Syunik () was a region of historical Armenia and the ninth province () of the Kingdom of Armenia from 189 BC until 428 AD. From the 7th to 9th centuries, it fell under Arab control. In 821, it formed two Armenian principalities: Kingdom of Syunik and principality of Khachen, which around the year 1000 was proclaimed the Kingdom of Artsakh, becoming one of the last medieval eastern Armenian kingdoms and principalities to maintain its autonomy following the Turkic invasions of the 11th to 14th centuries.Hewsen. Armenia, pp. 118-121.
Name
The name Syunik is ancient and appears in the earliest Armenian written sources., a later name for the province of Iranian origin, first appears in the 6th-century Syriac chronicle of Pseudo-Zacharias; it is first mentioned in Armenian sources in the history of Movses Khorenatsi, who explains this name as deriving from Sisak, the name of one of the descendants of the legendary Armenian progenitor Hayk.Гарегнин Нжде. Биографические и автобиографические материалы Strabo mentions a region of Armenia called , which some scholars read as * and connect with Syunik. If is not to be identified with Syunik, then the earliest mention of the name in Greek sources is by Eusebius in the 4th century, who refers to it as . Later, in the 6th century, the Byzantine historian Procopius refers to the inhabitants of the province as . In the Ravenna Cosmography (), Syunik is referred to in Latin as . In Georgian sources, Syunik is typically called , while Arabic sources knew it as , borrowed from Persian.
The ultimate etymology of the name Syunik is unknown. At first glance, it appears to be the plural of , the name of the ancient princely dynasty of Syunik (the noble house, like the province, is also alternatively called ). Historian Armen Petrosyan has suggested that Syunik is related to the name of the Urartian sun god Shivini/Siwini (itself a borrowing from the Hittites), noting the similarity between the names and the high number of sun-related placenames in the region.Robert H. Hewsen writes that Syunik is probably identical with the place name mentioned in Urartian cuneiform inscriptions.
Geography Syunik was a big region in the east of historical Armenia. In the west and north-west, it bordered on the Ayrarat Province; in the east, the natural border between Syunik and Artsakh passed through the Hakari river (left inflow of the Aras). In the north-west, Syunik shared a border with lands situated in the direct neighborhood of Ganja, and in the south-west, it bordered on Nakhichevan (Vaspurakan Province). The north of Syunik comprised Gegharkunik and Sotk which lied on the coast of Lake Sevan. In the south, the territory of Syunik extended to the Aras River.
According to Ashkharhatsuyts in the 7th century, Syunik was divided into 12 administrative-territorial regions (gavars):
Ptolemy refers to the Sotk region as Sodukena (from the ancient Greek ) in the following record: "The regions of Armenia at the junction of the rivers Euphrates, Kir ad Aras; here's the essence: Kotarzen – near the Moschian Mountains, above the so-called "heavenly creatures" (?), Tosarensk (?) and Otene – along the river Kir, Koltensk (?) – along the river Aras, and Sodukensk – below it; Sirekan and Sakasensk at the foot of Mounts Sirekan and Sakasensk".Geography, V, 12, 9Novoseltsev, A. P.; Pashuto, V. T.; Cherepnin, L. V. Paths of Feudalism Development. Nauka, p. 35.
Arevik
Arevik was the southernmost province of Syunik. The name has ancient origins, likely linked to the Sun god of the tribe of the same name. It is one of the smallest provinces in Syunik, and its territory roughly corresponds to the basin of the Meghri River. In ancient times, Arevik was part of Goghtn, but it later separated and joined Syunik. In 1226, the province was devastated by Emir Harun, who had previously captured Meghri in 1158. Several historical and geographical sites in Arevik are closely tied to the medieval history of Syunik.
Kovsakan
Kovsakan was also known as Kusakan, Kosakan, or Grham (named after its main fortress). It was primarily located in the basin of the Tsav River and along several right-bank tributaries of the Voghji River, including the Bekh, Vachagan, and Geghanush streams. The most notable site in Kovsakan before the 13th century was the Grham fortress, which existed between the 10th and 12th centuries. This fortress was likely located opposite the Shariblu station of the present-day Kapan-Minjevan railway, on the left bank of the Voghji River.
Dzork
The province of Dzork stretched across the upper reaches of the Kapan River. Starting from the 11th century, it was renamed Kapan, after the city located there. Dzork is the most mountainous region of Syunik; a significant part of it remains covered by dense forests today. The province was home to several famous medieval monasteries.
Baghk
Between the 10th and 12th centuries, this province covered a larger area than in ancient times. Baghk was bordered by Kovsakan to the south, Dzork and Tsghukk to the west, Haband to the north, and the Aghavno River to the east. The province was divided into two parts: Western and Eastern Baghk. The exact locations of several historical sites in Baghk, such as the fortresses of Andok, Barkushat, Kashatagh, and Pahu, have not yet been fully clarified.
Tsghuk
Tsghuk was bordered by Aghahejk and Haband to the east, and by Jahuk and Vayots Dzor to the west (with the border running along the watershed of the Syunik Mountains). The name Tsghukk likely has ethnic origins. Because it served as the residence (vostan) of the princes of Syunik, the province was often called Syunik or Sisakan. The town of Shaghat was the seat of both the Syunian princes and the Bishop of Syunik.
