Lesser Armenia

Armenian Highlands region

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Lesser Armenia" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

This article is about the region in Central Anatolia during Antiquity. For the Armenian kingdom during the Crusades, see Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.

Part of a series on the

History of Armenia
Coat of Arms of Armenia

Prehistory

* Shulaveri–Shomu culture
* Kura–Araxes culture
* Legend of Hayk
* Trialeti–Vanadzor culture
* Armani
* Lchashen–Metsamor culture
* Hayasa-Azzi
* Arme–Shupria
* Mushki
* Urumu
* Nairi Confederation
* Urartu (Kingdom of Van)
* Etiuni

Antiquity

* Satrapy of Armenia
* Armenia Minor
* Kingdom of Armenia
* Armenian Empire
* Roman Armenia
* Christianization of Armenia
* Kingdom of Sophene
* Commagene
* Byzantine Armenia
* Sasanian Armenia
* Muslim conquest of Armenia

Middle Ages

* Emirate of Armenia
* Principality of Hamamshen
* Kingdom of Armenia
* Kingdom of Vaspurakan
* Kingdom of Tashir-Dzoraget
* Kingdom of Syunik
* Kingdom of Artsakh
* Zakarid Armenia
* Principality of Khachen
* Mongol Armenia
* Kingdom of Cilicia

Early modern age

* Iranian Armenia
* Five Melikdoms
* Ottoman Armenia
* Russian Armenia
* Armenian Oblast
* Armenian question
* Armenian genocide
* Western Armenia
* National movement

Modern age

* First Republic of Armenia
* Armenian S.S.R.
* Republic of Mountainous Armenia
* Contemporary Armenia
* Republic of Artsakh

Timeline • Origins • Etymology

* v
* t
* e

Lesser Armenia (Armenian: Փոքր Հայք, romanized: P’ok’r Hayk’;[1] Latin: Armenia Minor; Ancient Greek: Mικρά Αρμενία, romanized: Mikrá Armenía[2]), also known as Armenia Minor and Armenia Inferior, comprised the Armenian-populated regions primarily to the west and northwest of the ancient Kingdom of Armenia (also known as Kingdom of Greater Armenia), on the western side of the Euphrates River. It was also a kingdom, separate from Greater Armenia, from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD. The region was later reorganized into the Armeniac Theme under the Byzantine Empire.

## Geography[edit]

Further information: Western Armenia; Central Anatolia Region, Turkey; and Black Sea Region, Turkey

Lesser Armenia (or Armenia Minor) was the portion of historic Armenia and the Armenian Highlands lying west and northwest of the river Euphrates.[2] It received its name to distinguish it from the much larger eastern portion of historic Armenia—Greater Armenia (or Armenia Major).

## Early history[edit]

Anatolia in the early 1st century AD with Armenia Minor as a Roman client state

Lesser Armenia corresponded to the location of the Late Bronze Age Hayasa-Azzi confederation, which is thought by some scholars to be the source of the Armenian endonym hay and the original state of the Proto-Armenians.[3] It has been suggested that the epithet "lesser" indicates that this territory was the older homeland of the Armenian people, while "greater" Armenia referred to a territory that was later settled.[3][4]

Lesser Armenia may have formed a part of the territories of the Orontid dynasty, which ruled Armenia first as satraps of the Achaemenid Empire and then as kings.[5] However, there is no clear evidence to support this claim.[5] Lesser Armenia emerged as a separate kingdom after the Treaty of Apamea in 188 BC, although the exact origin, size and history of this kingdom are murky.[6] The capital of this kingdom was probably originally at Kamakh, but likely moved to Nicopolis after the end of the Mithridatic Wars.[6] Lesser Armenia apparently experienced the high point of its territorial expansion during the Orontid period, possibly expanding its borders to the Black Sea.[5] According to Strabo, it originally had its own royal dynasty.[7] It passed under the control of the Kingdom of Pontus in the 1st century BC, during the reign of Mithridates VI Eupator (r. 120 – 63 BC), who built 75 fortresses there.[7] After the Romans defeated Pontus in the Mithridatic Wars, Lesser Armenia became a client kingdom of Rome, who appointed various client kings to rule the kingdom.[7] The last of these was Aristobulus of Chalcis of the Herodian dynasty.[7] In 72 AD, Lesser Armenia was annexed by the Roman Empire and made a part of the larger province of Cappadocia.[8]

