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A Arménia foi um império regional com uma cultura rica nos anos que antecederam o século I. 

Em religião oficial de estado, doze anos antes de Roma. Oscilou entre diversas dinastias, mas depois de uma sucessão de ocupações (partiana (iraniana), romana, árabe, mongol e persa), a Arménia enfraqueceu substancialmente. Em 1454, o Império Otomano e a Pérsia Safávida dividiram a Arménia entre si.

== Antiguidade ==
O primeiro estado a surgir na Arménia foi o reino de Urartu, que nasceu à volta do Lago Van no século XIII a.C.. Depois do reino de Urartu ter sido conquistado pelos Assírios e ter sido dominado pelos Citas no final do século VII a.C. o planalto arménio foi invadido por populações indo-europeias que se autodenominavam "Hayk" (Arménios).

Em 189 a.C., depois da derrota do rei selêucida Antíoco III pelos Romanos na Batalha da Magnésia, dois dos seus generais, Artáxias e Zariadris, fundam com o consentimento de Roma dois reinos, a Grande Arménia e a Pequena Arménia respectivamente. Em 165 a.C., Artáxias tentou unir sem sucesso unir os dois reinos, tarefa que seria conseguida pelo seu sucessor Tigranes II (95-55 a.C.).

== Independência ==
Em 1813 e em 1828, a Arménia actual (que consistia dos canatos de Erevan e de Karabakh) foi temporariamente incorporada no Império Russo. O mesmo voltou a suceder com a incorporação da Arménia na URSS em 1920, na condição de RSS da Arménia, depois de existir brevemente como estado independente.

== Genocídio armênio ==
thumb|Genocídio arménio

Durante os anos finais do Império Otomano (1915-1923), As estimativas para o número de armênios que terão perdido a vida durante esses acontecimentos variam entre 1 milhão e 2 milhões, mas há um consenso entre historiadores do mundo todo na cifra de 1,5 milhão de armênios mortos. A morte dessas pessoas é lembrada pelos armênios em todo o mundo a 24 de Abril.Historia

Embora as reformas de 8 de fevereiro de 1914 não satisfizessem as exigências do povo armênio, pelo menos abriam o caminho para realizar o ideal pelo que haviam lutado durante gerações, com sacrifico de inumeráveis mártires. "Uma Armênia autônoma dentro das fronteiras do Império Otomano" era o alceio unânime de todos os armênios. Exatamente um mês mais tarde, em 28 de julho, começava a Primeira Guerra Mundial.

A Primeira Guerra Mundial resultou trágica para os armênios, pois deu oportunidade aos Jovens Turcos de realizarem seu premeditado projeto de liquidar o povo armênio. Na noite de 24 de abril de 1915 foram aprisionados em Constantinopla mais de seiscentos intelectuais, políticos, escritores, religiosos e profissionais armênios, que foram deportados ao interior do país e selvagemente assassinados no caminho. Depois de privar o povo de seus dirigentes, começou a deportação e o massacre dos armênios que habitavam os territórios asiáticos do Império. Mewlazada Rifar, membro do Comitê de União e Progresso, em seu livro "Bastidores obscuros da revolução turca", disse:

" Em princípios de 1915 a Comitê de União e Progresso, em uma sessão secreta presidida por Talat, decide o extermínio dos armênios. Participaram da reunião Talat, Enver, o Dr. Behaeddin Shakir, Kara Kemal, o Dr. Nazim Shavid, Hassan Fehmi e Agha Oghlu Amed. Designou-se uma comissão executora do programa  de extermínio integrada pelo Dr. Nazim, o Ministro da Educação Shukri e o Dr. Behaeddin Shakir. Esta comissão resolveu libertar da prisão os 12000 criminosos que cumpriam diversas condenações e aos quais se encarregava o massacre dos armênios”.

“O Dr. Nazim bei escreve: “Se não existissem os armênios, com uma só indicação do Comitê de União e Progresso poderíamos colocar a Turquia no caminho requerido”. O Comitê decidiu liberar a pátria desta raça maldita e assumir ante a história otomana a responsabilidade em que este fato implica. Resolveu exterminar todos os armênios residentes na Turquia, sem deixar vivo a um só deles; nesse sentido foram outorgados amplos poderes ao governo.”.

