Artashat, Armenia
| Artashat Արտաշատ |
|
|---|---|
| From top left: View of modern Artashat • Statue of King Artaxias IApricot farms in Artashat • Khor Virap MonasteryWorld War II memorial • Statue of Kevork Chavush
From top left:
View of modern Artashat • Statue of King Artaxias I Apricot farms in Artashat • Khor Virap Monastery World War II memorial • Statue of Kevork Chavush |
|
 Artashat
Արտաշատ |
|
| Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | |
| Country |  Armenia |
| Marz | Ararat |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Argam Abrahamyan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 18.3 km2 (7.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 830 m (2,720 ft) |
| Population (2011 census) | |
| • Total | 22,269 |
| • Density | 1,200/km2 (3,200/sq mi) |
| Time zone | GMT+4 (UTC+4) |
| ZIP | 0701-0706 |
| Area code(s) | +374 (235) |
| Vehicle registration | 25 |
| Sources: Population[1] | |
Artashat (Armenian: Արտաշատ), is a town in Armenia and the capital of the Ararat Province. It is located on the Araks River in the Ararat plain, 30 km southeast of Yerevan. Artashat was founded in 1945 by the Soviet government of Armenia and named after the nearby ancient city of Artashat.
Modern Artashat is on the Yerevan-Nakhichevan-Baku and Nakhichevan-Tabriz railway and on Yerevan-Goris-Stepanakert highway. The name of the city is derived from Iranian languages and means the "joy of Arta".[2][3] Founded by King Artashes I in 176 BC, Artashat served as the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia from 185 BC until 120 AD, and was known as the "Vostan Hayots" or "court" or "seal of the Armenians."[2]
The town of Artashat is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) northwest of the ancient city of Artashat. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of 22,269.
Contents
History
Antiquity
King Artashes I founded Artashat in 176 BC in the Vostan Hayots canton within the historical province of Ayrarat, at the point where Araks river was joined by Metsamor river during that ancient eras, near the heights of Khor Virap. The story of the foundation is given by the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi of the fifth century: "Artashes traveled to the location of the confluence of the Yeraskh and Metsamor [rivers] and taking a liking to the position of the hills [adjacent to Mount Ararat], he chose it as the location of his new city, naming it after himself."[4] According to the accounts given by Greek historians Plutarch and Strabo, Artashat is said to have been chosen and developed on the advice of the Carthaginian general Hannibal:
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It is said that Hannibal the Carthaginian, after Antiochus had been conquered by the Romans, left him and went to Artaxias the Armenian, to whom he gave many excellent suggestions and instructions. For instance, observing that a section of the country which had the greatest natural advantages and attractions was lying idle and neglected, he drew up a plan for a city there, and then brought Artaxias [Artashes] to the place and showed him its possibilities, and urged him to undertake the building. The king was delighted, and begged Hannibal to superintend the work himself, whereupon a very great and beautiful city arose there, which was named after the king, and proclaimed the capital of Armenia.[5]
However, modern historians argue that there is no direct evidence to support the above.[6] Some sources have also indicated that Artashes built his city upon the remains of an old Urartian settlement.[3] Strabo and Plutarch describe Artashat as a large and beautiful city and call it the "Armenian Carthage".[3] A focal point of Hellenistic culture, Armenia's first theatre was built here.[2] Movses Khorenatsi points that in addition to numerous copper pagan statues of the gods and goddesses of Anahit, Artemis and Tir brought from the religious center of Bagaran and other regions to the city, Jews from the former Armenian capital of Armavir were relocated to Artashat.[7]
Artashes also built a citadel (which was later named Khor Virap and gained prominence as the location where Gregory the Illuminator was to be imprisoned by Trdat the Great) and added other fortifications, including a moat.[8] Given the city's strategic position on the Araks valley, Artashat soon became Artashat a center of bustling economic activity and thriving international trade, linking Persia and Mesopotamia with the Caucasus and Asia Minor. Its economic wealth can be gauged in the numerous bathhouses, markets, workshops administrative buildings that sprang up during the reign of Artashes I. The city had its own treasury and customs. The amphitheater of Artashat was built during the reign of king Artavazd II (55-34 BC). The remains of the huge walls surrounding the city built by King Artashes I could be found in the area.
