Origin of the Armenian people. Origin and formation of the Armenian people

Armenians are a people who speak the Armenian language, which belongs to the Indo-European language family.

The name of the country Arminia, in which the Armins lived, is found for the first time in the Behistun inscription of the Persian king Darius I, in 522 BC. e.. Herodotus (5th century BC) calls them Armenians. Xenophon provides important information about Armenia and the life of Armenians of the same period.

According to the most reliable hypothesis, the Armenians are an Indo-European people, whose closest ethnic relatives are the ancient Greeks, who migrated from Europe (the Balkans) through Asia Minor. Around the 12th century. BC e. The Indo-European ancestors of modern Armenians, together with their related Thraco-Phrygian tribes, moved from Thrace to Asia Minor and lived here for about six hundred years next to the Hittite and Hurrian-Urartian peoples. Then they moved east and established themselves in the western and southwestern regions of the Armenian Highlands.

Another hypothesis dates the emergence of proto-Armenian tribal unions on the territory of the Armenian Highlands to the 4th-3rd millennia BC. e., and calls Asia Minor, the Armenian Highlands and the western part of the Iranian Highlands the ancestral home of the Indo-European peoples. According to this version, in the 7th century BC, Franco-Phrygian tribes, having crossed the Euphrates, settled in the southwestern part of the Armenian Highlands.

The Armenians, called the Arim in Homer's Iliad, by the time this heroic poem appeared (IX-VIII centuries BC) even inhabited the region bordering the Cilician Taurus.

The process of formation of the Armenian nation was very long and was basically completed by the time of the Greco-Macedonian conquests in the 4th century. BC e.

80s - 70s BC e. - Armenia is the most powerful state in Western Asia under the reign of King Tigran II

In 301, Armenia became the first country where Christianity was declared the state religion.

In 405-406. Mesrop Mashtots created the Armenian alphabet (see History of the creation of the Armenian alphabet).

The First World War became the most tragic stage in the history of Armenians. During 1915-1918 and subsequent post-war years, genocide was carried out against 1.5 million Armenians in Turkey (see Armenian genocide).

The self-name of the Armenians - (hay), according to assumptions, comes from the name of the people - Hayasy. The country of Hayasa and the Hayasa people are mentioned on a clay Hittite tablet dating back to the second millennium BC, it was found during excavations of the capital of the Hittite state - Hattusash.

The number of Armenians in the world is approximately 10 million people, of which only one third live in Armenia. Large Armenian diasporas exist in Russia, France, the USA, Canada, Ukraine, Georgia, and Abkhazia. A significant number of Armenians also live in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which has been fighting for independence from Azerbaijan since the late 1980s.

The majority of believers are Christians belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church.

There is a concept according to which the Alawites are descendants of the population of the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia. The beginning of the Kingdom of Cilicia dates back to 1080, and the Kingdom of Cilicia fell in 1375. This state was inhabited by Armenians, and it was located where the Alawites currently live (northwest of modern Syria and the region of southern Turkey adjacent to these areas)
Armenians in science, culture and other fields
Many world celebrities of science and culture are of Armenian origin. These include Russian marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky, French singer Charles Aznavour, composer Aram Khachaturian - author of the world-famous ballet "Spartacus" and the music "Masquerade", Oscar winner Cher, American film star Gregory Peck, 9th world chess champion Tigran Petrosyan, performer approx. 200 film roles, favorite actor Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, Dmitry Kharatyan, Frunzik Mkrtchyan, Russian pop figures Irina Allegrova, Vyacheslav Dobrynin, Philip Kirkorov, Evgeny Petrosyan, Hmayak Akopyan, Karen Avanesyan and others. Composers and musicians Mikael Tariverdiev, Stas Namin, Armen Grigoryan, Igor Sarukhanov , Levon Oganezov, singer Zara Dolukhanova, Konstantin Orbelyan - chief conductor of the State Academic Chamber Orchestra of Russia, etc.

Russian politicians Anastas Mikoyan, Ivan Tevosyan, Arthur Chilingarov, Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Bagramyan, Fleet Admiral Ivan Isakov, Marshals Amazasp Babajanyan, Sergei Khudyakov, Prime Minister of France (1993-1995) Edouard Ballandur and others. Scientific aircraft designer Artem Mikoyan (MiG) , deputy ed. TSB Lev Shaumyan, orientalist Joseph Orbeli - director of the Hermitage in 1934-51, co-author of the USSR anthem (1943) G. El-Registan (Ureklyan), one of the founders of theoretical astrophysics Viktor Ambartsumyan, Raymond Damadian - inventor of Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (en)), Boris Babayan is the first European scientist to be awarded the title of Intel Fellow.

The founder of American abstract art Arshile Gorky, photographer Yusuf Karsh, Russian scientist in the field of photography Semyon Kirlian (see also Kirlian Effect).

Russian theater and film directors Evgeny Vakhtangov, Evgeny and Ruben Simonov, Tigran and Edmond Keosayan, Sergei Parajanov, Rodion Nakhapetov, Karen Shakhnazarov, Soviet animation figures Lev Atamanov, Canadian director Atom Egoyan, author of the Frank Sinatra song “Stranger in the night”, American Armenian Avo Ovezyan, creator of the first color film (“Becky Sharp”) of world cinematography, American director Ruben Mamoulian, rock bands “System of a Down” and “The Apex Theory”, American writer William Saroyan, French writer Henri Troyat, actor Charles Gerard (Achemyan ) (film “Toy”, 1976), Brazilian film star Araksi Balabanyan, French actress Marie Laforet, film composer Georges Garvarentz (film “Tehran 43”, 1980, etc.), Oscar winner, cinematographer Thomas Ohanian, Alex Emenidjian - Chief Administrator of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

(USA), Oscar winner (1987) Levon Chalukyan. Famous Armenians also include American multi-billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, head of the French company Alcatel-Lucent Serge Churuk.

Famous athletes Andre Agassi, David Nalbandian, Alan Prost (Karatchyan), football player Yuri Dzhorkaev, famous chess player Levon Aronian - winner of the 2005 World Chess Cup, champion of the 37th Chess Olympiad in Turin (2006), world boxing champions Vic Darchinyan and Arthur Abraham

T. A. Alikhanov - rector of the Moscow Conservatory named after P. I. Tchaikovsky

S. L. Kagramanyan - Rector of the Lazarev Institute of Oriental Studies

G. A. Tosunyan - President of the Association of Russian Banks

On the maternal side, the philosopher Georgy Gurdjiev, the director of the State Hermitage Mikhail Piotrovsky, Sergei Dovlatov, Bulat Okudzhava, Alexander Suvorov, Pavel Florensky, Garry Kasparov, the former Prime Minister of Georgia Zurab Zhvania, the current President of Lebanon Emil Lahoud and others are of Armenian origin.
Footnotes
Wikipedia

YEREVAN, Oct 22 – Sputnik. Armenians are an ancient people who predominantly speak the Armenian language. The formation of the Armenian people on the territory of the Armenian Highlands began from the end of the 2nd millennium BC. e. and ended by the 6th century BC. e.

Despite the fact that Armenians are united by one history, one blood and many common features, both externally and internally, representatives of this nation are radically different from each other. The Sputnik Armenia portal tried to understand what an Armenian really is like.

One heartbeat

Representatives of Armenian communities live predominantly in all major countries of the world. Most Armenians live in Russia, France and the USA. In particular, Armenians moved to many countries after the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. The most interesting thing is that Armenians have about 50 dialects, while there are Western Armenian and Eastern Armenian languages, which are spoken by the vast majority of representatives of this nation. As for Eastern Armenian, it is one of the modern variants of the Armenian language spoken in modern Armenia.

The second variety of the Armenian language is common among the Armenian diaspora, which appeared after the Genocide. This group of Armenians primarily resides in North and South America, Europe and the Middle East. Despite the fact that the dialects are very different, Armenians can easily communicate with each other, speaking in their own dialect. The most difficult to understand Armenian dialects are among residents of the Syunik region and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh). It is for this reason that many Armenians do not speak their native language, but are fluent in the language of the country in which they live.