A cidade de Alepo caiu nas mãos dos ingleses e foram encontrados muitos documentos que confirmavam o extermínio dos armênios ter sido organizada pelos turcos. Um destes documentos é um telegrama circular dirigido a todos os governadores:

“À Prefeitura de Alepo: Já foi comunicado que o governo decidiu exterminar totalmente s armênios habitantes da Turquia. Os que se opuserem a esta ordem não poderão pertencer então à administração. Sem considerações pelas mulheres, as crianças e os enfermos, por mais trágicos que possam ser os meios de extermínio, sem executar os sentimentos da conseqüência, é necessário por fim à sua existência. 13 de setembro de 1915. O Ministro do Interior, Talat.”

Alguns testemunhos, René Pineau escreve:
“Em geral, as caravanas de armênios deportados não chegavam muito longe. À medida em que avançavam, seu numero diminuía com conseqüência da ação dos fuzis, dos sabres, da fome e do esgotamento... Os mais repulsivos instituo animal era feito com essas desgraçadas criaturas. Torturavam e matavam. Se alguns chegavam a Mesopotâmia, eram abandonados sem defesa, sem viveres, em lugares pantanosos do deserto: o calor , a umidade e as enfermidades acabavam, sem divida, com a vida deles”.

:''see History of Armenia (Moses of Chorene) for the historiographical work.''

The '''history of Armenia''' begins with Kura-Araxes and  Trialeti cultures.

The Iron Age kingdom of Assyrian for '''''Ararat''''') lasted from the 9th century to Artaxiad dynasty from 190 BC gave rise to the Kingdom of Armenia which rose to the peak of its influence under  Tigranes II before falling under Roman rule. 

In Arsacid Armenia was the first sovereign nation to accept Christianity as a state religion. The Persian, and Islamic hegemony, but reinstated their independence with the Bagratuni Dynasty kingdom of Armenia, rival to nearby Atropatene. After the fall of the kingdom in 1045, and the subsequent Seljuk conquest of Armenia in 1064, the Armenians established a kingdom in Cilicia, where they established cordial relations with the Europeans and prolonged their existence as an independent entity to 1375. 

Greater Armenia was later divided between the genocide that was inflicted on them by the Ottomans. As a result, 1.5 million Armenians were killed, and the rest of the Western Armenians were dispersed throughout the world via Republic of Armenia.

==Prehistory==

The Armenian Highland shows traces of settlement from the Neolithic era.

The Shulaveri-Shomu culture of the central Transcaucasus regionis the earliest known prehistoric culture in the area, carbon-dated to roughly 6000 - 4000 BC.  

===Bronze Age===
An early Bronze Age culture in the area is the Kura-Araxes culture, assigned to the period of ca. 4000 - 2200 BC, succeeded by the Trialeti culture (ca. 2200 - 1500 BC). 
The earliest ethnonyms of the area are known from Hittite sources of the Late Bronze Age, such as the Hayasa-Azzi or the Mushki.  

Between 1500 - 1200 BC, the Nairi ("Land of Rivers" in Assyrian").

===Iron Age===

thumb|Urartu in the time of [[Sarduris II of Urartu|Sarduris II, 300px
The Kingdom of Urartu flourished in the Aramé, united all the principalities of the Armenian Highland and gave himself the title "King of Kings", the traditional title of Urartian Kings.<ref></ref> The Urartians established their sovereignty over all of Taron and Vaspurakan. The main rival of Urartu was the Neo-Assyrian Empire.<ref></ref>

During the reign of 834-Van) the capital of Urartu. His son, Ishpuinis, extended the borders of the state by conquering what would later be known as the Menuas (810-785 BC) extended the Urartian territory up north, by spreading towards the Araratian fields. He left more than 90 inscriptions by using the Mesopotamian cuneiform scriptures in the Urartian language. Argishtis I of Urartu conquered Latakia from the Hittites, and reached Byblos, Phoenicia, and he built Erebuni in 782 BC by using 6600 prisoners of war. 

The Van towards 585 BC, effectively ending the sovereignty of Urartu.<ref name="Badmoutioun Hayots, Volume I"> </ref>

==Antiquity==
:''For more details on this topic, see Roman relations with the Armenians.''

After the fall of Urartu around 585 BC, the Kingdom of Armenia was ruled by the Armenian Orontid Dynasty, which governed the state in 585 - 190 BC. Under Orontids, Armenia at times was an independent kingdom, and at other times a satrapy of the Persian Empire. 