The Roman–Persian frontier and the Armenian provinces in the 5th century

## Roman and Byzantine Lesser Armenia[edit]

Further information: Roman Armenia

All of Armenia became a Roman province in AD 114 under Roman emperor Trajan, but Roman Armenia was soon after abandoned by the legions in 118 AD and became a vassal kingdom. Lesser Armenia, however, was generally incorporated by Trajan, together with Melitene and Cataonia, into the province of Cappadocia. Lesser Armenia consisted of five districts: Orbalisene in the North; below that Aetulane; Aeretice; then Orsene; and finally Orbesine, the most southern. The more southern districts appended to Lesser Armenia were Meleiene, so called from its capital Melitene (modern Malatya) and the following four small districts of ancient Cataonia, namely, Aravene; Lavinianesine or Lavianesine; Cataonia, in the more restricted sense, or the country close upon Cilicia surrounded by mountains; finally, Muriane or Murianune, between Cataonia and Melitene, called likewise Bagadoania.[9]

Lesser Armenia was reunited with the kingdom of Greater Armenia under the Arshakuni king Tiridates III in AD 287 until the temporary conquest of Shapur II in 337.[citation needed]

Then it was formed into a regular province under Diocletian, and in the 4th century, was divided in two provinces: First Armenia (Armenia Prima), which contained most of Lesser Armenia, and Second Armenia (Armenia Secunda) that comprised all the southern tracts which had been added to Lesser Armenia, with the exception of Cataonia, which was incorporated with Cappadocia Secunda.[10]

Its population remained Armenian but was being gradually Romanized. Since the 3rd century many Armenian soldiers were in the Roman army: later–in the 4th century–they made up two Roman legions, the Legio I Armeniaca and the Legio II Armeniaca.[citation needed]

In 536, the emperor Justinian I reorganized the provincial administration, and First and Second Armenia were renamed Second and Third respectively, while some of their territory was split off to the other Armenian provinces.[citation needed]

The borders of the Byzantine part of Armenia were expanded in 591 into Persarmenia, but the region was the focus of decades of warfare between the Byzantines and the Persians (the Byzantine-Sassanid Wars) until the Arab conquest of Armenia in 639.

After this, the part of Lesser Armenia remaining under Byzantine control (in a lesser extent) became part of the theme of Armeniakon.

## Mongol and Ottoman influence[edit]

After the downfall of Bagratid Armenia in 1045 and resulting subsequent losses of Byzantine Empire in the East after the Battle of Manzikert in 1073, Lesser Armenia fell to the Seljuks and then was part of the Mongol Empire for 92 years and of the Ottoman Empire from the late 15th century.

Between the 11th and 14th centuries, the term Lesser Armenia (sometimes called "Little Armenia") was applied to the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, right until the formation of Turkey in 1923.

## Episcopal sees[edit]

Ancient episcopal sees of the Roman province of Armenia Prima (I) listed in the Annuario Pontificio as titular sees:[11]

* Berissa
* Colonia in Armenia (Köylühisar) (Armenian Catholic Church)
* Nicopolis in Armenia
* Pedachtoë (Bedochton, Pedachton)
* Satala in Armenia
*   * Sebastea (Sivas)
* Sebastopolis in Armenia (Sulusaray)

Ancient episcopal sees of the Roman province of Armenia Secunda (II) listed in the Annuario Pontificio as titular sees:[11]

* Arabissus
* Arca in Armenia (Arga)
* Ariarathia (Aziziye)
* Comana Armeniae (Sar or Sarkale)
* Cucusus (Göksun)
* Melitene (Malatya)
* Verissa

For ancient episcopal sees of the Roman province of Armenia Tertia (III), see Roman Armenia#Episcopal sees.

## Later history[edit]

Lesser Armenia is traditionally considered as part of Western Armenia, especially after the acquisition of Eastern Armenia by the Russian Empire in the aftermath of the Russo-Persian War of 1826-1828.[12]

The Christian Armenian population of Lesser Armenia continued its existence in the area until the Armenian genocide of 1915–23. Some Armenians still live in the area, albeit converted to Islam under Ottoman influence, mainly in the 17th century.[citation needed]

## See also[edit]

* Hemshinli

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Adontz 1970, p. 311.
2. ^ a b Harutiunian 1986, p. 373a.
3. ^ a b Petrosyan 2014, p. 108.
4. ^ Petrosyan 2007, p. 43.
5. ^ a b c Hewsen 2001, p. 32.
6. ^ a b Hewsen 2001, pp. 32, 37.
7. ^ a b c d Hewsen 2001, p. 37.
8. ^ Hewsen 2001, pp. 37, 48.
9. ^ Peter Edmund Laurent (1830). An Introduction to the Study of Ancient Geography. With copious indexes. Oxford: Henry Slatter. pp. 233–234.
10. ^ Peter Edmund Laurent (1830). An Introduction to the Study of Ancient Geography. With copious indexes. Oxford: Henry Slatter. p. 234.
11. ^ a b Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), "Sedi titolari", pp. 819-1013
12. ^ Timothy C. Dowling Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond pp 729 ABC-CLIO, 2 dec. 2014 ISBN 1598849484

## References[edit]

* Adontz, Nicolas (1970). The Reform of Justinian Armenia. Translated with partial revisions, a bibliographical note, and appendices by Nina G. Garsoïan. Lisbon: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
* Chahin, Mack (2001). The Kingdom of Armenia: A History. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-7007-1452-9.
* Harutiunian, B. (1986). "Pʻokʻr Haykʻ" Փոքր Հայք. Haykakan sovetakan hanragitaran Հայկական սովետական հանրագիտարան [Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia] (in Armenian). Vol. 12\. Yerevan. pp. 373–374.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
* Hewsen, Robert H. (2001). Armenia: A Historical Atlas. University Of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-33228-4.
* "Kingdom of Greater Armenia". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
* Petrosyan, Armen (2014). Armenovedcheskie issledovanii͡a Арменоведческие исследования [Armenological studies] (in Russian). Yerevan: Antares. ISBN 978-9939-51-697-4.
* Petrosyan, Armen (2007). "The Problem of Identification of the Proto-Armenians: A Critical Review". Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies. 16: 43.
* Vaux, Bert (2001). Hemshinli: The Forgotten Black Sea Armenians (PDF). Harvard University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 March 2007.

* v
* t
* e

Historical states and regions of Armenia

Independent Armenian
states|

* Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity) (Orontids, Artaxiads and Arsacids, 553 BC–428 AD)
* Kingdom of Armenia (Middle Ages) (Bagratunis, 884–1045)
* Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (Rubenids, Hethumids and Lusignans, 1080–1375)
* Republic of Armenia (1918–1920)
* Republic of Armenia (1991–present)

Minor or dependent
Armenian states|

* Satrapy of Armenia (Orontids, 522–331 BC)
* Principality of Hamamshen (790–1486)
* Kingdom of Vaspurakan (Artsrunis, 908–1021)
* Kingdom of Vanand (963–1064)
* Kingdom of Tashir-Dzoraget (Kiurikians, 979–1118)
* Kingdom of Syunik (Siunis, 987–1170)
* Kingdom of Artsakh (Khachen, 1000–1261)
* Zakarid Principality of Armenia (Zakarians, 1201–1335)
* Melikdoms of Karabakh (Beglarians, Israelians, Hasan-Jalalians, Shanazarians and Avanians, 1603–1822)
* Republic of Mountainous Armenia (1921, unrecognized)
* Soviet Armenia (1920–1991)
* Artsakh (1991–2023, unrecognized)

Provinces or Ashkhars
of Armenia Major|

* Upper Armenia
* Sophene
* Arzanene
* Turuberan
* Moxoene
* Corduene
* Nor Shirakan
* Vaspurakan
* Syunik
* Artsakh
* Paytakaran
* Utik
* Gugark
* Tayk
* Ayrarat

Other Armenian regions|

* Lesser Armenia
* First
* Second
* Third
* Armenian Mesopotamia
* Cilicia
* Mountainous
* Plain
* Rocky

Other provinces under
Tigranes the Great|

* Syria
* Atropatene
* Adiabene
* Assyria
* Iberia
* Albania
* Cappadocia
* Judea
* Osroene

* v
* t
* e

History of Anatolia

* v
* t
* e

Provinces of the early Roman Empire (117 AD)

* Achaia
* Aegyptus
* Africa proconsularis
* Alpes Cottiae
* Alpes Maritimae
* Alpes Graiae et Poeninae
* Arabia Petraea
* Armenia
* Asia
* Assyria
* Bithynia and Pontus
* Britannia
* Cappadocia
* Cilicia
* Corsica and Sardinia
* Crete and Cyrenaica
* Cyprus
* Dacia
* Dalmatia
* Epirus
* Galatia
* Gallia Aquitania
* Gallia Belgica
* Gallia Lugdunensis
* Gallia Narbonensis
* Germania Inferior
* Germania Superior
* Hispania Baetica
* Hispania Lusitania
* Hispania Tarraconensis
* Italia †
* Iudaea
* Lycia et Pamphylia
* Macedonia
* Mauretania Caesariensis
* Mauretania Tingitana
* Mesopotamia
* Moesia Inferior
* Moesia Superior
* Noricum
* Pannonia Inferior
* Pannonia Superior
* Raetia
* Sicilia
* Syria
* Thracia

† Italy was never constituted as a province, instead retaining a special juridical status until Diocletian's reforms.