If you communicate with Armenians, then, undoubtedly, you have noticed that these people have a bright sense of humor. They can cheer you up in a few minutes, tell you a huge number of funny stories, anecdotes, and make you walk around in high spirits for the next few days.

It is impossible not to note the fact that there are a lot of famous Armenian comedians in the world. In particular, everyone knows Evgeny Petrosyan, Garik Martirosyan and Mikhail Galustyan. In fact, despite their cheerful disposition and enthusiasm, Armenians are very serious people, especially when it comes to people of the older generation, who have faced many difficulties.

There are also eternally dissatisfied Armenians. Usually, these are those people who cannot find their place in life. In my opinion, the most dissatisfied are Armenian taxi drivers and public transport drivers. It is clear - the driving style in Yerevan and other cities of Armenia is distinguished by a special temperament.

© Sputnik/Asatur Yesayants

If you are a person close to an Armenian, then, most likely, he is ready for a lot, and maybe even everything, for your sake. Probably only Armenians know how to give everything to a loved one without reserve, to surround him with care, attention and affection.

Armenians love and value family very much. In an Armenian family, the parent is the king. And in fact, this is all mutual, since many Armenian parents raise their children with great love and do everything for them, even the impossible. The attitude towards children in our country is special, and this can be called a cult of children. Also, an Armenian man idolizes his beloved women (mother, sister, wife).

Hospitality

Another national trait is hospitality. If you are visiting a “correct” Armenian, he will definitely treat you to something. But if you have agreed in advance to visit an Armenian or an Armenian family, then a whole festive treat awaits you! And especially, delicious Armenian cognac.

One can talk about Armenian dishes forever and write for a long time, but the most favorite dishes of Armenians are dolma (stuffed cabbage rolls made from grape leaves), khash - a spicy soup made from beef legs with garlic, spas - a healthy soup based on matsoni, Armenian tabbouleh salad made from bulgur grains and finely chopped parsley.

Armenian habits

Most Armenians are hard-working. If an Armenian finds a job he likes, then he works tirelessly.

Armenia's sunny weather allows residents of the country to hang out their laundry on the streets. This habit is traditional, for example, for residents of Italy, when a huge amount of clothing is hung from building to building.

© Sputnik / Asatur Yesayants

The “classic” Armenian is distinguished by the fact that he loves to consume large quantities of bread and coffee, organizes luxurious weddings, birthdays, engagements, christenings and other holidays. And in fact, the Armenian may not have money... He will take it on credit and will repay the debt for months. But if the soul wants a holiday, then he will not be able to deny himself and his loved ones this.

Armenians love expensive cars, clothes and accessories. This trait is probably characteristic of all nationalities.

And many Armenians open all the windows in the car when their favorite song is playing, regardless of whether you like this music or not. But a music lover will drive around the city after listening to his favorite track several times, even in winter.

If you decide to use public transport in Armenia, and there is no longer a place where you can sit, then they will definitely give it to you.

Armenians also love to greet each other. “Barev” and “Bari luys” (“hello” and “good morning”) are something that can lift a person’s mood or become a reason for further communication. It is not for nothing that they say in Armenia that “greeting belongs to God.”

Very often, instead of the traditional “thank you,” Armenians say “merci.” Maybe I’m just too lazy to say the beautiful word “shnorakalutsyun” every time.

By the way, only an Armenian will buy himself an expensive gadget - a phone, laptop, tablet or netbook, and will be too lazy to study it in order to use it correctly. He will definitely start asking people around him how to set everything up and make it work.

In fact, Armenians have a lot of habits, both positive and negative, and their character traits are very diverse. The temperament and mentality of Armenians is a very complex thing. However, this article contains everything that can distinguish an Armenian from representatives of other nationalities.

We are glad if Armenian habits are also characteristic of you.

With final destruction in 719 BC. The kingdom of Israel and with the captivity of a significant part of its inhabitants to Assyria and partly to Media, the individual clans that made up this kingdom seemed to completely disappear from the historical arena.

The biblical chroniclers, who report many stories about the tribe of Jehud, as well as the tribe of Benjamin that accompanied it to Babylonia, are completely silent about the further fate of the remaining Ten Tribes of Israel. The chronicler's last message about them reads: “And Israel was resettled from their land to Assyria to this day” (II Book of Kings, 17, 23). This was written during the reign of the Babylonian king Evil-Merodach (c. 560); so, for 160 years after its exile, Israel still existed; and then all information about him disappears, as if the Ten Tribes of Israel had disappeared from the face of the earth.

This can only be explained by one thing - the descendants of the Ten Tribes became pagans and therefore ceased to be mentioned in Jewish chronicles, so that other Jews would not follow their example.

But where did the 10 tribes of Israel go?

And this is not as difficult to install as it seems.

The Assyrian power was not a huge empire.

The Jews were taken to the mountains - there “where a cloud descended on them and covered them” - “behind the dark mountains” (Jer. Sang., X, 29c; cf. Bemidb. rab., XVI, 15).

It is also known that in the places of their settlement there is a Sambation River. This river is identified with the Zabatus River flowing on the border between Assyria and Media.

Eldad Ha-Dani, a famous Jewish traveler, speaks of the tribe of Issachar, “roaming on the mountains, on the seashore, at the end of the Medo-Persian land.” He also visited the tribes of Reuben and Zebulon on Mount Pariap.

From this we can conclude that the Jews were driven to the north or east of the Assyrian state, in mountainous areas.

Such a locality within Assyria could be either Media or Urartu.

They settled precisely in Urartu, in the ancestral home of Armenia.

This is clear because these captive Jews did not at all forget about their Jewish origins.

The descendants of the Phoenicians – Canaanites, who were taken into captivity together with the Jews, also remembered their origins.

Both are mentioned by medieval Armenian historians.

Let's start with the fact that the Armenians consider Hayk, a Babylonian nobleman who rebelled against the Babylonian king Bel, to be their legendary ancestor. Hayk went with his son Aramenaik and 300 other men to the north. The Hebrew name of Armenaik’s son is also characteristic – Kadmos (“East”). Movses Khorenatsi in his history brings to us the information of the ancients that the descendants of 2 sons of Shem neighbored the ancestors of Hayka-Hayk. These Sims joined Ike and participated in the battle against Bel.

The Assyrians are a branch of the Babylonians (Chaldeans), the ancestors of the Jews. Movses Khorenatsi speaks about the settlement in Armenia of the Assyrians - Adramelek and Sanasar, the sons of the king of Assyria Senekerim: “Our brave ancestor Skayordi settled one of them in the southwest of our country, near the borders of the same Assyria; it was Sanasar. His offspring grew and multiplied and filled the mountain called Shem. Subsequently, the outstanding and main ones, having shown loyalty in the service of our kings, were awarded the rank of Bdeashkh of these lands. Ardamozan settled to the southeast of that side; the chronicler says that the Artsruni and Gnuni families descended from him. This is the reason for our mention of Senekerim.” The sons of Sankheriv, after the murder of their father, fled to the country of Ararat (II Ts. 19:37 and Is. 37:38).

From this it is clear that the ancestors of the Armenians were certain Semites who left Babylonia for Urartu. Thus, the Armenians are not direct descendants of the Urartians, but descendants of Semites who mixed with the inhabitants of Urartu.

Who could these Semites be?

It is hard to believe that the “Babylonians” separated from the “Babylonians” and fled to the north from themselves.

It is obvious that the ancestors of the Armenians, although they were from among the inhabitants of Babylon, were not Babylonians, but captive Jews and Phoenicians.

The Georgian author Leonti Mroveli in “The Lives of the Kartli Kings” also speaks about the origin of the Armenians from Babylon: “After the division of languages, when the Tower of Babel was erected, the languages ​​were separated and scattered from there throughout the world. Targamos came with his entire tribe and established himself between two mountains inaccessible to man - Ararat (Ararad of the Korduk region - southern Armenia) and Masis. And his tribe was great and countless, he acquired many children, children and grandchildren of his sons and daughters, for he lived 600 years. And the lands of Arat and Masis could not contain them.”