Wars against Romans and Persians
During the reign of Tigranes II, the Armenian kingdom expanded and conquered many territories in the south and west, ultimately reaching the Mediterranean Sea. Due to the remoteness of Artashat in the greater context of the empire, Tigranes built a new capital called Tigranakert. However, in 69 the Roman general Lucullus invaded Armenia, defeated Tigranes' forces at the outskirts of Tigranakert, and sacked the new capital. As the harassed Roman forces continued to move northeast in pursuit of the Armenian king, a second prominent battle took place, this time at Artashat where, according to Roman sources, Tigranes II was defeated once again. Artashat was restored as capital of Armenia in 60 B.C.
However, the city remained a hotly contested military target for the next two centuries. It was occupied by Capadocian legions under the Roman general Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo, who razed it to the ground in 59 AD as part of the first, short-lived, Roman conquest of Armenia. After Emperor Nero recognized Tiridates I as king of Armenia in 66, he granted him 50 million sesterces and sent architects and construction experts to help in the reconstruction of the ruined city.[2] The city was temporarily renamed Neronia, in honor of its sponsor, Nero.
Artashat remained the capital of Armenia until 120 when the see of power was moved to Vagharshapat during the reign of Vologases I (Vagharsh I) 117/8–144. After his death, the Romans led by Statius Priscus invaded Armenia and destroyed Artashat in 162 A.D. Archaeological excavations conducted during the Soviet era uncovered a Latin inscription bearing the full titles of the Emperor Trajan that was probably inscribed upon the governor's palace, dating back to the first quarter of the second century.[2] Artashat remained one of the principal political and cultural centres of Armenia until 369 when it was thoroughly destroyed by the Persian invading army of king Shapur II.
In 449, just before the Battle of Avarayr, the city witnessed the "Artashat Council" where the political and religious leaders of Christian Armenia gathered to discuss the threats of the Persian Sassanian king Yazdegerd II. However, after losing its status as a capital to Vagharshapat and later Dvin, Artashat gradually lost its significance.
The exact location of ancient Artashat was identified during the 1920s, with archaeological excavations beginning in 1970. The archaeological site of Ancient Artashat is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of the modern city of Artashat, near the monastery of Khor Virap.
Soviet period and independence
The modern town of Artashat was founded by the Soviet government in 1945 as an urban community with the merger of three villages, Upper Ghamarlu, Lower Ghamarlu and Narvezlu.[3] It was named after the historical city of Artashat, located 8 km northwest of the modern town.
The town grew gradually as an industrial hub during the Soviet period, mainly in the sphere of food-processing and building materials production. In 1970, Artashat was given the status of a "city of republican subordination" within the Armenian SSR.
In 1995, with the new law of the territorial administration of the Republic of Armenia, Artashat became the provincial centre of the newly-created Ararat Province.
Demographics
The majority of the population in Artashat are ethnic Armenians who migrated from the Iranian cities of Khoy and Salmas, after the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28. They belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church. The regulating body of the church is the Araratian Pontifical Diocese, headed by Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan (seat in Yerevan).
The town's new church of Surp Hovhannes (Saint John the Evangelist) was consecrated on 31 May 2015.
Artashat is also home to a small Assyrian community.
Population chart of Artashat since 1945:
| Year | 1945 | 1959 | 1974 | 1976 | 1989 | 2001 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,200 | 7,277 | 14,905 | 16,774 | 32,000 | 22,600 | 22,269 |
Education and culture
Nowadays, the cultural life of Artashat is enhancing with the presence of several cultural institutions. The city has a cultural palace, an art center named after Charles Aznavour and a dramatic theater named after Amo Kharazyan.
