The History of Armenia
Armenia is one of the oldest countries in the world with a recorded history
of about 3500 years. The oldest known ancestors of modern Armenians, the
Hayasa-Azzi tribes, also known as Proto-Armenians, were indigenous to the
Armenian Highland in Eastern Anatolia. These tribes formed the Nairi tribal
union, which existed until late 13th century BC. The legendary forefather of
Armenians, Hayk (or Haig), famous for his battles with Babylonian ruler Bel, most likely
was one of the Hayasa tribal leaders. The words 'Nairi' and 'Nairian' are still
used by Armenians as poetic synonyms of the words 'Armenia' and 'Armenian'.
At the end of the second millennium BC, another Indo-European ethnic
group, closely related to Thracians and Phrygians and referred to by the Greeks
as Armens, migrated to the Armenian Highland from Northern Balkans. According to
a Greek myth, which actually reflects this tribal migration, the forefather of
Armenians - Armenios - was one of the Argonauts, accompanying Jason in his quest
for the Golden Fleece. Read more...
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