In the Talmud (Kiddush, 72a), Samuel includes the area of ​​Meshech in the Median cities, where the Assyrian king Shalmaneser resettled the Israeli captives (II Kings, 18, 11).

Meshech - Muski in Lesser Armenia, north of Melitene. From the text of Psalm 120:5 (“Woe is me, for I lived near Meshech and camped in the tents of Kedar”), it is clear that captive Jews lived there.

Ara - the name of the area where Pul and Tiglath-Pilesser, the Assyrian kings, the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh were taken (I book Chron., 5, 26: "Halakh, Habor and Aru and the river Gozan") - very similar to the name Ararat.

The Oral Torah (Eichah Rabbah, 1) tells that the Babylonian king Nebuchadnetzer (Nebuchadnezzar) immediately after the destruction of the First Temple, 5th century. BC) brought some of the Jews to Armenia.

Thus, the Jewish tradition links the captive Jews in Armenia!

So Mvses Khorenatsi says that from the captive Phoenicians who settled in Armenia comes the famous family of Gntuni, “the customs of the men of this family identify them as Canaanites.” He also writes that King Valarshak appoints “Dzeres, a descendant of the Canaanites, to dress himself, and his family, I don’t know for what reason, calls Gntuni.” According to other news, the Gnuni were of Jewish origin, which once again proves that the Phoenicians and Jews are one people (see my articles “The Phoenicians are Jews”, “The Jews in Carthage” and “The Hyksos were Jews”).

Thus, Mkhitar of Ayrivank, speaking about the times of Moses and Joshua, reports that “Khanides the Canaanite arrived in Armenia.”

The same Movses Khorenatsi (like other Armenian authors) writes that the very family of the kings of Armenia descends from one captive Jew - Shmbat Bagratuni.

It is impossible even in our time to imagine that a Jew would become the President of Armenia.

But it is characteristic that, speaking about this, the Armenian authors of the Middle Ages do not express any concern or indignation about this.

Obviously, the entire people were of Jewish origin, and therefore there was nothing unusual in the Jewish origin of the king.

The kings in Greater Armenia were members of the Herodian dynasty Tigranes IV (ca. 6 AD), Tigranes V (60–61), and Aristobulus (55–60) in Armenia Minor.

According to chronicle legends, the feudal families of Amatuni and Mamikonyan were also of Jewish origin.

Movses Khorenatsi writes that Vagharshapat, the capital of Armenia, emerged from a Jewish colony founded here under Tigran VI (150–188).

He also reports on 2 captivities of Jews under Tigran the Middle: an earlier one, committed by himself (Book II, Chapter 16), when the settlers were placed in Armavir and Valarshapat, and a later one, committed under him by Barzapran Rshtuni (Book II, Chapter 16). Ch. 19), who placed the prisoners in the City of Shamiram (that is, in Van).

According to Mar-Abbas-Katina, the author of the history of Armenia, excerpts of which are given by the same Movses Khorenatsi, the Armenian king Kharacheay (Hayk II), a contemporary of Nebuchadnezzar, begged from the latter one of the noble Jewish captives named Shambat (Smbat) and took him to Armenia.

The royal Armenian family of Bagratuni originated from Shambat. OK. floor. III century BC. The powerful and wise Jew Shambu Bagharat was showered with honors by the Armenian king Vagharshak I “for the previous selfless assistance provided to the king, for loyalty and courage.” He gave his family the right to be a hereditary tagadir, that is, to place crowns on the Arsacids, and appointed him as commander over tens of thousands of warriors in the western borders of Armenia. Shambu Bagarat retained his high influence even after he rejected Vagharshak’s proposal to leave Judaism But this high position of the Bagratuni family did not last long. Arshak (128-115 BC) demanded that the sons of Bagratuni worship idols. Two of them courageously accepted death for the faith of their fathers, while the other sons agreed to break the Sabbath rest. The position of the family is even worse worsened under Tigran the Great (95 BC).According to Moses of Khoren, Tigran ordered all nakharars to make sacrifices in temples, but members of the Bagratuni clan refused this and therefore were deprived of command over the troops, and one of them, named Asud, their tongues were cut out. However, the dignity of aspets (cavalry commanders) was retained for them, but this was later taken away. Continuous cruel persecution led to the fact that this family left Judaism.

Another powerful clan of Jewish origin was, according to Moses of Khorensky, the Amatuni, who moved from the eastern countries during the reign of Artashes (85–127) - they were one of the most powerful Armenian tribes that lived on the slopes of the Ararat Mountains. The ruins of their villages and castles have survived to this day. The Amatuni ruled over other populations living from Yerevan to Gumri. Moses of Khorensky reports that this tribe was of Jewish origin, that it came from the eastern Aryan countries, that is, from Persia, and that its ancestor was a certain Manue, by whose name the Persians still call them Manuens. Moses adds that Arsaces, the first king of the Parthians, brought them to Armenia and that during his reign they formed a powerful tribe in the countries of Ahmadan. The Armenian king Artashes - a mythical contemporary of Domitian, Trajan and Hadrian - endowed them with estates. According to the same historian, Amatuni means advenae - "newcomers" or "proselytes"; this perhaps corresponds to the Persian word amat. They are mentioned in the 5th century. Lazarus of Pharp and Agathangel. They delivered commanders, advisers and clergy to Armenia before the start of the Crusades.

There is nothing incredible in the story of Moses of Khorensky, because all the cities of Armenia and the Caucasus were, according to the chroniclers of the 5th century, inhabited by Jews.

The Talmud also mentions Rabbi Ya'akov the Armenian (TI., Gith. 6:7, 48a). In addition, the yeshiva (Torah study school) in Nisbis is also mentioned.

In the II century. Jewish captives were brought from Armenia to Antioch and ransomed there by local Jews (Jeb. 45a).

In 360, according to Faust of Byzantium, the Persians, during the invasion of the Persian king Sapor (Shabur), took away 75,000 Jewish families from the Armenian cities of Artashat, Kruandashat, Zeraghavan, Zarishat and Van, descendants of those Jews who were brought captives from “Palestine” by King Tigran Arshakun together with the high priest Hyrcanus. Jews made up the majority among the exiles from three cities: Yervandashat, Van and Nakhichevan.

It is very strange.

It would seem, why would the Persians separate the Jews from the Armenians and resettle them to Isfahan?

This suggests that there was no enmity between the Armenians and Jews at that time; on the contrary, they were allies and posed a potential threat to Persia.

Thus, Benjamin of Tudela (12th century) says that the jurisdiction of the exilarch (head of the Jews) extended, among other things, to the Jews of “all Armenia and the country of Kota, near Mount Ararat, in the country of Alania.”

The testimony of Abraham ibn Daoud dates back to the same time that Jewish settlements extended to the Caucasus.

Petahya of Regensburg (12th century) reports that “in the land of Ararat there are large cities, but there are very few Jews in them. Previously, in the old days, there were many of them there; but they exterminated each other, and then scattered and dispersed to the cities of Babylonia and Media , Persia and the land of Kush." He also assures that during his stay in Baghdad he saw “with his own eyes” the envoys of the kings of the “land of Meshech” and these envoys said that “the kings of Meshech and all their land became Jews” and that among the inhabitants of Meshech there are teachers teaching “ them and their children to the Torah and Talmud of Jerusalem."

In 1996, several Jewish tombstones were discovered in the Yeghegiz region (Syunik region of Armenia).

In 1910 N.Ya. Marr was sent a photograph of a Jewish tombstone found from the village of Alagyaz (Sharuro-Daralagez district of Erivan province), i.e. in the historically famous town of Yeghegis, Vayots Dzor region.

During certain periods of the Middle Ages, a certain number of Jews lived on the territory of Eastern Armenia, as evidenced by the Jewish cemetery discovered by archaeologists in Yeghegnadzor.

