Classical Antiquity
Kingdom of Urartu
860 BC – 590 BC · peak 750 BC
The Kingdom of Urartu (9th–6th centuries BC) controlled the Armenian highlands around Lake Van, with its capital at Tushpa. It was a fortified and hydraulic power, known for citadels, canals and royal inscriptions in the Urartian language. It long rivaled Assyria, but declined under pressure from Cimmerians, Scythians and Medes before being absorbed by later Armenian and Iranian powers.
Capital: Tushpa (Van)
Trade routes in use
- Amber Road (1500 BC – 500 AD)
- Incense Route (1000 BC – 400 AD)
- Phoenician Mediterranean Routes (1100 BC – 300 BC)