Armenia — books & literature

The story of Armenia

Armenia's story stretches back to the Iron Age kingdom of Urartu, centred near Lake Van, and to Yerevan itself, founded as the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BCE, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Kingdom of Armenia reached its greatest extent under Tigranes the Great in the 1st century BCE, and in circa 301 CE Armenia became the first state in history to adopt Christianity as its official religion. In 405 CE the monk Mesrop Mashtots created a unique 36-letter alphabet, giving Armenian its own script and launching a golden age of translation and manuscript illumination that still defines the culture. Centuries of rule by Byzantine, Persian, Arab, Ottoman, and Russian powers followed, along with the catastrophic Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923, before Armenia became part of the Soviet Union in 1922. It regained independence on 21 September 1991 and today is a small mountainous republic whose diaspora, spread across the world, remains deeply tied to its ancient alphabet, church, and stone crosses.

Timeline — key moments

1. circa 860 BCE

   Kingdom of Urartu rises around Lake Van, a precursor state in the Armenian highlands.

2. circa 782 BCE

   The fortress of Erebuni is founded , the origin of modern Yerevan.

3. 95-55 BCE

   Tigranes the Great expands the Kingdom of Armenia to its historical peak.

4. circa 301

   Armenia becomes the first nation to adopt Christianity as its state religion.

5. 405

   Mesrop Mashtots creates the unique Armenian alphabet.

6. 1915-1923

   The Armenian Genocide devastates the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire.

7. 1922

   Armenia becomes part of the Soviet Union (Transcaucasian SFSR, later Armenian SSR).

8. 1991

   Independence referendum (21 September) restores Armenian statehood.

Top 10 things to know about Armenia

1. Armenia was the first nation in the world to adopt Christianity as its official state religion, circa 301 CE.
2. The Armenian alphabet, created by Mesrop Mashtots in 405 CE, has 36 original letters and is used only for Armenian.
3. Yerevan, founded in 782 BCE, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on Earth , older than Rome.
4. Mount Ararat, the biblical resting place of Noah's Ark, is the national symbol though it lies across the border in Turkey.
5. The Armenian diaspora, spread across Russia, the US, France, and beyond, is several times larger than the population living in Armenia.
6. Khachkars , intricately carved cross-stones , are a distinct Armenian art form recognised by UNESCO.
7. Armenia is a landlocked, mountainous country in the South Caucasus, bordering Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey.
8. The Armenian Apostolic Church, one of the oldest Christian institutions, remains central to national identity.
9. Lake Sevan, one of the largest high-altitude freshwater lakes in the world, sits at the heart of the country.
10. Duduk music, played on an apricot-wood double-reed instrument, is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

Famous people from Armenia

Say it in Armenia's language

Did you know?

• ★Armenia was the first country in the world to make Christianity its official state religion, circa 301 CE , before the Roman Empire.
• ★Yerevan is older than Rome: it was founded as the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BCE.
• ★The Armenian alphabet has stayed almost unchanged for over 1,600 years since Mesrop Mashtots designed it in 405 CE.

Armenia culture

• The Armenian Apostolic Church and its distinctive stone monasteries shape holidays, architecture, and daily life.
• Lavash, a soft thin flatbread baked in a clay tonir oven, is inscribed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
• Khachkars , carved memorial cross-stones , dot the landscape and are a signature Armenian art form.
• Apricots (the Latin name Prunus armeniaca references Armenia) and pomegranates are prominent national symbols.

Why read Armenia's books

Armenian literature runs from illuminated medieval gospel manuscripts to a modern diaspora canon shaped by genocide, exile, and return. Reading Armenia's books opens one of the world's oldest continuous literary traditions.