* v
* t
* e

Late Roman and early Byzantine provinces (4th–7th centuries AD)

History

As found in the Notitia Dignitatum. Provincial administration reformed and dioceses established by Diocletian, c. 293\. Permanent praetorian prefectures established after the death of Constantine I. Empire permanently partitioned after 395. Exarchates of Ravenna and Africa established after 584. After massive territorial losses in the 7th century, the remaining provinces were superseded by the theme system in c. 640–660, although in Asia Minor and parts of Greece they survived under the themes until the early 9th century.

Western Roman Empire (395-476)

| Praetorian prefecture
of Gaul|

| Diocese of Gaul|

* Alpes Poeninae et Graiae
* Belgica I
* Belgica II
* Germania I
* Germania II
* Lugdunensis I
* Lugdunensis II
* Lugdunensis III
* Lugdunensis IV
* Maxima Sequanorum

|

Diocese of Vienne1|

* Alpes Maritimae
* Aquitanica I
* Aquitanica II
* Narbonensis I
* Narbonensis II
* Novempopulania
* Viennensis

Diocese of Spain|

* Baetica
* Balearica
* Carthaginensis
* Gallaecia
* Lusitania
* Mauretania Tingitana
* Tarraconensis

Diocese of the Britains|

* Britannia I
* Britannia II
* Flavia Caesariensis
* Maxima Caesariensis
* Valentia (?)

Praetorian prefecture
of Italy|

| Diocese of Suburbicarian Italy|

* Apulia et Calabria
* Campania
* Corsica
* Lucania et Bruttium
* Picenum Suburbicarium
* Samnium
* Sardinia
* Sicilia
* Tuscia et Umbria
* Valeria

|

Diocese of Annonarian Italy|

* Alpes Cottiae
* Flaminia et Picenum Annonarium
* Liguria et Aemilia
* Raetia I
* Raetia II
* Venetia et Histria

Diocese of Africa2|

* Africa proconsularis (Zeugitana)
* Byzacena
* Mauretania Caesariensis
* Mauretania Sitifensis
* Numidia (divided as Cirtensis and Militiana during the Tetrarchy)
* Tripolitania (Roman province)

Eastern Roman Empire (395-c. 640)

| Praetorian prefecture
of Illyricum|

| Diocese of Pannonia3|

* Dalmatia
* Noricum mediterraneum
* Noricum ripense
* Pannonia I
* Pannonia II
* Savia
* Valeria ripensis

|

Diocese of Dacia|

* Dacia Mediterranea
* Dacia Ripensis
* Dardania
* Moesia I
* Praevalitana

Diocese of Macedonia|

* Achaea
* Creta
* Epirus Nova
* Epirus Vetus
* Macedonia Prima
* Macedonia II Salutaris
* Thessalia

Praetorian prefecture
of the East|

| Diocese of Thrace5|

* Europa
* Haemimontus
* Moesia II4
* Rhodope
* Scythia4
* Thracia

|

Diocese of Asia5|

* Asia
* Caria4
* Hellespontus
* Islands4
* Lycaonia (370)
* Lycia
* Lydia
* Pamphylia
* Pisidia
* Phrygia Pacatiana
* Phrygia Salutaris

Diocese of Pontus5|

* Armenia I5
* Armenia II5
* Armenia Maior5
* Armenian Satrapies5
* Armenia III (536)
* Armenia IV (536)
* Bithynia
* Cappadocia I5
* Cappadocia II5
* Galatia I5
* Galatia II Salutaris5
* Helenopontus5
* Honorias5
* Paphlagonia5
* Pontus Polemoniacus5

Diocese of the East5|

* Arabia
* Cilicia I
* Cilicia II
* Cyprus4
* Euphratensis
* Isauria
* Mesopotamia
* Osroene
* Palaestina I
* Palaestina II
* Palaestina III Salutaris
* Phoenice I
* Phoenice II Libanensis
* Syria I
* Syria II Salutaris
* Theodorias (528)

Diocese of Egypt5|

* Aegyptus I
* Aegyptus II
* Arcadia
* Augustamnica I
* Augustamnica II
* Libya Superior
* Libya Inferior
* Thebais Superior
* Thebais Inferior

Other territories

* Taurica
* Quaestura exercitus (536)
* Spania (552)

* 1 Later the Septem Provinciae
* 2 Re-established after reconquest by the Eastern Empire in 534 as the separate Prefecture of Africa
* 3 Later the Diocese of Illyricum
* 4 Placed under the Quaestura exercitus in 536
* 5 Affected (i.e. boundaries modified, abolished or renamed) by Justinian I's administrative reorganization in 534–536

40°41′24″N 39°37′48″E﻿ / ﻿40.6900°N 39.6300°E﻿ / 40.6900; 39.6300
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[r.]: reigned
*[c.]: circa