The kingdom of the legendary Eastern Christian emperor John Prester, who either ruled the Jewish land or was adjacent to it, is sometimes placed next to Armenia. The Ethiopian history work Kebra Negast, dating from the 14th century, states that Ethiopia will assist “Rome” (Byzantium) in eliminating the rebellious Jewish country in Armenia. Geographical collection of the 14th century. The Voyage of Sir John Mandeville states that the Caspian Jews were subjects of Queen Tamara of Georgia.

Armenia figures prominently in medieval and later traditions about the existence of legendary settlements of "free Jews". In 1646, Don Juan Meneles offered Turkish citizenship “Armenia, inhabited by Jews.”

A Jewish official in the service of the Emir of Cordoba, Hisdai ibn Shaprut, wanted to send his famous letter to Joseph, the king of the Khazars, through Armenia, from which it is clear.

ZOKI (self-named zok) is a historical-ethnographic (sub-ethnic) group of Armenians of Jewish origin who traditionally lived until the early 90s. XX century on the territory of the Araks region in Goghtn (Goltn) district. The persistent ideas of the Zoks and the rest of the Armenian population about their Jewish origin give the right to consider the Zoks a stigmatized group. The Zoks identify themselves with the Armenian ethnic group, but among the rest of the Armenian population they are generally considered to be “Armenian Jews.” The historical connection between the ancient Hebrew and ancient Armenian peoples is confirmed by evidence about Armenia in the Old Testament, which is mentioned under a name not found in any other historical source of Western Asia, namely: “Togarma” or “house of Togarma” (Gen., 10, 3; Ezek., 27, 14, 38, 6). The descendants of Jewish captives taken from Jerusalem by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II lived in large numbers in the kingdoms of Parthian and Persian adjacent to Armenia. The Armenian historian Favstos Buzand (5th century) argued that the Armenian king Tigranes II (95–55 BC) as a result of a military campaign in 69 BC settled many Jewish captives from Palestine in the cities of Greater Armenia . He also reports that the Persians in the 4th century, under King Shapur II, “destroyed these cities, captured their inhabitants, and with them the entire Armenian country and the Gavars. From all these gavars, regions, gorges and countries, they took prisoners and drove everyone to the city of Nakhichevan, which was the concentration of their troops. They also took and destroyed this city, and from there they took 2 thousand families of Armenians and 16 thousand families of Jews and took them away along with other prisoners.” It is this region of Nakhchevan (from the 10th century Nakhichevan) that coincides with the place of residence of the Zoks until 1989–1990. Favstos Buzand lists other Armenian cities from where the Persian Shah brought Armenians and Jews out. Thus, he notes that the Persians in the period from 360 to 370 took 40 thousand Armenian and 9 thousand Jewish families from the city of Artashat, 20 thousand Armenian and 30 thousand Jewish families from Yervandashat, 5 thousand Armenian families from Zarekhvan and 8 thousand Jewish families, Zarishat - 10 thousand Armenian and 14 thousand Jewish families, from Van - 5 thousand Armenian and 18 thousand Jewish families. Ya.A. Manandyan wrote that “there is no doubt that Jews and Syrians... constituted a significant part of the urban population in Armenia.” Historical evidence about the population of Nakhichevan is available in the work of an Armenian historian of the 17th century. Arakela Davrizhetsi “Book of Stories”. He reports that at the very beginning of the 17th century, during the reign of the Iranian Shah Abbas I, many Armenian families were evicted from the cities of Armenia, incl. from the large city of Dzhuga and resettled to the other side of the river. Araks, deep into Iran, where in the vicinity of Isfahan (then the capital of Iran) they founded the city of Nor-Jugha (New Jugha). During the reign of the Iranian Shah Abbas II in 1659, a decree was issued in which “the Armenians, and with them the Hebrew tribe (from the biblical tradition - Hebrew, in English, French - hebrew (u), in Russian . ling. - Jews) were ordered to leave there and move to where the Yerevan, Dashtin and Dzhugin people settled” i.e. near Nor-Juga.

The Talmud (Iebam. 45a) reports that the captive Jews were transferred to Tiberias from "Armon", that is, Armenia.

King Tigran I (2nd century BC) invited an additional number of Jews, allocating mountainous areas of the kingdom for their settlement.

In Armenia, in the village of Yeghegis, tombstones of the 11th–13th centuries were discovered. with inscriptions in Hebrew and outbuildings and objects.

According to the chronicles about the conquest of Armenia by the Persians, in the 4th century AD. in many Armenian cities, Jews made up 30–70% of their total population!

The Armenians adopted Monophysitism, a trend that opposed the hegemony of the Byzantine Church, declaring its connection with Israel. Monophysitism is very close to Judaism. The baptism of Armenia itself is associated with King Trdat the Great, who in 286, with the help of the Romans, ascended to the hereditary throne. With a new religion, he proclaimed the independence of Armenia from Persia in alliance with the Romans.

It is also assumed that the liturgy of the Armenian Church has a connection with the music of the Jerusalem Temple. The Armenian word "sharakan" (songbook, pensopenia) can easily be reduced to the Hebrew word "shir" ("ball"), which carries the idea from the semantic range of "to make proportionate sounds, to sing, to glorify." Works of A.Ts. Idelson, E. Werner, H. Avenari and others revealed the undeniable kinship of Gregorian chants with the cantillations of Babylonian and Yemenite Jews. This continuity was also noted in the 19th century: for example, V. Stasov argued that “all Gregorian, Ambrosian and other Christian melodies... stand on Jewish foundations.”

The Jewish prophet Jeremiah, in the words calling for “war against Babylon: Convene the kingdom of Airarat and the army of Askanaz!”, may confirm this theory of mine: firstly, Jeremiah generally knows about the existence of Armenia (Ararat), the importance of which was understood by Movses Khorenatsi, secondly, one must ask the question, is it possible to somehow explain his call to the Armenians (askenazis), if not a) they know the Hebrew language and listen to his sermons; c) they are deeply concerned about the fate of the Jews.

According to Movses Khorenatsi, the Jews were settled in Armenia by King Tigran II the Great (who ruled in 95–55 BC), more precisely, he resettled the Jews to Armenia twice. He heads to "Palestine", captures the Jews along the way, and begins the siege of Ptolemyad. Ptolemais was located south of Tyre, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Tigran captured the Jews even before he approached her, i.e. he captured the Jews of Syria. The Armenian king settles captive Jews in Armavir and in the village of Vardgesa, on the river. Kasakh. Even lower, having briefly talked about this village, Movses repeats that Tigran settled half of the Jews of the first captivity in it, and this village became an urban settlement with a marketplace.

The second captivity, according to Movses Khorenatsi, occurred due to the fact that the Armenians intervened in the internecine feuds of two contenders for the Jewish throne - Antigonus and Hyrcanus. Armenian troops, with the help of Antigonus's supporters, entered Jerusalem and, without harming anyone, seized only the property of Hyrcanus. Carrying out raids on the surrounding areas, they robbed the supporters of Hyrcanus. They captured the inhabitants of the city of Marisa, installed Antigonus as king, and led Hyrcanus in chains along with the captives to Tigran. Tigran ordered the captive Jews to be settled in the city of Shamiram (Shamiram is the Armenian name of Queen Semiramis), that is, in Van. Since it is known that Hyrcanus lost the throne in 40 BC, Movses was mistaken: the 2nd part of the Jews was resettled to Armenia not by Tigranes, but by his son Artavazd II, who reigned in 55–34.

From these stories of Movses Khorenatsi, several interesting conclusions can be drawn: the Armenians considered Judea a zone of their interests, and also pursued a policy of relocating Jews to their cities.

Talking about the Persian invasion of Armenia, Movses Khorenatsi writes about the order of the Persian Shah “to take captive the Jews, those who were brought (to Armenia) in the days of Tigran and lived in Van, remaining with their faith. They also took into captivity those JEWS who lived in Artashat and Valarshapat WHO IN THE DAYS OF SAINT GRIGOR AND TRDATES BELIEVE IN CHRIST.”