There are 6 public education schools, 7 kindergartens, one musical, an art and two sport school in Artashat, as well as a local television station and a number of local newspapers. The Alexander Melik Pashaev Musical School opened in 1956.
In 2004, a new amusement park was inaugurated in the center of Artashat, which is used to host public celebrations, concerts and musical shows at nights.
During the events dedicated to the 1600th anniversary of the invention of the Armenian alphabet, sculptors from all over Armenia and the diaspora created many cultural monuments in the center of Artashat. The monument of King Artashes I also stands in the center of the city.
Theatre in Ancient Artashat
Artashat is the venue of the first ever theater show performed in the history of Armenia. King Artavazd II (55-34 BC) staged and directed The Bacchae of Euripides at the Artashat amphitheater in 53 BC with the presence of king Orodes II of Parthia.[9]
During the last 15 years, the dramatic theatre of Artashat named after Amo Kharazyan, has performed Armenian and international classic as well as modern works.
Economy
After facing serious difficulties during the economical crisis of the 1990s in Armenia, many firms in Artashat overcame the hard situation and started producing their products to serve the domestic and international markets.
Currently, Artashat is home to many large industrial firms, mainly involved in food processing and building materials. The "Artfood Artashat Cannery" is among the leading processed food producers in Armenia. The "Artashat Vinkon" wine factory is also located in the town.
The "Izipanel" company of Artashat is specialized in sandwich panel manufacturing. Other small plants include the production of building materials and textile.
Many large construction companies operate in the town as well.
Sport
Artashat has a municipal football stadium where many competitions and championships for young football teams and athletics are held. FC Dvin Artashat, founded in 1982 as Olympia Artashat, was the only football club in the city. After the 1999 Armenian Premier League season, the club was dissolved due to financial difficulties and is currently inactive from professional football.
The stadium of Artashat is the regular home of the annual National Athletics Championship of Armenia.
Sister cities
See also
References
- ↑ Ararat
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Hewsen, Robert H. Artaxata. Iranica. Accessed February 25, 2008.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 (Armenian) Tiratsyan, Gevorg. «Արտաշատ» [Artashat]. Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia. Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1976, vol. 2, pp. 135-136.
- ↑ (Armenian) Movses Khorenatsi. Հայոց Պատմություն, Ե Դար [History of Armenia, Fifth Century]. Annotated translation and commentary by Stepan Malkhasyants. Gagik Sargsyan (ed.) Yerevan: Hayastan Publishing, 1997, 2.49, p. 164. ISBN 5-540-01192-9.
- ↑ Plutarch. Life of Lucullus. 31.3-4.
- ↑ Bournoutian, George A. (2006). A Concise History of the Armenian People: From Ancient Times to the Present. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda, p. 29. ISBN 1-56859-141-1.
- ↑ Movses Khorenatsi. History of Armenia, 2.49, p. 164.
- ↑ Garsoïan, Nina. "The Emergence of Armenia" in The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I, The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, ed. Richard G. Hovannisian. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997, p. 49. ISBN 0-312-10169-4.
- ↑ Ermeni.org:Artashat
- ↑ Artashat urban community
Further reading
- (Russian) Arakelyan, Babken N. "Основные результаты раскопок древнего Арташата в 1970-73 гг.," Patma-Banasirakan Handes 4 (1974).
- (Armenian) _________________. Հին Արտաշատ [Ancient Artashat]. Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1975.
- (French) ___________________. "Les fouilles d'Artaxata: Bilan Provisoire," Revue des Études Arméniennes 18 (1984), pp. 367–395.
- (Armenian) Yeremyan, Suren T. Հայաստանը ըստ «Աշխարհացույց»-ի [Armenia According to the Ashkharhatsuyts]. Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1963.
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