300px|thumb|The [[Kingdom of Armenia at its greatest extent under  Tigranes the Great.]]
===Artaxiad dynasty===
After the destruction of the Hellenistic Greek successor state of Alexander the Great's short-lived empire, a Hellenistic Armenian state was founded in 190 BC, with Artaxias becoming its first kings and the founder of the Artaxiad dynasty (190 BC - 1 AD). At the same time, a western portion of the kingdom split as a separate state under Zariadris, which became known as Lesser Armenia while the main kingdom acquired the name of Greater Armenia.<ref name="Urartu/Armenia"/>

150px|thumb|left|Goddess [[Anahit in Hellenistic style with the likeness of Aphrodite, the brass head bronze sculpture (2nd/1st century BC) was found in the 19th century in the district of Yerznka (Satala) and is currently kept at the British Museum (a replica can be seen at the State History Museum of Armenia in Yerevan).]]
The new kings began a program of expansion which was to reach its zenith a century later. Their acquisitions are summarized by Strabo. Zariadris acquired Acilisene and the "country around the Antitaurus", possibly the district of Muzur or west of the Euphrates. Artaxias took lands from the Medes, Iberians, and Syrians. He then had confrontations with Pontus, Seleucid Syria and Cappadocia, and was included in the treaty which followed the victory of a group of Anatolian kings over Pharnaces of Pontus in 181 BC. Pharnaces thus abandoned all of his gains in the west. All of this goes to show that Artaxias was an ambitious monarch of international stature.<ref></ref>

At its zenith, from 95 to 66 BC, Greater Armenia extended its rule over parts of the Caucasus and the area that is now eastern and central Roman control until the establishment of the Armenian Arsacid dynasty. The Armenian people then adopted a Western political, philosophical, and religious orientation. According to Strabo, around this time everyone in Armenia spoke "the same language." (Strabo 11.14.4).

===Arsacid dynasty===

thumb|250px|Armenia in the 4th Century, 299-387 A. D.
Armenia was often a focus of contention between Rome and Parthia.<ref></ref> The Parthians forced Armenia into submission from 37 to 47, when the Romans retook control of the kingdom.

Under XV ''Apollinaris'' from Cn. Domitius Corbulo, ''legatus'' of Syria. Corbulo, with the legions XV ''Apollinaris'', III ''Gallica'', V ''Macedonica'', X ''Fretensis'' and XXII, entered (63) into the territories of Tiridates, founder of the Arshakuni Dynasty.

Another campaign was led by Emperor Lucius Verus in 162-165, after Vologases IV of Parthia had invaded Armenia and installed his chief general on its throne. To counter the Parthian threat, Verus set out for the east. His army won significant victories and retook the capital. Sohaemus, a Roman citizen of Armenian heritage, was installed as the new client king.<ref>HA Marcus Antoninus 9.1, Verus 7.1; Dio Cass. 71.3.</ref>

The Byzantine or East Roman Empire and the Persians.<ref></ref> Western Armenia quickly became a province of the Roman Empire under the name of Armenia Minor; Eastern Armenia remained a kingdom within Persia until 428, when the local nobility overthrew the king, and the Sassanids installed a governor in his place.

According to tradition, the Armenian Apostolic Church was established by two of Jesus' twelve apostles--Thaddaeus and Bartholomew--who preached Christianity in Armenia in the 40's-60's AD.<ref></ref> Between 1st and 4th centuries AD, the Armenian Church was headed by patriarchs.

===Christianized Arsacid dynasty===

In 301, Armenia became the first nation to adopt Catholic and the Catholicos of the Armenian church was Saint Gregory the Illuminator.<ref></ref> Because of his beliefs, he was persecuted by the pagan king of Armenia, and was "punished" by being thrown in Khor Virap, in modern-day Armenia.<ref></ref> He acquired the title of Illuminator, because he illuminated the spirits of Armenians by introducing Christianity to them. 

During its later political eclipses, Armenia depended on the church to preserve and protect its unique identity.

In Golden Age and strengthened the Armenian national identity and belongingness.

In the 5th century, the Sassanid Shah Yazdegerd II tried to tie his Christian Armenian subjects more closely to the Sassanid Empire by imposing the Immortals and war elephants. Despite being a military defeat, the Battle of Avarayr and the subsequent guerrilla war in Armenia eventually resulted in the Treaty of Nvarsak (484), which guaranteed religious freedom to the Armenians.<ref></ref>

==Middle Ages==

===Byzantium and Bagratid Armenia===
In 591, the great Byzantine warrior and Emperor Maurice defeated the Persians and recovered much of the remaining territory of Armenia into the empire. The conquest was completed by the Emperor Heraclius in 629.

