Byzantine Armenia
Byzantine Armenia, sometimes known as Western Armenia, is the name given to the parts of Kingdom of Armenia that became part of the Byzantine Empire. The size of the territory varied over time, depending on the degree of control the Byzantines had over Armenia.
Byzantine Armenia | |||||||||
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| 387–536 | |||||||||
Byzantine Armenia, 387-536 | |||||||||
| Capital | Sebastia Melitene Arsamosata Theodosiopolis (Garin) 39.17°N 40.65°E | ||||||||
| Common languages | Armenian (native language) Medieval Greek | ||||||||
| Religion | Armenian Apostolic Chalcedonian Christianity | ||||||||
| Historical era | Late Antiquity, Early Middle Ages | ||||||||
• Established | 387 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 536 | ||||||||
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| History of Armenia |
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| Timeline • Origins • Etymology |
The Byzantine and Sassanid Empires divided Armenia in 387 and in 428. Western Armenia fell under Byzantine rule, and Eastern Armenia fell under Sassanid control. Even after the establishment of the Bagratid Armenian Kingdom, parts of historic Armenia and Armenian-inhabited areas were still under Byzantine rule.
The Armenians had no representation in the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451 because of their struggle against the Sassanids in an armed rebellion. That reason caused a theological drift to appear between Armenian and Byzantine Christianity.
Regardless, many Armenians became successful in the Byzantine Empire. Numerous Byzantine emperors were either ethnically Armenian, half-Armenian, part-Armenian or possibly Armenian; although culturally Eastern Roman (Byzantine). The best example is Emperor Heraclius, whose father was Armenian and mother was Cappadocian. Emperor Heraclius began the Heraclian Dynasty (610–717). Basil I is another example of an Armenian beginning a dynasty; the Macedonian dynasty. His father was Armenian and his mother was Greek. Other emperors of full, or partial Armenian origin include Romanos I, John I Tzimiskes, Artabasdos, Philippikos Bardanes and Leo V.