Armenia

High land, occurs only in Authorized Version, 2 Kings 19:37; in Revised Version, “Ararat,” which is the Hebrew word. A country in western Asia lying between the Caspian and the Black Sea. Here the ark of Noah rested after the Deluge (Gen. 8:4). It is for the most part high table-land, and is watered by the Aras, the Kur, the Euphrates, and the Tigris. Ararat was properly the name of a part of ancient Armenia. Three provinces of Armenia are mentioned in Jer. 51:27, Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz. Some, however, think Minni a contraction for Armenia. (See ARARAT.)

(land of Aram) is nowhere mentioned under that name in the original Hebrew, though it occurs in the English version, (2 Kings 19:37) for Ararat. Description.—Armenia is that lofty plateau whence the rivers Euphrates, Tigris, Araxes and Acampsis pour down their waters in different directions; the first two to the Persian Gulf, the last two respectively to the Caspian and Euxine seas. It may be termed the nucleus of the mountain system of western Asia. From the centre of the plateau rise two lofty chains of mountains, which run from east to west. Divisions.—Three districts are mentioned in the Bible. (1) ARARAT is mentioned as the place whither the sons of Sennacherib fled. (Isaiah 37:38) It was the central district, surrounding the mountain of that name. (2) Minni only occurs in (Jeremiah 51:27) It is probably identical with the district Minyas, in the upper valley of the Murad-su branch of the Euphrates. (3) Togarmah is noticed in two passages of (Ezekiel 27:14; 38:6) both of which are in favor of its identity with Armenia. Present condition.—The Armenians, numbering about two millions, are nominally Christians. About half of them live in Armenia. Their favorite pursuit is commerce. The country is divided, as to government, between Russia, Turkey and Persia.—ED.

ARME'NIA (mountains of Minni ?), a name in the English version for a country called Ararat in the Hebrew. 2 Kgs 19:37 Isa 37:38. Armenia is in western Asia, between the Caspian and the Black Seas, and the Caucasus and Taurus ranges of mountains. Physical Features. — It is chiefly an elevated plateau, about 7000 feet above the level of the sea, the highest peak being Ararat, the lower portions of the plateau being broken by valleys and glens, including the fertile valleys of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. It is watered by four large streams, the Aras, the Kur, the Euphrates, and the Tigris, and also by numerous lakes, one of the largest, the salt Lake Van, being over 5400 feet above the sea. Its three mountain-ranges abound in volcanic rocks, in lead, copper, iron, silver, rock-salt, and mineral springs. The climate is cold in the highlands, while the heat of summer is intense in the valleys. History. — Three districts probably included in Armenia are mentioned in the Bible, Ararat, Minni and Ashchenaz. and Togarmah. (1) Ararat was a central region near the range of mountains of the same name. (2 ) Minni and Aschenaz, Jer 51:27, districts in the upper valley of a branch of the Euphrates. (3) Togarmah, Eze 27:14; Eze 38:6, was apparently the name by which the most, or perhaps the whole, of the land was known to the Hebrews. Armenian tradition claims that Armenia was settled by Haik, a grandson of Japhet, about b.c. 2200, The land soon became tributary to Assyria, and so continued until the eighth century b. c.; was again independent until b.c. 325; subject to Macedonia for 130 years; again free until b.c. 34; since then alternately overrun by Romans, Persians, Greeks, Kurds, and Turks, and divided between Russia, Turkey, and Persia. The people have long been nominally Christian. Religious persecution and war have driven great numbers of Armenians from their native land into Asia Minor and Europe. The present number of Armenians is estimated to be from 2,500,000 to 3,000,000, of whom about 1,000,000 live in Armenia. Its chief modern towns are Erzeroum, Erivan, and Van. See Assyria.