Haband
In ancient times, the province of Haband was relatively unknown to historians. The Ashkharhatsuyts (Ancient Armenian Geography) mentions two Habands: one in Syunik and the other in Artsakh. An ancient list belonging to the Tatev Monastery records 79 villages in this province. According to tradition, the patriarch Dzagik built a fortress here called Dzagezor (or the Fortress of Haband); the canyon where the fortress stood was subsequently named "Dzagezor" after him.
Yernjak
This province was located in the basin of the Yernjak River (now Alinja-chay). It was surrounded by the provinces of Goghtn, Tsghukk, Jahuk, and Nakhichevan. Since ancient times, the southern part of Yernjak has been famous for its choice fruits, including apricots, pomegranates, figs, and pears. Regarding the name Yernjak, the historian Orbelian mentions a legend stating that the name originated from a Syunian noblewoman named Yerinjik.
Jahuk
Jahuk was located northwest of Yernjak. It was bordered by Vayots Dzor and Tsghuk to the north, Yernjak and Nakhichevan to the southeast and south, and the Sharur province of Ayrarat to the west.
Aghahejk
There is very little information about this province, though it was quite extensive. It was located in the northeastern part of Syunik, bordered by Tsar (in Artsakh) and the Syunik provinces of Tsghukk and Haband. The tax registers of the Bishopric of Tatev mention 43 settlements in Aghahejk.
Vayots Dzor
Vayots Dzor is one of the most prominent provinces of Syunik. There are numerous references to this region and its landmarks in both Armenian and foreign sources. The geographer Vardan calls it "Yeghegyats Dzor." It is a mountainous, water-rich province with fertile lands. In the middle centuries, the number of settlements in Vayots Dzor reached 91.
Gegharkunik
The province of Gegharkunik occupied the largest part of the Lake Geghama (Sevan) basin, while the smaller portion consisted of the Sodk province. Gegharkunik was located in the northwestern part of the basin, while Sodk was in the southeast. The name is traditionally associated with the name of Gegham.
Sodk
Sodk extended along the southeastern and eastern shores of Lake Geghama. Its territory almost entirely coincides with parts of the modern-day Martuni and Vardenis regions. It is a lowland area with fertile soil and cold springs. The gold mines near the Zod Pass have been exploited here since ancient times.
History Ancient Period: Kingdom of Armenia
From 189 B.C. onwards, Syunik was part of the Kingdom of Greater Armenia which was ruled by representatives of the Artaxiad dynasty. Inscriptions by King Artashes I have been found on the territory of Syunik.Borisov ""nscriptions of Artaxia (Artashes), King of Armenia, 1946, No 2"Historical-Philological Magazine, 1965, No 4A.G. Perikhanyan, "Aramian Inscription from Zangezur"
Starting in at least the 3rd century B.C., Syunik was ruled by representatives of the ancient Armenian Siunia dynasty identifying themselves as descendants of Hayk, the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation. The story was recounted by Movses Khorenatsi in his 5th-century History of Armenia.Historical-Philological Magazine, 1965, No 4A.G. Perikhanyan, "Aramian Inscription from Zangezur"
The first known Nakharar ruler was Vaghinak Siak (c. 330) and his successor was his brother Andok or Andovk (Antiochus, c. 340). In 379 Babik (Bagben) the son of Andok was re-established as a Naxarar by the Mamikonian family. Babik had a sister called Pharantzem who had married the Arsacid Prince Gnel, nephew of the Armenian King Arsaces II (Arshak II) and later married Arsaces II as her second husband. Babik's rule lasted for less than ten years and by about 386 or 387, Dara was deposed by the Sassanid Empire. Valinak (c. 400–409) was followed by Vasak (409–452). Vasak had two sons: Babik (Bagben), Bakur and a daughter who married Vasak's successor, Varazvahan (452–472). Varazvahan's son Gelehon ruled from 470–477, who died in 483. Babik (Bagben) the brother of Varazvahan became the new Naxarar in 477. Hadz the brother of Gelehon died on September 25, 482. The Syunik Province was later governed by Vahan (c. 570), Philip (Philipo, c. 580), Stephen (Stephanos, c. 590–597), Sahak (Isaac, c. 597) and Grigor (Gregory, until 640).
Syunik was one of the most powerful houses of nakharars in ancient Armenia. Ancient records which have survived to the present bear vivid evidence. Thus, according to Zoranamak, a state register regulating the quantity and order of military troops in the ancient states, the province of Syunik displayed its cavalry designed for 9,400 chevaliers in wartime. According to Gahnamak, a register of noble families in the ancient Armenian state, the prince of Syunik ranked the first among the Armenian aristocrats in the royal palace.
In the early 4th century, Syunik was Christianized along with the rest of Armenia. The princes of Syunik, together with other Armenian magnates, accompanied Gregory the Illuminator to Caesarea for holy orders.
After the Peace of Acilisene concluded in 387 A.D., Syunik remained part of the vassal Kingdom of Armenia. The division of the Armenian statehood between Byzantine and Persia drastically reduced Armenia's territory. In the second half of the 390s, Mesrop Mashtots, a great Armenian enlightener and scholar, engaged in enlightening Alinja, a gavar in the Syunik province, and after the invention of the Armenian alphabet in 406, he opened the first schools there with the help of princes Vaghinak and Vasak Siwni to teach the new Armenian scripts to his apprentices.
There are also available records left by Stephen Orbelian, an historian of Syunik.