Arshakunian Dynasty
Arshakunian dynasty, Second Armenian Kingdom
In the middle of the I century AD a new royal dynasty - the Arshakuni (the Arsacids) - was established in Armenia. This dynasty was related to the royal family of Persia, which bared the same family name. At this period Armenia and Persia enjoyed a long period of peace and cooperation, until in 251 AD the Sassanid dynasty came to power in Persia.
Regarding Armenia as the ally of the overthrown dynasty, the Sassanids adopted anti-Armenian policy, trying to eliminate the Armenian state and to assimilate the Armenian nation. Since the Armenian religion of that period bared similarities to both Zoroastrianism and Greco-Roman polytheism, in the realization of their anti-Armenian policy the Sassanids were trying to capitalize on the religious closeness.
In order to deprive the Persians of this advantage, the Armenian king Trdat III in 301 AD declared Christianity the state religion of Armenia, thus making Armenia the first Christian state in the world, with Gregory the Illuminator as the first head (Catholicos) of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Christianity was officially legalized in the Roman Empire 12 years after Armenia became officially Christian.
Armenian History
Table of contents
- Armenians
- Artashisian Dynasty
- Arshakunian Dynasty
- The Armenian Alphabet
- Arab Invasion and Byzantine Empire
- Bagratunian Dynasty
- Rubinian Dynasty
- Armenia Under Turkish Rule
- Armenian Question
- Armenian Genocide
- Armenian Soviet Republic
- Nagorno-Karabakh movement
- Armenia Today
- Coat Of Arms
- The Flag
- Timeline
- Mer Hayrenik