Ayrarat

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy datesTemplate:Infobox Former Subdivision Ayrarat (Template:Langx) was the central province of the ancient kingdom of Armenia, located in the plain of the upper Aras River. Most of the historical capitals of Armenia were located in this province, including Armavir, Yervandashat, Artashat, Vagharshapat, Dvin, Bagaran, Shirakavan, Kars and Ani (the current capital of Armenia, Yerevan, is also located on the territory of historical Ayrarat).

Name

The name Template:Transliteration is clearly connected with Uruatri/Urartu and the biblical Ararat, and perhaps also with the Alarodians mentioned by Herodotus.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn It is not used by any of the classical Greek and Roman authors who write about Armenia, which suggests that it was a purely local name used to refer to the central lands of Armenia.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Robert H. Hewsen does not rule out the possibility that Armenians applied the name to the great plain surrounding Mount Masis after converting to Christianity in the early fourth century and identifying the biblical Ararat with Masis.Template:Sfn If this is the case, then Ayrarat may be identical with the Template:Transliteration ("Araxes plain") mentioned by Strabo.Template:Sfn

The ultimate etymology of the names Urartu, Ayrarat, and Ararat is not known for certain. In the Armenian tradition, Ayrarat and the Ararat plain are associated with the legendary Armenian king Ara the Handsome.Template:Sfn

The province is also referred to in Armenian sources as the Template:Transliteration ("central province of Armenia") or as the Template:Transliteration ("head province of Armenia").Template:Sfn During the Arsacid period, Ayrarat referred to, in its narrowest sense, the royal domain consisting of the Ararat plain and its adjacent districts.Template:Sfn The author of the seventh-century geography Ashkharhatsʻoytsʻ used the term Ayrarat to refer to a much larger territory.Template:Sfn The name Ayrarat gradually fell out of use after the fall of the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia and the conquest of Armenia by the Seljuks in the eleventh century.Template:Sfn

Districts

File:Map of Ayrarat - Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia.jpg

Map of Ayrarat according to Ashkharhatsʻoytsʻ

The seventh-century Ashkharhatsʻoytsʻ attributed to Anania Shirakatsi depicts Ayrarat as a very large province with 22 districts, but this is probably based on the new administrative divisions created after the Byzantine-Persian partition of Armenia in 591.Template:Sfn

District name	Capital	Other large cities	Additional information
Shirak	Ani	Shirakavan, Kumayri, Shirakashat
Aragatsotn	Oshakan	Vagharshapat, Armavir
Nig	Kasagh (Aparan)	Bjni
Varazhnunik	Hovk (Dilijan)
Vostan Hayots	Artashat, Dvin	Kakavaberd
Vanand	Kars
Masyats-Votn	Tsolakert
Kogovit	Darevnitsberd
Basean			Also known as Phasiane
Bagrevand	Alashkert
Chakatk	Koghb
Abeghyan	Mzhnkert		Also known as Abelyankq, Abelunk Myus, Abeghank, Abeghenk, Abeghenk Myus, and Abeghunik.
Havnunik
Arshanunik		Yervandashat, Bagaran, Yervandakert, Artagers	Also known as Yeraskhadzor.
Tsaghkotn	Tateon
Arats	Arats	Arats
Urtsadzor	Urts
Kotayk	Yerevan	Yerevan
Mazaz	Artavazdakan
Ashotsk	Ashotsk
Upper Tashir	Tandzut
Gabeghyank	Kaghzvan

See also

• List of regions of old Armenia

Bibliography

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• Template:Encyclopædia Iranica
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