In 645, the Muslim Arab armies of the attacked the country, which fell before them. Armenia, which once had its own rulers and was at other times under Persian and Byzantine control, passed largely into the power of the Caliphs.

Nonetheless, there were still parts of Armenia held within the Empire, containing many Armenians. This population held tremendous power within the empire. The Emperor Heraclius (610-641) was of Armenian descent, as was the Emperor Roman State.<ref></ref> Indeed, while there were many different racial and linguistic groups within the Byzantine Empire, only the Armenians were able and allowed to maintain a distinct culture.

Evolving as a feudal kingdom in the 9th century, the thumb|Armenian Feudal Kingdoms, [[1000 AD|230px]] 

Although the native dynasty of the Georgian monarchy. Many local nobles (''nakharars'') joined their efforts with the Georgians, leading to liberation of several areas in northern Armenia, which was ruled, under the authority of the Georgian crown, by the Zacharids/Mkhargrdzeli, a prominent Armeno-Georgian noble family.

===Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia===

thumb|right|300px|The Kingdom of Cilician Armenia, 1199-1375.
To escape death or servitude at the hands of those who had assassinated his relative, Roupen with some of his countrymen went into the gorges of the Taurus Mountains and then into Tarsus of Cilicia. Here the Byzantine governor of the place gave them shelter. Thus, from around 1080 to 1375, the focus of Armenian nationalism moved south, as the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. 

After the members of the first Crusade appeared in Asia Minor, the Armenians developed close ties to European Baldwin, who with the rest of the Crusaders was passing through Asia Minor bound for Jerusalem, left the Crusader army and was adopted by Thoros of Edessa, an Armenian ruler of Greek Orthodox faith.<ref name="Cilicia: A Historical Overview"></ref> Hostile as they were to the Seljuks, and unfriendly to the Byzantines, the Armenians took kindly to the crusader count, and when Thoros was assassinated Baldwin was made ruler of the new crusader County of Edessa. It seems that the Armenians enjoyed the rule of Baldwin and the crusaders in general, and some number of them fought alongside the Christians of Europe. When Antioch had been taken (1097), Constantine, the son of Roupen, received from the crusaders the title of baron. 

The failed Leo II, prince of Lesser Armenia, as the rightful king. As a result, he had been given a crown by both German and Byzantine emperors. Representatives from across Christendom and a number of Muslim states attended the coronation, thus highlighting the important stature that Cilicia had gained over time.<ref name="Cilicia: A Historical Overview"></ref> The Armenian authority was often in touch with the crusaders. No doubt the Armenians aided in some of the other crusades. Cilicia flourished greatly under Armenian rule, as it became the last remnant of Medieval Armenian statehood. Cilcia acquired an Armenian identity, as the kings of Cilicia were called kings of Armenians, not of Cilicians. In Lesser Armenia, Armenian culture was intertwined with both the European culture of the Crusaders, and with the Hellenic culture of Cilicia. As the Catholic families extended their influence over Cilicia, the Pope wanted the Armenians to follow Catholicism. This situation divided the kingdom's inhabitants between pro-Catholic and pro-Apostolic camps. Armenian sovereignty lasted till 1375, when the Mamelukes of Egypt profited from the unstable situation of Lesser Armenia and destroyed it.

==Early Modern period==
===Eastern Armenia===
====Safavid Persia====

thumb|250px|Map of the Erivan khanate.

Due to its strategic significance, Armenia was constantly fought over and passed back and forth between the dominion of Persia and the Ottomans. At the height of the Turkish-Persian wars, Yerevan changed hands fourteen times between 1513 and 1737. 

In Julfa in the province of Nakhichevan was taken early in the invasion. From there Abbas' army fanned out across the Araratian plain. The Shah pursued a careful strategy, advancing and retreating as the occasion demanded, determined not to risk his enterprise in a direct confrontation with stronger enemy forces.  

While laying siege to Kars, he learned of the approach of a large Ottoman army, commanded by Djghazadé Sinan Pasha. The order to withdraw was given; but to deny the enemy the potential to resupply themselves from the land, he ordered the wholesale destruction of the Armenian towns and farms on the plain. As part of this the whole population was ordered to accompany the Persian army in its withdrawal. Some 300,000 people were duly hearded to the banks of the Araxes River. Those who attempted to resist the mass deportation were killed outright. The Shah had previously ordered the destruction of the only bridge, so people were forced into the waters, where a great many drowned, carried away by the currents, before reaching the opposite bank. This was only the beginning of their ordeal. One eye-witness, Father de Guyan, describes the predicament of the refugees thus: