View source for Lesser Armenia

{{Short description|Armenian Highlands region}}{{Citations needed|date=January 2023}}{{about|the region in Central Anatolia during Antiquity|the Armenian kingdom during the Crusades|Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia}}
{{History of Armenia|expanded=age2|BC=1}}
'''Lesser Armenia''' ({{langx|hy|Փոքր Հայք|translit=P’ok’r Hayk’}};{{Sfn|Adontz|1970|p=311}} {{langx|la|Armenia Minor}}; {{Langx|grc|Mικρά Αρμενία|translit=Mikrá Armenía}}{{Sfn|Harutiunian|1986|p=373a}}), also known as '''Armenia Minor''' and '''Armenia Inferior''', comprised the Armenian-populated regions primarily to the west and northwest of the ancient [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Kingdom of Armenia]] (also known as Kingdom of Greater Armenia), on the western side of the [[Euphrates|Euphrates River]]. It was also a kingdom, separate from Greater Armenia, from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD. The region was later reorganized into the [[Armeniac Theme]] under the [[Byzantine Empire]].

==Geography==
{{further|Western Armenia|Central Anatolia Region, Turkey|Black Sea Region, Turkey}}

Lesser Armenia (or Armenia Minor) was the portion of historic [[Armenia]] and the [[Armenian Highland]]s lying west and northwest of the river [[Euphrates]].{{Sfn|Harutiunian|1986|p=373a}} It received its name to distinguish it from the much larger eastern portion of historic Armenia—Greater Armenia (or Armenia Major).

==Early history==
[[File:Little Armenia location map.png|thumb|Location of Little Armenia]]
[[File:Asia Minor in the early 1st century AD - general map - provinces, client states and main settlements - bleached - English legend.jpg|300px|thumb|[[Anatolia]] in the early 1st century AD with Armenia Minor as a Roman client state]]Lesser Armenia corresponded to the location of the [[Late Bronze Age]] [[Hayasa-Azzi]] confederation, which is thought by some scholars to be the source of the Armenian endonym {{Transliteration|hy|hay}} and the original state of the Proto-Armenians.{{Sfn|Petrosyan|2014|p=108}} It has been suggested that the epithet "lesser" indicates that this territory was the older homeland of the Armenian people, while "greater" Armenia referred to a territory that was later settled.{{Sfn|Petrosyan|2014|p=108}}{{Sfn|Petrosyan|2007|p=43}}

Lesser Armenia may have formed a part of the territories of the [[Orontid dynasty]], which ruled Armenia first as satraps of the [[Achaemenid Empire]] and then as kings.{{Sfn|Hewsen|2001|p=32}} However, there is no clear evidence to support this claim.{{Sfn|Hewsen|2001|p=32}} Lesser Armenia emerged as a separate kingdom after the [[Treaty of Apamea]] in 188 BC, although the exact origin, size and history of this kingdom are murky.{{Sfn|Hewsen|2001|pp=32, 37}} The capital of this kingdom was probably originally at [[Kemah, Erzincan|Kamakh]], but likely moved to [[Nicopolis (Armenia)|Nicopolis]] after the end of the [[Mithridatic Wars]].{{Sfn|Hewsen|2001|pp=32, 37}} Lesser Armenia apparently experienced the high point of its territorial expansion during the Orontid period, possibly expanding its borders to the [[Black Sea]].{{Sfn|Hewsen|2001|p=32}} According to [[Strabo]], it originally had its own royal dynasty.{{Sfn|Hewsen|2001|p=37}} It passed under the control of the [[Kingdom of Pontus]] in the 1st century BC, during the reign of [[Mithridates VI Eupator]] ({{Reign|120|63 BC}}), who built 75 fortresses there.{{Sfn|Hewsen|2001|p=37}} After the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] defeated Pontus in the [[Mithridatic Wars]], Lesser Armenia became a client kingdom of Rome, who appointed various client kings to rule the kingdom.{{Sfn|Hewsen|2001|p=37}} The last of these was [[Aristobulus of Chalcis]] of the [[Herodian dynasty]].{{Sfn|Hewsen|2001|p=37}} In 72 AD, Lesser Armenia was annexed by the Roman Empire and made a part of the larger province of [[Cappadocia (Roman province)|Cappadocia]].{{Sfn|Hewsen|2001|pp=37, 48}}

[[File:Roman-Persian Frontier, 5th century.png|thumb|250px|left|The Roman–Persian frontier and the Armenian provinces in the 5th century]]

==Roman and Byzantine Lesser Armenia==
{{further|Roman Armenia}}
All of Armenia became a [[Roman province]] in AD 114 under Roman emperor [[Trajan]], but Roman Armenia was soon after abandoned by the legions in 118 AD and became a vassal kingdom. Lesser Armenia, however, was generally incorporated by Trajan, together with [[Malatya|Melitene]] and [[Cataonia]], into the [[Cappadocia (Roman province)|province of Cappadocia]]. Lesser Armenia consisted of five districts: [[Orbalisene]] in the North; below that [[Aetulane]]; [[Aeretice]]; then [[Orsene]]; and finally [[Orbesine]], the most southern. The more southern districts appended to Lesser Armenia were Meleiene, so called from its capital Melitene (modern Malatya) and the following four small districts of ancient Cataonia, namely, [[Aravene]]; [[Lavinianesine]] or Lavianesine; Cataonia, in the more restricted sense, or the country close upon [[Cilicia]] surrounded by mountains; finally, [[Muriane]] or Murianune, between Cataonia and Melitene, called likewise [[Bagadoania]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Peter Edmund Laurent|title=An Introduction to the Study of Ancient Geography. With copious indexes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pLVfAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA233|pages=233–234|year=1830|place=Oxford|publisher=Henry Slatter}}</ref>

Lesser Armenia was reunited with the kingdom of Greater Armenia under the Arshakuni king [[Tiridates III of Armenia|Tiridates III]] in AD 287 until the temporary conquest of [[Shapur II]] in 337.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

Then it was formed into a regular province under [[Diocletian]], and in the 4th century, was divided in two provinces: First Armenia ([[Armenia Prima]]), which contained most of Lesser Armenia, and Second Armenia ([[Armenia Secunda]]) that comprised all the southern tracts which had been added to Lesser Armenia, with the exception of Cataonia, which was incorporated with [[Cappadocia Secunda]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Peter Edmund Laurent|title=An Introduction to the Study of Ancient Geography. With copious indexes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pLVfAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA234|page=234|year=1830|place=Oxford|publisher=Henry Slatter}}</ref>

Its population remained Armenian but was being gradually Romanized. Since the 3rd century many Armenian soldiers were in the Roman army: later–in the 4th century–they made up two Roman legions, the [[Legio I Armeniaca]] and the [[Legio II Armeniaca]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

In 536, the emperor [[Justinian I]] reorganized the provincial administration, and First and Second Armenia were renamed Second and Third respectively, while some of their territory was split off to the other Armenian provinces.{{cn|date=November 2023}}

The borders of the Byzantine part of Armenia were expanded in 591 into Persarmenia, but the region was the focus of decades of warfare between the Byzantines and the Persians (the [[Byzantine-Sassanid Wars]]) until the [[Arab conquest of Armenia]] in 639.

After this, the part of Lesser Armenia remaining under Byzantine control (in a lesser extent) became part of the theme of [[Armeniakon]].

==Mongol and Ottoman influence==
After the downfall of Bagratid Armenia in 1045 and resulting subsequent losses of Byzantine Empire in the East after the [[Battle of Manzikert]] in 1073, Lesser Armenia fell to the [[Seljuks]] and then was part of the [[Mongol Empire]] for 92 years and of the [[Ottoman Empire]] from the late 15th century.

Between the 11th and 14th centuries, the term Lesser Armenia (sometimes called "Little Armenia") was applied to the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, right until the formation of [[Turkey]] in 1923.

== Episcopal sees ==
Ancient episcopal sees of the Roman province of '''Armenia Prima (I)''' listed in the ''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' as [[titular see]]s:<ref name=AP>''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 {{ISBN|978-88-209-9070-1}}), "Sedi titolari", pp. 819-1013</ref>
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Berissa]]
* ''[[Colonia in Armenia]]'' (Köylühisar) ([[Armenian Catholic Church]])
* [[Nicopolis in Armenia]]
* Pedachtoë (Bedochton, Pedachton)
* [[Satala in Armenia]]
* 
* [[Sivas|Sebastea]] (Sivas)
* [[Sebastopolis in Armenia]] (Sulusaray)
}}

Ancient episcopal sees of the Roman province of '''Armenia Secunda (II)''' listed in the ''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' as [[titular see]]s:<ref name=AP/>
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Arabissus]]
* Arca in Armenia (Arga)
* [[Ariarathia]] (Aziziye)
* [[Comana Armeniae]] (Sar or Sarkale)
* [[Cucusus]] (Göksun)
* [[Melitene]] (Malatya)
* Verissa
}}

For ancient episcopal sees of the Roman province of '''Armenia Tertia (III)''', see [[Roman Armenia#Episcopal sees]].

==Later history==
Lesser Armenia is traditionally considered as part of [[Western Armenia]], especially after the acquisition of [[Eastern Armenia]] by the [[Russian Empire]] in the aftermath of the [[Russo-Persian War (1826-1828)|Russo-Persian War of 1826-1828]].<ref>Timothy C. Dowling [https://books.google.com/books?id=KTq2BQAAQBAJ&dq=russo+persian+war+1804-1813&pg=PA728 ''Russia at War: From the Mongol Conquest to Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Beyond''] pp 729 ABC-CLIO, 2 dec. 2014 {{ISBN|1598849484}}</ref>

The Christian Armenian population of Lesser Armenia continued its existence in the area until the [[Armenian genocide]] of 1915–23. Some Armenians still live in the area, albeit converted to [[Islam]] under Ottoman influence, mainly in the 17th century.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

==See also==
*[[Hemshinli]]

==Notes==
<references/>

== References ==
* {{cite book |last=Adontz |first=Nicolas |date=1970 |title=The Reform of Justinian Armenia |url=https://archive.org/details/TheReformOfJustinianInArmenia |location=Lisbon |author-link=Nicholas Adontz |publisher=Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation|others=Translated with partial revisions, a bibliographical note, and appendices by [[Nina Garsoïan|Nina G. Garsoïan]]}}
* {{cite book|first=Mack|last=Chahin|title=The Kingdom of Armenia: A History|publisher=Routledge|location=London|year=2001|isbn=0-7007-1452-9}}
* {{Cite book |year=1986 |chapter=Pʻokʻr Haykʻ |script-chapter=hy:Փոքր Հայք|script-title=hy:Հայկական սովետական հանրագիտարան|title=Haykakan sovetakan hanragitaran |title-link=Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia|location=Yerevan |trans-title=Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia |last=Harutiunian |first=B. |volume=12 |pages=[https://hy.wikisource.org/wiki/%D4%B7%D5%BB:%D5%80%D5%A1%D5%B5%D5%AF%D5%A1%D5%AF%D5%A1%D5%B6_%D5%8D%D5%B8%D5%BE%D5%A5%D5%BF%D5%A1%D5%AF%D5%A1%D5%B6_%D5%80%D5%A1%D5%B6%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%A3%D5%AB%D5%BF%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%B6_(Soviet_Armenian_Encyclopedia)_12.djvu/373 373]–374 |language=hy}}
* {{cite book |first=Robert H. |last=Hewsen |title=Armenia: A Historical Atlas |publisher=University Of Chicago Press |year=2001 |isbn=0-226-33228-4|author-link=Robert H. Hewsen}}
* {{Cite web|title=Kingdom of Greater Armenia|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095905405|website=[[Oxford University Press|Oxford Reference]]|access-date=20 November 2013}}
* {{Cite book |last=Petrosyan |first=Armen |url=https://www.academia.edu/35853142 |title=Armenovedcheskie issledovanii͡a |script-title=ru:Арменоведческие исследования|trans-title=''Armenological studies'' |publisher=Antares |year=2014 |isbn=978-9939-51-697-4 |location=Yerevan |language=ru}}
* {{cite journal |last=Petrosyan |first=Armen |year=2007 |title=The Problem of Identification of the Proto-Armenians: A Critical Review |url=https://www.academia.edu/3657764 |journal=Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies |volume=16 |page=43}}
* {{cite book |last=Vaux |first=Bert |url=http://www.uwm.edu/~vaux/hamshen.pdf |title=Hemshinli: The Forgotten Black Sea Armenians |publisher=Harvard University |year=2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315154048/http://www.uwm.edu/~vaux/hamshen.pdf |archive-date=15 March 2007 |author-link=Bert Vaux}}

{{Historical regions of Armenia}}
{{History of Anatolia}}
{{Roman provinces AD 117}}
{{Late Roman Provinces}}

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[[Category:Lesser Armenia| ]]
[[Category:Former regions of Armenia]]
[[Category:Late Roman provinces]]
[[Category:Roman client kingdoms]]
[[Category:States and territories established in the 110s]]