From this it is clear that the Jews of Armenia adopted Christianity.

In the pre-revolutionary “Jewish Encyclopedia” it is written: “Some Armenian scholars claim that it is their people who descend from the 10 Tribes of Israel, and they point to some customs observed by the Armenians when slaughtering livestock and regarding the types of animals they eat.” The article about Turkey also says: “In the east of Turkey, in the vilayets of Van and Mosul, there live Jews who consider themselves direct descendants of captives in Assyria and taken from Palestine by the Armenian king Tigran III. The latter are no different from the natives, except for the long curls above the temples. Of the 5,000 Jews of the Van Vilayet, only 360 people remained faithful to Judaism, the rest accepted the faith of the Armenians.”

Academician Joseph Orbeli told one of the researchers of the Jewish-Armenian question, Gagik Sargsyan, that back in the beginning. XX century Peasants from the villages surrounding Van saw the inhabitants of the city as Jews resettled to Armenia by Tigran the Great. There is an opinion that VANTS are descendants of Jews. In general, the very name - Van - resembles the Hebrew name Baan (Vaana, Vaan).

In Armenia and Turkey there is a religious-tribal group - the PAKARADONS. They are Christians, but do not marry other Armenians, do not eat pork, and observe Shabbat. There is a legend that they are the descendants of Babylonian Jews who moved to the Caucasus during the time of the Second Temple.

Former Israeli President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi described a strange incident that happened to his friend Chaim Greenberg. After the revolution, Grinberg lived in Kyiv and studied at the university. One day, the Armenian professor Yegiazarov invited him to visit him and stunned him with the following statement: “You, of course, studied Hebrew. So, if we discard the ending, my last name sounds like this: Ekhiezer! There is a legend in our family that we are descendants of Jews. Therefore, there is a tradition of giving children Jewish names and treating this people with warmth...”

The Armenian theory of the origin of the Semites was developed by Ernest Renan (Histoire g;n;rale des langues s;mitiques, livre V, ch. 2, § 6) and A.Ya. Garkavi ("Research on the original habitat of the Semites, Indo-Europeans and Hamites"). Thus, E. Renan identifies 3 anthropotypes of Jews, but most Ashkenazis belong to the Armenoid type and its mestizos. There is an Ashkenazi variety of the Armenoid type.

Antiochus the Great resettled many Jews to Apamea, not Syrian, but located in the “Phrygian region” (Antiquities, XII, 3, § 4). According to the “Hebrew Sibylline Books” (I, 261), Mount Ararat, on which Noah’s ark stopped, was located in Phrygia, therefore the Syrian king resettled the Jews to Armenia.

According to legend, it is in Armenia that the Eternal Jew (Ahasfer) lives - a Jew, a witness to the martyrdom of Jesus Christ.

From the ancient Armenian historian Yeghishe we learn that before Christianity, Armenians celebrated Saturday, and in the original in Grabar (ancient Armenian) the phrase “meeting Saturday” is reflected in the word “Sabbathamut”, i.e. Shabbat (Saturday) begins on Friday evening.

Movses Khorenatsi also writes that the “Armenian” kings (in fact, the Arsacids - Iranians) had to make great efforts to persuade the Jews taken into captivity to idolatry, and that many of the Jews “paid with their lives for worshiping God.”

Hovhannes Draskhanakertsi (40s of the 9th century – 925) testifies to the same thing: “During his [Arshak’s reign, 2nd century] some of the Jews who lived in the land of the Bulkars, in the gorges of the Caucasus, separated and came and settled at the foot of Kol [Kol is a mountain in the first gavar of the same name, Taika/Gel, which occupies the territory at the source of the Kura]. Two of them, tortured for not worshiping the gods, were killed by the sword for the faith of their fathers, following the example of St. Eleazar and the sons of Shamovon."

It is known that the Jews of Armenia were forcibly baptized by the Byzantine emperor of Armenian origin Mauritius (582–602).

In a number of sources, Armenia is called Amalek; Jews called Armenians Amalekites. The same term was used to designate them in Byzantium. Josephus wrote that Amalek was conquered by the tribe of Benjamin during the reign of Saul and that the descendants of this tribe laid the foundation for Judaism in Armenia.

The same Josephus writes that the Jews of Judea were taken captive by the Armenian king Artavazd II (55–34 BC) and sent to the Van region. But even by his father Tigran II (95–56 BC), many Jewish artisans were resettled from the Hellenistic cities of Asia Minor.

Movses of Kalankatui (Kagankatvatsi) directly connected Armenians with Jews - “And also, in the readings about the Day of David and Jacob it is said that in some other cities the Nativity of Christ is celebrated on December 25. In those cities this is explained by the fact that they converted to Christianity from the pagans, and not from the circumcised [Jews]. In the days of paganism, they had the custom of celebrating sunrise on that day, and therefore they did not want to give up this holiday. Therefore, the apostles were forced to agree with them and appoint them the Nativity of Christ on this day. AND THOSE WHO ARE CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY FROM THE NUMBER OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES everywhere celebrate [Christmas] on the 6th of January, which was handed down to our ancestors, SO WE CELEBRATE TO THIS DAY, for, as [Isaiah] says, “out of Zion will go forth the law, and the word the Lord's from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3)."

That is, Movses of Kalankatui directly wrote that the ancestors of the Armenians were circumcised Jews, which confirms the words of Yeghishe about the Shabbat once celebrated by the ancestors of the Armenians.

Many historians, for example the Turkish Jewish historian Abraham Galanti (1873–1961), came to the same conclusion as I did - that is, that the Armenians are the descendants of Jews who mixed with the Urartians. So he found traces of the presence of the Jewish population in Asia Minor in the area from Cappadocia to Cilicia: Aegina (now Kemaliya), Darenda, Div-rika and Arapkira. The name of the ancient city of Egin (Agin) in Armenian means “view” or “source”. It is similar to the word ayin in Hebrew transcription. Further, Galanti came to the conclusion that at the beginning of the 20th century. In Aegina, there was a Judeo-Armenian religious community that called itself Pakradunis, which differed from other Armenian communities in the norms of internal life and some traditions. The dolichocephalic skull and other appearance features brought them closer to the Jewish type. Observing seven days of mourning is a common Jewish tradition. Other customs are also close to Jewish ones. Residents of these cities do not eat pork, observe some laws of the Sabbath, and drink wine produced only by members of the community. Intra-community marriages predominate among them. Galanti believed that surnames like Israelyan, common among Armenians, confirmed his version.

Many note the amazing similarity between Armenians and Jews - their business qualities, talents in medicine, astronomy, sense of humor, etc. It is not for nothing that there are sayings like “The devils boiled one Armenian out of two cauldrons of Jews,” “where an Armenian has passed, a Jew has nothing to do,” etc.

There is even an expression: “Armenians are the Jews of the East.”

Due to the same talent for certain types of activities, Armenians and Jews were often competitors, hence the hostility between these two peoples.

However, Armenians and Jews also arouse hostility among surrounding peoples. Armenophobia has much in common with anti-Semitism. Armenophobe V. Velichko, for example, wrote: “Who are the Armenians? Their main origin is little understood. History testifies to the merging with them, first during the Babylonian captivity, and then after the destruction of Jerusalem, of a huge mass of Jews. From an anthropological point of view, they are, for the most part, extreme brachycenals, i.e., short-headed and are most similar in this regard, as can be seen from the studies of Shantra, Erkert, Potnyukhov and others, with Mountain Jews and Syrian Chaldeans (Aisors). The English scientist Bertin considers them to be the same type of people as the Jews of the pre-Palestinian period.”

In general, the history of the Jews of the Diaspora and the Jewish states is very similar to the history of the Armenians, Armenia and the Armenian diaspora.

Also, the very name of the Armenians may indicate an origin from the word “Aramaic”, but the Aramaic language was once the language of the Jews.

