Lesser Armenia ( hy, Փոքր Հայք, ''Pokr Hayk'';
la, Armenia Minor,
Greek: Mikre Armenia, Μικρή Αρμενία), also known as Armenia Minor and Armenia Inferior, comprised the Armenian–populated regions primarily to the west and northwest of the ancient
Kingdom of Armenia (also known as Kingdom of Greater Armenia). The region was later reorganized into the
Armeniac Theme under the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
.
Geography
Lesser Armenia (or Armenia Minor) was the portion of historic
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''O ...
and the
Armenian Highlands lying west and northwest of the river
Euphrates
The Euphrates () is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia ( ''the land between the rivers'') ...
. It received its name to distinguish it from the much larger eastern portion of historic Armenia—Greater Armenia (or Armenia Major).
Initial history
Early history
From the 6th century BC, the territory of Lesser Armenia was ruled by the
Orontid Dynasty (Yervanduni, hy, Երուանդունի), who were subjects of the
Achaemenid Empire
The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire (; peo, 𐎧𐏁𐏂, , ), also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Based in Western Asia, it was contemporarily the largest em ...
. The early Armenian kingdom was named the
Satrapy of Armenia.
Some time after the death of
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...
,
Mithridates, a Persian nobleman from Asia Minor, declared himself king of the region that later became known as the
Kingdom of Pontus
Pontus ( grc-gre, Πόντος ) was a Hellenistic period, Hellenistic kingdom centered in the historical region of Pontus (region), Pontus and ruled by the Mithridatic dynasty (of Persian people, Persian origin), which possibly may have been di ...
. As the kingdom grew in strength, it included Lesser Armenia well.
Roman–Persian wars
![Roman-Persian Frontier, 5th century](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Roman-Persian_Frontier%2C_5th_century.png)
Armenia was a disputed kingdom between
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus ( legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
and
Parthia
Parthia ( peo, 𐎱𐎼𐎰𐎺 ''Parθava''; xpr, 𐭐𐭓𐭕𐭅 ''Parθaw''; pal, 𐭯𐭫𐭮𐭥𐭡𐭥 ''Pahlaw'') is a historical region located in northeastern Greater Iran. It was conquered and subjugated by the empire of the Med ...
during the
Roman–Persian Wars from 66 BC to the 2nd century AD. Roman influence was first established with
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the transformation of ...
's campaign of 66/65 BC, and again in 59 AD in the
Roman–Parthian War campaign of
Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo; which resulted in the deposition of
Tiridates I.
Roman and Byzantine Lesser Armenia
All of Armenia became a
Roman province
The Roman provinces (Latin: ''provincia'', pl. ''provinciae'') were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was rule ...
in AD 114 under Roman emperor
Trajan
Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presi ...
, but Roman Armenia was soon after abandoned by the legions in 118 AD and became a vassal kingdom. Lesser Armenia, however, was generally incorporated by Trajan, together with
Miletene and
Cataonia
Cataonia ( grc, Kαταoνία) was one of the divisions of ancient Cappadocia.
It is described by Strabo, who had visited it, as a level plain surrounded by mountains: on the south by the Amanus, and on the west by the Antitaurus, which bra ...
, into the
province of Cappadocia. Lesser Armenia consisted of five districts:
Orbalisene in the North; below that
Aetulane;
Aeretice; then
Orsene; and finally
Orbesine, the most southern. The more southern districts appended to Lesser Armenia were Miletene, so called from its capital (the modern
Malatya) and the following four small districts of ancient Cataonia, namely,
Aravene;
Lavinianesine or Lavianesine; Cataonia, in the more restricted sense, or the country close upon
Cilicia
Cilicia (); el, Κιλικία, ''Kilikía''; Middle Persian: ''klkyʾy'' (''Klikiyā''); Parthian: ''kylkyʾ'' (''Kilikiyā''); tr, Kilikya). is a geographical region in southern Anatolia in Turkey, extending inland from the northeastern co ...
surrounded by mountains; finally,
Muriane or Murianune, between Cataonia and Melitene, called likewise
Bagadoania.
Romans lost Armenia again to
Vologases IV of Parthia in AD 161. In 163, a Roman counter-attack under
Statius Priscus
Marcus Statius Priscus Licinius Italicus (''M. Statius M. f. Cl. Priscus Licinius Italicus'')The name ''M. Statius M. f. Cl. Priscus Licinius Italicus'' says he is the son of a Marcus as ''M. f.''; ''Cl.'' refers to the tribe he belonged to, which ...
once again installed a favoured candidate on the throne of Armenia, and Roman influence in Armenia remained until the Roman temporary defeat at the
Battle of Barbalissos in 253. But a few years later, at the end of the 3rd century, Rome was again in control of Armenia.
Lesser Armenia was reunited with the kingdom of Greater Armenia under the Arshakuni king
Tiridates III in AD 287 until the temporary conquest of
Shapur II
Shapur II ( pal, 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩 ; New Persian: , ''Šāpur'', 309 – 379), also known as Shapur the Great, was the tenth Sasanian King of Kings ( Shahanshah) of Iran. The longest-reigning monarch in Iranian history, he reign ...
in 337.
Then it was formed into a regular province under
Diocletian
Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...
, and in the 4th century, was divided in two provinces: First Armenia (
Armenia Prima), which contained most of Lesser Armenia, and Second Armenia (
Armenia Secunda
Roman Armenia refers to the rule of parts of Greater Armenia by the Roman Empire, from the 1st century AD to the end of Late Antiquity. While Armenia Minor had become a client state and incorporated into the Roman Empire proper during the 1st ce ...
) that comprised all the southern tracts which had been added to Lesser Armenia, with the exception of Cataonia, which was incorporated with
Cappadocia Secunda
Cappadocia was a province of the Roman Empire in Anatolia (modern central-eastern Turkey), with its capital at Caesarea. It was established in 17 AD by the Emperor Tiberius (ruled 14–37 AD), following the death of Cappadocia's last king, Arch ...
.
Its population remained Armenian but was being gradually Romanized. Since the 3rd century many Armenian soldiers were in the Roman army: later–in the 4th century–they made up two Roman legions, the
Legio I Armeniaca
Legio I ''Armeniaca'' was a '' pseudocomitatensis'' legion of the Late Roman Empire. The Legio I Armeniaca was likely creatred in the late 4th century by either Julian the Apostate or Diocletian. It is possible that the name of the legion could ...
and the
Legio II Armeniaca
Legio II ''Armeniaca'' (''from Armenia'') was a legion of the late Roman Empire. This legion may have been garrisoned in the Roman province of Armenia, but later, together with its twin, I ''Armeniaca'', it was moved into the field army as a '' p ...
.
In 536, the emperor
Justinian I
Justinian I (; la, Iustinianus, ; grc-gre, Ἰουστινιανός ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was the Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565.
His reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovat ...
reorganized the provincial administration, and First and Second Armenia were renamed Second and Third respectively, while some of their territory was split off to the other Armenian provinces.
The borders of the Byzantine part of Armenia were expanded in 591 into Persarmenia, but the region was the focus of decades of warfare between the Byzantines and the Persians (the
Byzantine-Sassanid Wars) until the
Arab conquest of Armenia
The Muslim conquest of parts of Armenia and Anatolia was a part of the Muslim conquests after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 632 CE.
Persarmenia had fallen to the Arab Rashidun Caliphate by 645 CE. Byzantine Armenia was alread ...
in 639.
After this, the part of Lesser Armenia remaining under Byzantine control (in a lesser extent) became part of the theme of
Armeniakon
The Armeniac Theme ( el, , ''Armeniakoi hema'), more properly the Theme of the Armeniacs (Greek: , ''thema Armeniakōi'') was a Byzantine theme (a military-civilian province) located in northeastern Asia Minor (modern Turkey).
History
The Armeni ...
.
Mongol and Ottoman influence
After the downfall of Bagratid Armenia in 1045 and resulting subsequent losses of Byzantine Empire in the East in 1071 (after the
Battle of Manzikert
The Battle of Manzikert or Malazgirt was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Seljuk Empire on 26 August 1071 near Manzikert, theme of Iberia (modern Malazgirt in Muş Province, Turkey). The decisive defeat of the Byzantine army and th ...
), Lesser Armenia fell to the
Seljuks
The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; fa, سلجوقیان ''Saljuqian'', alternatively spelled as Seljuqs or Saljuqs), also known as Seljuk Turks, Seljuk Turkomans "The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes
by the Turk ...
and then was part of the
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...
for 92 years and of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
from the late 15th century.
Between the 11th and 14th centuries the term Lesser Armenia (sometimes called "Little Armenia") was applied to the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, until the formation of
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
in 1923.
Episcopal sees
Ancient episcopal sees of the Roman province of Armenia Prima (I) listed in the ''
Annuario Pontificio
The ''Annuario Pontificio'' (Italian for ''Pontifical Yearbook'') is the annual directory of the Holy See of the Catholic Church. It lists the popes in chronological order and all officials of the Holy See's departments. It also provides names ...
'' as
titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...
s:
[''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ), "Sedi titolari", pp. 819-1013]
Ancient episcopal sees of the Roman province of Armenia Secunda (II) listed in the ''
Annuario Pontificio
The ''Annuario Pontificio'' (Italian for ''Pontifical Yearbook'') is the annual directory of the Holy See of the Catholic Church. It lists the popes in chronological order and all officials of the Holy See's departments. It also provides names ...
'' as
titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...
s:
[
For ancient episcopal sees of the Roman province of Armenia Tertia (III), see Roman Armenia#Episcopal sees.
]
Later history
Lesser Armenia is traditionally considered as part of Western Armenia
Western Armenia (Western Armenian: Արեւմտեան Հայաստան, ''Arevmdian Hayasdan'') is a term to refer to the eastern parts of Turkey (formerly the Ottoman Empire) that are part of the historical homeland of the Armenians. Weste ...
, especially after the acquisition of Eastern Armenia
Eastern Armenia ( hy, Արևելյան Հայաստան ''Arevelyan Hayastan'') comprises the eastern part of the Armenian Highlands, the traditional homeland of the Armenian people. Between the 4th and the 20th centuries, Armenia was partitioned ...
by the Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
in the aftermath of the Russo-Persian War of 1826-1828.
The Christian Armenian population of Lesser Armenia continued its existence in the area until the Armenian genocide
The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was ...
of 1915–23. Some Armenians still live in the area, albeit converted to Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
under Ottoman influence, mainly in the 17th century.Armenian History and Presence in Hemşin
/ref>
See also
* Hemshinli
Notes
References
* Bert Vaux,
Hemshinli: The Forgotten Black Sea Armenians
', Harvard University, 2001.
* Mack Chahin, ''The Kingdom of Armenia: A History'', Routledge, London, 2001. ()
* Robert H. Hewsen, ''Armenia: A Historical Atlas'', University Of Chicago Press, 2000. ()
{{coord, 40.6900, N, 39.6300, E, source:wikidata, display=title
Former regions of Armenia
Late Roman provinces
Roman client kingdoms
States and territories established in the 110s