Armenia's First King: The Rise of Urartu under Aramu

Long before Tigranes the Great, before the Bagratunis, before Armenia even had its name, the highlands of eastern Anatolia gave rise to a kingdom that would challenge the might of Assyria. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the shadowy origins of Urartu—the Iron Age kingdom that many historians consider the first Armenian state. We meet Aramu, the first named king of Urartu, who around 860 BCE forged a confederation of tribes in the Lake Van basin and faced the relentless campaigns of the Assyrian emperor Shalmaneser III. We examine the Assyrian annals that record Urartu's early defeats and eventual resilience, the role of Mount Ararat in shaping the kingdom's identity, and how the name 'Urartu' itself evolved into 'Armenia' through the Persian Behistun Inscription. We also explore the archaeological evidence from the fortress of Tushpa (modern Van) and the irrigation systems that sustained Urartu's power. Along the way, we touch on the controversial question of Urartu-Armenian continuity: were the Urartians ancestors of the Armenians, or a separate people whose language and culture were absorbed? This episode offers a fresh look at the foundation of a nation, framed by the clash of empires on the Armenian highlands. #Urartu #Aramu #Armenia #ShalmaneserIII #AssyrianEmpire #LakeVan #Tushpa #MountArarat #BehistunInscription #IronAge #CaucasusHistory #AncientNearEast #Archaeology #ArmenianHighlands #KingdomOfUrartu #ForgottenEmpires #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo