Latest / The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History / The Urartian Legacy: Engineering and Empire in Ancient Armenia
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about medieval Armenia, the Seljuks, the Bagratids, even Urartu briefly in an earlier episode, but I think we should go deeper on Urartu itself, because it's such a fascinating and often overlooked civilization. Luna: Yeah, I remember you mentioning it in the Armenian Highland episode, but what exactly was Urartu? Lucas: Urartu was an Iron Age kingdom that flourished in the Armenian highlands around Lake Van from about the 9th to 6th centuries BCE. The Assyrians called it Urartu, but the people themselves called their land Biainili — that's where the name Van comes from, actually. Luna: Wait, so Van is derived from Biainili? That's a direct connection. Lucas: Exactly. And the mountain Ararat? That name almost certainly comes from Urartu. The kingdom was centered around Tushpa, which is modern-day Van, and they built massive fortresses, irrigation canals, and temples to their chief god Haldi. Lucas: One of the most impressive sites is Erebuni, founded in 782 BCE by King Argishti I. That fortress is actually within the borders of modern Yerevan — so Yerevan celebrates its founding date based on that Urartian inscription. Luna: So Yerevan is older than Rome? That's incredible. Lucas: It is. The inscription at Erebuni reads: 'By the greatness of Haldi, Argishti, son of Menhua, built this mighty fortress and named it Erebuni for the glory of Biainili.' That's a direct link from the 8th century BCE to the Armenian capital today. Luna: What about the Assyrians? They were the big power in the region, weren't they? Lucas: They were, and Urartu was their main rival for centuries. The Assyrian king Shalmaneser III recorded campaigns against Urartu, describing its fortified cities and the wealth of its temples. But Urartu held its own — they even expanded into what is now eastern Turkey, Armenia, and northwestern Iran. Lucas: Urartian kings like Sarduri I and Argishti I built extensive irrigation systems that brought water to arid regions. Some of those canals are still in use today, which is remarkable engineering for nearly 3000 years ago. Luna: Is that where the famous 'Van Cat' comes from? No, that's a different thing. Lucas: Ha, different thing. But there is a connection to the name Van. Anyway, Urartu's decline came around the 6th century BCE, possibly due to internal strife, Assyrian pressure, and the rise of the Medes. The kingdom fragmented and eventually disappeared from historical records. Luna: But the people didn't just vanish, right? They evolved into Armenians? Lucas: That's a big question among historians. Some argue that Urartian culture and language influenced the early Armenians, but the connection isn't straightforward. The Urartian language is non-Indo-European, while Armenian is Indo-European. However, there are loanwords and place names that suggest a substrate. Lucas: What we do know is that after Urartu fell, the region became part of the Median and then Achaemenid empires, and the satrapy of Armina appears — that's the first clear mention of Armenia. So Urartu is like a prelude, a foundational layer. Luna: What's the most impressive Urartian site that's still visible today? Lucas: Probably the fortress of Van, or Tushpa, with its massive rock-cut tombs. The tomb of King Argishti I is carved into the cliff face. And at Karmir Blur, near Yerevan, they excavated the Urartian city of Teishebaini, which was destroyed by fire — they found perfectly preserved grain and wine jars. Lucas: Urartian metalwork was also highly advanced — bronze shields, helmets, and quivers decorated with scenes of lions and bulls, often dedicated to Haldi. Some of these artifacts are in museums in Yerevan and St. Petersburg. Luna: It's amazing that so much survived. Was Urartu mentioned in the Bible? Lucas: That's a good question. The Bible mentions 'Ararat' as the resting place of Noah's Ark, and that's likely a reference to the Urartian kingdom. In the Assyrian records, Urartu is also called 'land of Ararat'. So it appears indirectly. Lucas: If you've been coming along with us through these conversations about the Caucasus, you know we try to cover the whole sweep of history. And making these episodes takes time for research, scripting, and production — it's a labor of love. A couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps these going — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, if you've gotten something out of them. Luna: Yeah, it really helps to keep the show ad-free and focused on the history. Lucas: Exactly. So back to Urartu — one of the enduring mysteries is why they seem to have left no direct descendants. But their legacy is all over the Armenian landscape: the irrigation canals, the fortress ruins, and the very name of Mount Ararat. Luna: So in a way, Urartu is the hidden foundation of Armenian identity. Lucas: I think so. When you stand at Erebuni and look out over Yerevan, it's a powerful reminder that this land has been the stage for civilizations for millennia. Urartu may have fallen, but its stones still speak.