European Jews are called Ashkenazi. Ashken is an Armenian proper name, because Western Armenia was once conquered by the Scythians (“kingdom of Magog”), a people of Iranian origin. Ashkenaz, according to the Bible (Genesis, X, 3) and Armenia in Jeremiah (Jer., 51, 27, 28) is mentioned in connection with the kingdoms of Ararot and Minni and next to Media as a tribe hostile to the Babylonians.

Anonymous Khazar Jew - the so-called. Cambridge Anonymous wrote that the ancestors of the Jews of Khazaria fled from Armenia because... "They could not bear the yoke of the idolaters."

Kurdish Jews call themselves Anshey Targum ('people of Targum'), as do the Armenians and Khazars.

Geographer Shemeud-din-Dimeshki calls the Khazars Armenians.

According to the Bulgarian historian Bakhshi Iman, the Khazars were originally from Arman (Armenia): “According to the bek, the Khazars were the same Samara Bulgars whom the Bardzhiy [Persians] evicted from Arman [cf. reports about the eviction of Jews from Armenia by the Persians] to Kashan.” Moreover, he, according to the Khazar Jambek, the son of the Khazar historian Karamysh, actually repeats the thought of the Khazar-Jewish Cambridge anonymous about the Khazars’ view of Armenia as their homeland: “Under pressure from the Cumans, the Seljuks [who broke away from the Khazars] left their beylik and moved through Khorasan to the sacred lakes of the Bulgars [= Khazars] Ban [Van, Western Armenia] and Saban [Sevan, Armenia] in the primordially Bulgar [Khazar] region of Arman, in order to cleanse this land of theirs from the infidels who have bred in it...”

According to Sincellus (I, 91) and Armenian historians (Samuel the Armenian and Eusebius, Chron. Ar-men., II, 12) and Movses Khorenatsi, the descendants of the “house of Togarma” (;;;;;; ;;;) are the Armenians. But the Khazars also considered themselves descendants of Togarma.

Jewish authors called the Khazar Jews “Minaea,” which also resembles the old name for the Armenians. According to the story of the dignitary of the Khazar king Joseph, the Jews of Khazaria fled from “Armenia... And our ancestors fled from them... because they could not bear the yoke of idolaters.” The Khazars considered themselves descendants of the lost tribes of Israel who had forgotten their faith, which is consistent with the above-described legend about the origin of the Armenians from the enemies of Babylon. Many people consider Ashkenazi Jews to be the descendants of the Khazars, and the Bible calls Armenia the word “Ashkenaz” (see chapters on the Khazars and Highlanders).

In one of the archival documents of the 19th century. The following definition is also found: “Okochans (Khazars) were the Persian settlers and Armenians who left Persia and settled in the vicinity of the Holy Cross.”

Indeed, modern science knows that the Khazars were originally Iranian-speaking.

Emperor (Armenian) Leo the Philosopher called the Armenian Photius a “Khazar face.”

According to the ancient Russian legend, 3 brothers - the founders of the city, dating back to the Khazars, brothers Kiy, Shchek and Khoriv, ​​their sister Lebed, founded cities named after the brothers - Kiev, etc. In the "History of Taron" brothers Kuar, Meltei and Khorian (and their sister Karap, – “swan” in Armenian!) also founded cities in Armenia named in their honor. T.N. The “Vlesov Book” (although the source is dubious) connects the founding of Kiev with Smbat Bagratuni, a Jew in the service of the Armenians, Byzantium and Iran, and from Bulgarian sources we again see the same Sambat as the founder of Kiev, and the very ancient name Kyiv Sambat proves this, with which some Armenian enthusiasts agree with.

In fact, according to Bakhshi Iman, Shambat is the nephew of Atilkese (Asparukh) and Bat-Boyan - the great-grandsons of Tubjak, the great-grandson of Bel-Kermek, the son of Atille Aibat (Myshdauly) - the founder of the Dulo clan. Shambat built the city of Bashtu (Kyiv), separated and named his country Duloba.

The inventor of the Slavic alphabet, the Armenian Kirill, visited Khazaria for missionary purposes and spoke the Khazar language. Mesrop Mashtots translated the Gospel into one of the Albanian dialects, adapting the writing of the Ak-Khazirs (White Khazars), whose language is similar to the language of the Gargars, i.e. according to Movses Khorenatsi Mashtots creates an alphabet for the Gargar (Kangar) language: “Stegts nshanagirs kokordakhos aghkhazur hjakan khetsbekazunin aynorik gargaratsvots lezun” (“created writing for the wild language of the white Khazars, rich in guttural sounds [“agh” - “white”, “khazur” - “ Khazar”] similar to the barbaric Gargar”). And as A. Perikhanyan noted, Mashtots could not create an alphabet for a language unfamiliar to him.

Many people consider Ashkenazi Jews to be the descendants of the Khazars, but the Bible calls Armenia the word “Ashkenaz”. The term Askenaz is etymologized based on Iranian languages. I;kuza-A;kenaz – Sakas;n;-Sacasinae – ;aka;;n literally means “habitat, place of residence of the Sakas, country of the Sakas”< др. ир. Saka;ayana – сложное слово, составлено из следующих композитов: 1 – Saka- «Скиф, Сак – иранское название скифов, тотемического происхождения 2. др. ир. *;ayana – «обиталище, место проживания, поселок», ср. авест. ;ay;na, среднеперсидский;;n (>Old and New Armenian;;n, cf. in a huge number of Armenian toponyms Geta;;n, Verni;;n, ;;nuhayr, etc.), cf. other ind. ;аyanaka – “dwelling, habitation, prosperous area”, cf. Arm. ;en “prosperous, prosperous (about a city, settlement)”, cf. Khazar kingdom of Saksin.

Magomedov noted that Christianity among the Khazars and Albanians is of Armenian origin.

According to Kumyk legends, near Karabudakhkent there was a stone statue representing a horseman in full armor sitting on a stallion. The rider held 3 fingers of his right hand on his forehead, as if to cross himself. The Kumyks said that this statue represents an Ermeli (Armenian) who turned to stone when the Muslims wanted to kill him.

Thus, we can draw the following conclusion - the captive Jews settled in Armenia, where they partly mixed with the local residents and moved away from Judaism.

Another part of the Jews retained their faith and went to Dagestan and Chechnya, giving rise to the Judeo-Khazars.

From Khazaria, which was defeated by the Russians and Oguz in 965, the Jews partly fled to the West, and partly converted to Islam, giving rise to the Kumyks and possibly the Vainakhs (see my article “Chechens and Jews”), who have a common language layer with Urartu and legends about their residence in Nakhichevan, etc.

The Judeo-Khazars who went to the West mixed with Eastern European Jews to form the largest Jewish subethnic group - the Ashkenazis.

Armenians

I am not D. -yanin, -a, m. The people who make up the main indigenous population of Armenia.

and. Armenian, -i.

adj. Armenian, -aya, -oe.

New explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.

Armenians

The people of the Indo-European ethno-linguistic group, constituting the main population of Armenia.

Representatives of this people.

Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

Armenians

ARMENIANS (self-name - hai) people, the main population of Armenia (3.08 million people, 1992). They also live in the Russian Federation (532 thousand people), Georgia (437 thousand people); USA (700 thousand people), France (270 thousand people), Iran (200 thousand people), Syria (170 thousand people), Nagorno-Karabakh (146 thousand people), Libya and Turkey (150 thousand people each) ) and others. The total number is 6.55 million people. The language is Armenian. Armenian believers are mostly Monophysite Christians.

