Antiquities

Armenian Communities in the Babylon: Traders and Kings

Armenian communities existed in many countries of the Ancient East. The main occupation of Armenians living outside their homeland was trade. According to a number of historians, Armenian city blocks in Babylon were a kind of merchant settlements.

Trade and Petroglyphs

There is a version that some petroglyphs on Snake Mountain depict a boat with trade intermediaries. This interpretation of the petroglyphs can, of course, be disputed, although trade with Babylon was indeed carried out along the Euphrates.

Herodotus left a description of a special technology for making boats for transporting goods: “In the land of the Armenians, willows are cut and made from them the sides of the vessel, then they are covered with a cover of skins and a semblance of a bottom is made, without pushing apart the walls of the stern and without narrowing the bow, but giving the vessel a round shape of a shield. After this, the whole vessel is filled with straw and, loaded with goods, lowered to the river in the direction of Babylon.”

Armenians in Babylon

However, the Armenians became famous in Babylon not only as traders. One of the most mysterious historical figures remains the king of Babylon, Arakha. According to G. Bunner, “the Armenian Arakha is a person identical to Nebuchadnezzar of the Book of Judith.” K. Schedl holds a similar point of view, believing, however, that Arakha is not a proper name, but an Armenian title meaning “prince.”

The real name of the king, according to the famous historian, is Nebuchadnezzar: “he was the son of the deposed Nabonidus and went to Babylon to claim the throne of his father.” Does this mean that the last dynasty of Babylonian kings has Armenian roots? Researchers still cannot give an exact answer.

Conclusion

The presence of Armenian communities in the Ancient East, particularly in Babylon, highlights their significant role as traders and possibly even as rulers. The mystery surrounding the identity of King Arakha and the potential Armenian roots of the last dynasty of Babylonian kings adds an intriguing layer to the history of the region. While definitive answers remain elusive, the contributions of Armenians to the cultural and economic landscape of the Ancient East are undeniable.