| 14th Century B.C. |
Birth of the Prophet Spitama Zarathushtra (Zoroaster). |
| 15th-12th Centuries B.C. |
Thraco-Phrygian tribes invade Asia Minor.
Ancestors of the Armenians continue east across Anatolia, overrunning the Hittite Empire and settling west of Lake Van in the province of Arme-Shupria. |
| 9th Century B.C. |
Urartean Kingdom on the Armenian plateau expands its power, wars with Assyria. |
| 8th Century B.C. |
Urartean expansion to northeast. |
| 782 B.C. |
Urartean King Argishti I founds Erebuni (Yerevan). |
| 7th Century B.C. |
Persian-speaking Scythian tribes invade Urartu. |
| 625-584 B.C. |
Reign of Cyaxares, King of Media. Urartu and Armenians conquered by Medians. |
| 612 B.C. |
Assyrian capital Nineveh destroyed by Medians and Babylonians. |
| 585-550 B.C. |
Reign of Astyages, King of Media, overthrown by Cyrus the Persian. |
| 550-529 B.C |
Cyrus II (the Great), first king of Median and Persian Achaemenian dynasty. |
| 522-485 B.C. |
Darius I, in whose inscriptions to Behistun (520) Armenia is mentioned for the first time. |
| 404 B.C. |
Orintes, Satrap (or governor) of Armenia for the Achaemenian empire. |
| 336-323 B.C. |
"Reign" of Alexander of Macedon (called "the Great" by the Greeks and "the Accursed" by the Persians). He conquers Achaemenian Persia in 331. |
| 330 B.C. |
Orontid dynasty begins in Armenia. Independent states in west of the country (Sophene, Commagene ). |
| 201-190 B.C. |
Artashes and Zareh, strategoi (general-commander) of Greater Armenia and Sophene, overthrow Orontids. |
| 189-160 B.C. |
Artashes I, first Artaxiad king of Armenia. Zariadrid Dynasty in Sophene(Tsopk) |
| 170 B.C. |
City of Artashat founded. |
| 247 B.C. |
Parthians overthrow descendents of the generals of Alexander in eastern Iran and over the next century move westwards under Arsacid kings, conquer Iran and Mesopotamia. |
| 95-55 B.C. |
Reign of Tigran II -- who briefly conquers for Armenia: Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, and Media -- founds Tigranakert. |
| 55-34 B.C. |
Reign of Artavazd II in Armenia fights as an ally of Parthians, is captured and exiled by Mark Anthony. |
| 4 B.C. |
Birth of Jesus Christ |
| 6-16 A.D. |
Last Artaxiad queen, Erato. Parthian king Vonones rules Armenia. |
| 12-38 A.D. |
Parthia ruled by Ardavan III. |
| 34-35 A.D. |
Son of Ardavan, Arshak (or Sanatruk) rules Armenia. |
| 51-75 A.D. |
Valakhsh I, King of Parthia. |
| 54-68 A.D. |
Nero, Emperor of Rome. |
| 54-63 A.D. |
Roman-Parthian War: Romans capture Tigranakert, destroy city of Artashat. |
| 66 A.D. |
Tiridates, brother of Valakhsh I, crowned by Nero as king of Armenia. Greek inscription at Garni. |
| 89-109 A.D. |
Sanatruk II, son of Tiridates I, rules Armenia and Edessa. |
| 77-110 A.D. |
Pacorus II, King of Parthia. |
| 110-113 A.D. |
Ashkhadar (or Shidar), son of Pacorus II, crowned King of Armenia |
| 117-140 A.D. |
Valakhsh (or Vagharsh I) of Armenia, son of Sanatruk II, founds city of Vagharshapat (later Christian name Etchmiadzin). |
| 180 or 186-198 A.D. |
Valakhsh II, King of Armenia, possibly grandson of Valakhsh I. |
| 198-215 A.D. |
Khosrov I, son of Valakhsh II, King of Armenia. |
| 217 A.D. |
Tiridates II, son of Khosrov I, crowned King of Armenia. |
| 252 A.D. |
Tiridates II murdered by Anak ("the evil") Suren Pahlav, father of St. Gregory The Illuminator. Gregory and Tiridates III (son of the slain king, who is also referred to as Khosrov) are separately spirited off to Rome and escape the massacre of their families. |
| 224-226 A.D. |
Ardeshir the son of Papak and grandson of Sasan, the Persian, murders Ardavan V, the last Arsacid Parthian king. Beginning of Sasanian dynasty in Iran. High priest Tansar initiates persecution of non-Zoroastrians and builds centralized priestly hierarchy. |
| 241-272 A.D. |
Reign of Shapur I, son of Ardeshir. Inscriptions on the Kaabayi Zardusht in Pars. High priest Kartir continues policies of Tansar. |
| 252-271 A.D. |
Ormizd-Ardeshir, son of Shapur I, Sasanian Great king of Armenia. |
| 273-293 A.D. |
Ormizd-Ardeshir crowned King of Iran. |
| 273-293 A.D. |
Narseh, son of Shapur I, Great King of Armenia. |
| 279/80-287 A.D. |
Khosrov, son of Tiridates II, rules in the west of Armenia; and is murdered by his brother, Tiridates III, who reigns in the west and then 293-298 in the east as an Iranian vassal. Tiridates IV, the Great, son of Khosrov II, reigns 298-330 and is converted to Christianity in 314. |
| 293 A.D. |
Inscription of Kartir and Naqsh-i Rustarn; inscription of Narseh at Paikuli. |
| 301 A.D. |
Traditional date of conversion of Armenia to Christianity by St. Gregory the Illuminator. |
| 313 A.D. |
Edict of toleration of Christians issued by Emperor Constantine at Milan. |
| 325 A.D |
Son of St. Gregory, Aristakes, represents Armenian Church at the Council of Nicaea. |
| 309-379 A.D |
Reign of Shapur II in Iran. |
| 361-363 A.D. |
Reign of Julian the Apostate in Rome. |
| 368-373 A.D. |
Reign of King Pap in Armenia. |
| 361-440 A.D. |
St. Mesrop Mashtots invents Armenian alphabet about 406. |
| 387 A.D. |
Partition of Armenia between Rome and Iran. |
| 428 A.D |
Last Armenian Arsacid king, Artashes, deposed by Iran; Armenia ruled by Sasanian-appointed marzpans (governors). |
| 431 A.D. |
Council of Ephesus condemns Nestorian heresy. |
| 448 A.D. |
Hephthalite-Sasanian war, in which Armenians fight on Iranian side. |
| 438-457 A.D |
Reign of Yazdagird II of Iran; high priest Denshaput and commander-in-chief Mihrnarseh. |
| 450 A.D. |
Armenian forces under Vartan fight Iranians at Khaghkhagh, in Albania. |
| May 26, 451 A.D. |
Vartan Mamikonian martyred at the Battle of Avarayr. |
| 481-484 A.D. |
Vartan's nephew, Vahan, leads second Armenian rebellion; Sasanian grant toleration to Christians in treaty of Nevarsak. |