Armenians

(self-name ≈ hai), nation. In the USSR, Armenians make up the main population of the Armenian SSR (according to the 1959 census, over 88%). They also live compactly in the Georgian SSR, Azerbaijan SSR and in the North. Caucasus. According to the 1959 census, the total number of Armenians in the USSR is 2,787 thousand people; According to estimates at the beginning of 1965, 3,400 thousand people. Outside the USSR, A. live in more than 60 countries (mainly in cities). A significant number of A. live (according to data for 1967, thousand people) in the USA (450), Iran (200), France (200), Lebanon (180), Turkey (150), Syria (150), Argentina (60 ), Iraq (25), United Arab Republic (25), as well as in Brazil, Canada, Greece, Uruguay, Australia, Bulgaria, Romania, India and other countries. The total number of A. abroad St. 1.8 million people

Even before the First World War in 1914, the total number of Armenians, who then numbered up to 4 million people, lived compactly on the territory of historical Armenia; of these, within the Transcaucasus, on the territory of the Russian Empire, ≈ 1.5 million people, the rest in Turkey. In 1915≈16, out of 2.5 million A. living in Turkey, St. 1.5 million people By order of the Turkish authorities, more than 600 thousand people were destroyed. forcibly removed (mainly to barren areas of Mesopotamia). Due to genocide, eviction and forced emigration, the entire West. Armenia basically lost its indigenous population, and Armenians settled in many countries of the world. Over 300 thousand people found refuge in Transcaucasia, within Russia. Since 1920, Armenia has been repatriated from foreign countries to the Armenian SSR.

A. speak Armenian. The believers are mainly Christians of the Monophysite persuasion (Christianity became the official religion of Armenia in 301). A small part of A. in foreign countries are Catholics and Protestants.

The most ancient core of Africa was the population of the northeastern part of Asia. This country was called Armatana in Hittite (16th-15th centuries BC) inscriptions, and later (14th-13th centuries BC) Hayasa. From there the ancestors of A., known as the Urumeans, in the 12th century. BC e. invaded the Assyrian province of Shupria (to the southwest of Lake Van). From that time on, Shupria was also called Urme by the Assyrians. In the middle of the 8th century. BC e. it was annexed to the state of Urartu under the name Urme, or Arme. The population of these regions (Hayas and Arme) spoke the Indo-European Proto-Armenian language, which gradually became the language of large tribal associations in the western part of the Armenian Highlands, which included local Hurrito-Urartian aboriginal tribes. The formation of the Armenian nation took place on the basis of the strengthening and widespread spread of agriculture, combined with cattle breeding, in the territory of the Armenian Highlands. (This was a time of class formation among tribes forcibly subordinated to the state of Urartu.) The process of formation of the Armenian nation was very long and was basically completed by the time of the Greco-Macedonian conquests in the 4th century. BC e. But even before that, in ancient Persian texts of the 6th century. BC e., the vast country of Armina is mentioned (Armenia ≈ in ancient Greek texts). The population itself called their country Hayk (or Khayastan, Hayastan), and themselves ≈ hai. In subsequent centuries, under the conditions of slaveholding (until the 4th century AD) and then feudal relations that developed on the territory of Armenia, with the continuous struggle of Armenia with various conquerors (Cimmerians, Scythians, Persians, Romans, Parthians, Arabs, Turks and etc.) the Armenian nation strengthened and developed. The annexation of Eastern Armenia to Russia in 1801–28 contributed to the development of capitalist relations and the further consolidation of Armenia into a nation (mostly completed by the end of the 19th century). These processes became especially widespread in the 1850s–60s.

After the establishment of Soviet power in Armenia (November 1920), in the course of socialist construction, Armenia was consolidated into a socialist nation. The Armenian people created a high and unique culture, which received further development in our country after the October Revolution. Differences in the culture and life of the city and the countryside are disappearing. The old national forms of housing (glkhatun with a hole in the ceiling for smoke and light) and clothing (for men - arkhaluk, chukha, fur hat, for women - an embroidered shirt, shalwars, a specific headdress, etc.) have been replaced almost everywhere by modern ones. The remnants of patriarchal relations have disappeared, the former inequality of women in the family and society has been destroyed. The research of Soviet Armenian scientists, the works of writers, artists, and folk craftsmen developing traditional artistic crafts (carpet making, jewelry, leather goods, etc.) have received wide recognition. (On the economy, occupations and culture of Armenia, see Art. Armenian SSR.)

Abroad, the bulk of Africa is engaged in crafts and trade; a significant percentage are intellectuals.

Lit.: Peoples of the Caucasus, vol. 2, M., 1962 (bib.).

S. T. Eremyan.

Wikipedia

Armenians

Armenians(, hayer) are an ancient people who speak the Armenian language, belonging to the Indo-European language family.

They are the state-forming people in Armenia and the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The second largest people in Lebanon and partially recognized Abkhazia and the third in Georgia and Jordan.

The majority of Armenian believers profess Christianity and are followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The formation of the Armenian people on the territory of the Armenian Highlands began from the end of the 2nd millennium BC. e. and ended by the 6th century BC. e. (for more details see Ethnogenesis of the Armenians). Anthropologically, Armenians belong to the Western Asian type of the southern branch of the great Caucasian race.

Examples of the use of the word Armenians in literature.

This river is called differently by the diverse population of the Black Sea region - Abkhazians, Estonians, Greeks, Imeretians, Armenians- Azmych, Bzych, Mzymta-Mzych, Adzmych, and in the work of A.

According to the Azerbaijani version - Armenians violated their promise to provide a free corridor and shot people who believed them, the number of victims among whom noticeably exceeded the figure of 20, called Armenians.

I don't think so Armenians, very clearly and knowledgeably related to such situations, could allow the Azerbaijanis to obtain documents exposing them in fascist actions.

In addition, more than half of the military personnel at Russian bases in Armenia are Armenians, who, according to general reviews, perform their service very conscientiously.

Some southern dark and narrow-faced people - Armenians Whether it was the Greeks or not, they worked on estates.

Having looked a little closer, he determined - Armenians, but for the most part - original, Moscow, but in order to determine this, you yourself need to have, as they say, a special eye and a special scent, precisely because of which they were considered aces in the special forces with Koltsov.

Moldovans, Tajiks, Armenians, Ossetians - everyone stood in their national camp.

And when next year we arrived in Beirut for a friendly game, we gathered there Armenians from all over the country.

Now I understand why in my photo, which Armenians They showed Inna, I was in a green suit.

She tried to understand how it happened that she was kidnapped by some regular Armenians, and now she is lying on the grass and two Russian guys are fussing around her, whom she sees for the first time in her life.

About Armenians in the words of famous people and Armenians themselves

“Since ancient times, a bad opinion has been formed about the Armenians - and this, of course, is not without foundation, since otherwise it could not have arisen among entire nations and, moreover, at different times. It is the Armenians who are inclined to shout for any reason. They will not be allowed into someone else’s house, or they will reveal any of their intrigues, or bring their thieves to justice - they not only raise a cry themselves, but also force stupid or corrupt people from among the foreigners to scream."

Armenians about Armenians

The father of Armenian history Movses Khorenatsi (Moses of Khorensky) in the 5th century spoke about his fellow tribesmen:
"I want to point out the hardness of heart, as well as the arrogance of our people...
-rejecting what is good, betraying the truth...
-an obstinate and criminal people...
-THE SOUL WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE GOD!
-you did something angry and did not bring repentance in your beds
-you have slain and iniquity and have despised those who trust in the Lord
-therefore, the snares of someone whom you did not recognize will come upon you, and the prey for whom you were chasing will make you its prey, and you will fall into the same snares..."

Professor Leo (the Armenian author of several major works on Armenian history, who is one of the creators of the mythical Armenian history, which was spread in Europe, America and Russia with the money of the Armenian church and millionaires) was forced to admit:

“Only a small part of the Armenian ashug creativity, one might say its most insignificant part, belongs to our literature. Most of it (dastans, heroic songs) is in the Turkic language. For ashugs, in order to express the life depicted in fairy tales and songs, the Turkic language is more convenient , than the Armenian folk dialects, it is more figurative and much richer."

In 1914, the Armenian historian Gevorg Aslan wrote in his book “Armenia and Armenians”:
“The Armenians did not have statehood. They are not bound by a sense of homeland and are not bound by political ties. Armenian patriotism is connected only with the place of residence.” The chimerical idea of ​​recreating “Great Armenia,” which never existed as a state, is a national concept that united all the Hays of the world.

