Artashat (aka Artaxata) was the capital of Ancient Armenia from 176 BCE and remained so for over 300 years of the kingdom's history. Located just south of Armenia's modern capital Yerevan, according to the ancient historian Plutarch, the city's original fortifications were planned by the Carthaginian general Hannibal. The city would need all the defences it could muster as it was attacked multiple times by Roman armies throughout its history until it was eventually replaced by Vagharshapat and Dvin as the country's first city.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 200 BCE - c. 160 BCEReign of Artaxias I, founder of the Artaxiad dynasty in Armenia.
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c. 188 BCEArtaxata replaces Erebuni as the Armenian capital.
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176 BCEArtashat (Artaxata) is made the new capital of Armenia by Artaxias I.
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83 BCEArmenian king Tigranes II founds a new capital at Tigranocerta (aka Tigranakert).
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69 BCELicinius Lucullus leads a Roman army which defeats Armenian king Tigranes II and his capital Tigranocerta is captured. Artashat becomes the capital again.
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66 BCEA Roman army led by Pompey the Great besieges Artashat in Armenia.
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c. 34 BCERoman general Mark Antony attacks Artashat in Armenia.
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58 CEThe Roman general Corbulo captures the Armenian capital Artashat without a fight.
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166 CEA Roman army sacks the Armenia capital of Artashat.
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368 CEThe Sasanian ruler Shapur II sacks the Armenian city of Artashat.
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562 CEArtashat in Armenia is confirmed as an official trading post between Persia and the Byzantine Empire.
