Antiquities

Dvin – Ancient Armenia

Dvin was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia. Dvin connected Europe and Asia and was important for its geographical and strategic location along the Silk Road during the 3rd-5th centuries.

The territory of Dvin was one of the most ancient settlements of the Armenian Highland as far back as the 3rd millennium BC.

The city was built by Khosrov III (Kotak) (330-338) in 335. It became the new capital of Artacid Armenia. The city had a population of about 100,000 citizens.

It had double town walls which were fortified with large round towers, and the citadel had a moat around it. On the top of the hill near the citadel, Artacid kings built their royal palace and church.

Six trade routes started from Dvin, which connected the city with Iran, Iraq, Assyria, the Byzantine Empire, and countries of the Mediterranean basin.

Goods manufactured in the renowned workshops of these countries were imported into Dvin. Production of the craftsmen of Dvin (pottery and textiles) was exported far beyond the borders of the country.

Hagop Kazandjian с Hagop Kazandjian II.

Read Also:

Vigen Avetisyan

Recent Posts

Armenian Orphan Girls in New York (1917): A Forgotten Act of Witness and Relief

In 1917, at the height of global upheaval during World War I, a small but…

5 days ago

The Armenian Genocide: State Crime, Mass Participation, and the Burden of Historical Responsibility

The Armenian Genocide (1915–1921 ...) was not an accident of war, nor a tragic byproduct…

1 week ago

The First Printed Armenian Bible (Amsterdam, 1666–1668)

Introduction The first printed edition of the Bible in the Armenian language stands as one…

2 weeks ago

Armenopolis (Gherla): An Armenian “Ideal City” in the Heart of Europe

Armenopolis (modern-day Gherla, Romania) is a remarkable example of how the Armenian diaspora not only…

2 weeks ago

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia

Regarding the Remarks of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group at the Permanent Council…

2 months ago

The Armenian Genetic Code: An 8,000-Year Unbroken Journey

While empires rose and fell and borders shifted across millennia, one remarkable constant has endured:…

3 months ago