Tigranakert (Tigranocerta now Diyarbakir – Western Armenia) is one of the capitals of Great Armenia
In 77 BC p.m., Ancient Armenian king Tigran II decided to build a new capital on this place – Tigranakert. According to Tigran, the city was supposed to become a new center of Armenian culture and civilization.
The city would also serve as a symbol of Tigran’s greatness and glorious victories. However, as a result of the siege and the subsequent Battle of Tigranakert on October 6, 69 BC. p.m. the city was captured by the Roman troops of Lucull and went to Rome.
In 359, Tigranakert was conquered by the Iranian Shahpur. In 640, after conquering the city by the Arabs, Tigranakert was given the name Diyarbekir.
Diyarbekir was one of the points of the Great Silk Road. In 1001, Diyarbekir became the residence of the Kurdish Mervanid dynasty. In 1085 it passed into Turkmen hands. In 1534, Diyarbekir was conquered by Sultan Suleiman I Kanuni and became a part of the Ottoman Empire.
Before the Armenian Genocide in 1915, the majority of the city’s population was Armenians.
