered by the Persians, and Armenia became part of the Persian Empire. The Persians introduced Zoroastrianism into Armenia, and the majority of the people converted.
However, Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire in 331. When Alexander died in 323 BC, his generals split his empire between them. In 312 BC, Armenia became part of the Seleucid Empire, although it was allowed some autonomy.
The Seleucid Empire fell to the Parthian Empire. Armenia was then dominated by Parthia. However, Tigranes the Great, who was king of Armenia from 95 to 55 BC, enlarged his kingdom. Under him, Armenia reached a peak of power and prosperity. However, he came into conflict with Rome. In 66 BC, Tigranes was defeated by the Roman general Pompey, but he was allowed to keep his kingdom. The Romans wanted Armenia as a buffer state between them and the Parthian Empire in western Asia.
In the 1st century AD, Christianity came to Armenia. In 301 AD, it was made the official religion of Armenia.
Meanwhile, Rome and Parthia fought over Armenia. In 387, the two empires split Armenia between them. Then in the mid-7th century, the Arabs conquered Armenia. However, in the late 9th century, the Armenians rebelled and drove the Arab rulers out.
In 1045, the Byzantine Empire (also known as the Eastern Roman Empire) conquered Armenia, but it did not hold the territory for long. In the late 11th century, Armenia was conquered by the Seljuk Turks. However, they were gradually driven out, and by the mid-12th century, Armenia was flourishing. In the 13th century, yet other people conquered Armenia – the Mongols.
In the 16th century, the Turks and the Safavids of Persia split Armenia between them.
Modern Armenia
In 1828, Eastern Armenia became part of the Russian Empire, while Western Armenia remained part of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire.
In the 19th century, Christian Armenians in the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire were second-class citizens. They lived in a semi-autonomous region, but they were taxed more heavily than the Turks. Nevertheless, many Armenians prospered, to the annoyance of the Turks.
In the late 19th century, the Turkish Empire was declining, and the Armenians asked for reforms. In response, Sultan Abdul Hamid II unleashed a terrible persecution of the Armenians. The Hamidian massacres took place in the years 1894-1896. As many as 300,000 Armenians were killed.
The Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide began in 1915. Over 1 million Armenians were killed by the Turks. Fearing the Armenians would join their enemies, the Turks began deporting them from their homes. Many were massacred. Others died from starvation or exposure. The Genocide ended when Turkey surrendered in 1918.
The part of Armenia ruled by Russia declared its independence in 1918. However, it was conquered by the Red Army in 1920 and was forced to become part of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union broke up in 1991, and Armenia became independent again.
Today, the economy of Armenia is growing rapidly. Tourism is booming. In 2026, the population of Armenia was 3 million.
Interesting facts about Armenia.
Last revised 2026