Armenian journalist R. Acharyan in his book“Turkic borrowings in the Armenian language” wrote that more than 4,200 Turkic words are used in the Armenian language.

Kh. Abovyan (19th century) wrote:
"... in our language half of the words are Turkic or Persian words."

The Armenian poet Yeghishe Charents wrote:
“Hypocrisy appears in us in the womb.”

Russians about Armenians

Memoirs of the Russian diplomat General Mayevsky. From the book "Mass Murders Committed by Armenians"

“Has anyone heard about the national heroism of the Armenians? Where are the names of their battles for freedom carved? Nowhere! Because the “heroes” of the Armenians were more executioners of their people than saviors.”

"The historical roots of Karabakh go back to the ancient era. This is one of the historical provinces of Azerbaijan. This region is an important political, cultural and spiritual center of Azerbaijan... The notorious Karabakh problem was created by the falsified ideas of the Armenians"

A.S. Pushkin: You are a slave, you are a coward, you are an Armenian...

A.S. Griboedov, in a report on September 11-13, 1819, wrote to Mazarevich:“What vile bastard these Armenians are. None of them even wanted to know me, and yet they always whisper in my ear that we are their future patrons. A good protégé. They sell us to the same Persians who are ready to crucify them and cook them in any sauce "

Russian researcher V.L. Velichko (late 19th - early 20th century):

“Armenian women have always had connections with other nations, albeit sometimes by force. Iranian soldiers, Turks, Georgians and mountaineers, apparently never expected decency and nobility from Armenian women, who had long ago lost their honor and dignity. That is why Armenians have so many different bloods."

" We are not yet talking about Armenian textbooks, which have taken upon themselves the global mission to “civilize” all their neighbors, textbooks that write about this unfortunate country - “Great Armenia”. Even maps of Greater Armenia are distributed in church schools, the capital of which is Tiflis, and the borders of which extend all the way to Voronezh.”

“Patkanov’s student, Mr. Marr keeps promising that he will be able to wrest something from the Georgians in favor of the Armenians and prove its Armenian origin. In his opinion, the famous Georgian poem “The Knight in the Tiger’s Skin” is a borrowed work. This is necessary for Armenian politicians, because for the entire period of their existence, the Armenians did not have a single powerful poetic work, that is, evidence of the prosperity of folk culture.Despite the efforts of Yuri Veselovsky and similar writers who are trying to convince the Russian public of the existence of good Armenian literature, they will move beyond empty talk in this matter They can’t. Because no matter how hard you try, what doesn’t exist doesn’t exist.”

The historian A. Anninsky wrote at the end of the 19th century:
“Due to the fact that nothing has survived that would indicate the former political power and importance of the culture of the ancient Armenians, it should be assumed that they possessed neither one nor the other. Apparently they were always a small and wild tribe. They never possessed full "political independence. The glaring poverty of the artistic creativity of the Armenians is connected with this. There is no need to talk about science at all. Over the entire period of their existence, the Armenians have not created anything original."

Researcher V. Elikhovskaya wrote:
“Armenians scattered all over the world adopt the customs, clothes, traditions of the peoples with whom they live. In Turkey, an Armenian cannot be distinguished from a Turk; in Persia, an Armenian is a typical Persian.

Thoughts of the famous

The great Amir Timur (Tamerlane) said: History will not forgive me for 2 things:
"1) That I wanted to destroy the Armenians as an ethnic group, 2) and secondly, because I did not do this. True, there are good people among the Armenians, but in general the people are disgusting. They will never express their thoughts to your face, that’s why He seems cultured, but when the opportunity arises he’ll kill you.”

Friedrich Engels:

"Armenian slaves and concubines were the first dancers and prostitutes serving in Corinth ("concubines of Aphrodite") and even in the temples of India.

Karl Marx:

"Armenians are the first nation to start using their women as bedding for other nations, as a way of survival"

Alexandre Dumas (Father), "Caucasian Journey":

"Armenians have always lived under the rule of rulers who served a different religion from the Armenian religion. As a result, they turned into people who hid their thoughts, feelings and intentions, turned into fraudsters and liars."

English traveler Wilson: Armenians are greedy, selfish and vile, they do not respect anyone. They are masters of inflating all sorts of little things, lovers of intrigue

P. Kerop Patkanov. Van inscriptions and their significance for the history of Western Asia. SPb.1981, pp. 36-37. From the book "Armenia" by Magdi Neiman. St. Petersburg, 1899.
"Armenia, as a state, did not play any significant role in the history of mankind, its name was a geographical term spread by the Armenians, it was a place for resolving disputes between strong states - the Assyrians, Medes, Iranians, Greeks, Mongols, Russians..."

“Immediately after the conclusion of the Turkmenchay Treaty (February 10, 1828), under the leadership of Paskevich, 40 thousand Armenians from Iran and 90 thousand Armenians from Turkey were resettled to Azerbaijan. In total, in 1828 - 1896, more than 1 million 200 thousand were resettled from Iran and Turkey Armenians. Of these, 985 thousand 460 people were placed in the western lands of Azerbaijan, and the rest in Karabakh and Elizavetpol (Ganja) province. After the improvement, the Armenians began to displace the Azerbaijani Turks, they also carried out mass pogroms and robberies, and also barbarously exterminated a huge number of people".

Adam Metz, a Swiss Jew by origin (Moscow publishing house > 1973, p. 144, Swiss Orientalist A. Metz, 1869-1917, wrote this book in 25 years), covering the history and culture of the caliphate, wrote:
"Armenians are the worst slaves among the whites, just as the Negroes (Zinjs) are the worst among the blacks. They have ugly legs, they have no modesty, theft is very common... Their nature and their language are rude. If you leave an Armenian slave even for an hour without work, then his nature will immediately push him to evil. He works well under the stick and out of fear. If you see that he is lazy, it is only because it gives him pleasure, and not at all from weakness. Then you should take the stick, blow him up and make him do what you want."

Georgian writer and thinker I. Chavchavadze: Your Excellency, do not allow the settlement of Armenians in the central Russian lands. They are from such a tribe that after living for several decades, they will begin to shout to the whole world that this is the land of our fathers and great-grandfathers.

Georgian writer Sergi Sajaya:"Armenians are not lions, but only jackals serving stronger nations"

German figure and scientist Colmer von der Goltz, "Anatolian Sketches"
“Everyone who knows the bulk of the population in the provinces of Anatolia quickly gets used to respecting and loving the Turks, despising the Greeks and hating the Armenians. The local proverb “a Greek will deceive two Jews, and an Armenian will deceive two Greeks” justifies itself everywhere. If anywhere in Anatolia you deceived, then we can say with certainty that you met the Armenians. I do without any written agreement when I am dealing with a Turk, because only his word is enough. When I am dealing with a Greek or other Levantines, I conclude a written agreement, because with them "It is impossible to conduct business differently. With the Armenians, I do not even have written transactions, for even a written condition will not save the Armenians from intrigues and lies."

American historians Justin and Carolyn McCarthy:

“The modern territory of Armenia belongs not to Armenians, but to Azerbaijanis. This is the reason why most of the geographical names on the territory of Armenia belong to Azerbaijanis.”

References:

Anninsky A. History of the Armenian Church, Chisinau, 1900

Velichko V.L. Caucasus. Russian affairs and intertribal issues, Baku, Elm Publishing House, 1990

Tagaev M. Moscow, or the Center for International Terrorism and Genocide. Publishing house "Iskra", 2001

Shavrov N.I. A new threat to the Russian cause in Transcaucasia: the upcoming sale of Mugan to foreigners, St. Petersburg. 1911

Chopin I. Historical monument of the state of the Armenian region in the era of its annexation to the Russian Empire, St. Petersburg. 1852.

Review of Russian possessions beyond the Caucasus, St. Petersburg, 1836.

Complete collection of journalistic works, St. Petersburg, vol. I, 1904

Material collected and researched by Amir Eyvaz