History of Armenia

Armenian history dates back by thousand years, to the Stone Age, the Paleolithic Era. First Ancestral Armenian Empire, Urartu appeared in 1250 B.C. Soon it became one the rivals of Assyrians and Babylonians. The first Armenian state was founded in 190 B.C. after the destruction of the Seleucid Empire. At the peak of its power, it extended over the territories that now are eastern Turkey. Later it became part of the Roman Empire, adopting its political, philosophical and religious views.

In 301 A.D Armenian were the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion. In the 6th century Armenian Church gained independence from Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. The Armenian Church played a crucial role in preserving the Armenian identity and unity through centuries. Armenia was ruled by Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Mongols, Turks and others between 4th and 19th centuries.

The first Armenian republic was established in 1918 and existed until 1920. Later, communists came to power and in it became part of the Soviet Union. On September 23, 1991 Armenia declared its independence fro0m the Soviet Union. Now it is an independent republic, the home of more than 10 million Armenians that live all around the world.