39°20′20″N 45°3′26″E / 39.33889°N 45.05722°E
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Battle of Avarayr | |||||||
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![]() A 15th-century Armenian miniature depicting the battle | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Sasanian Empire Pro-Sasanian Armenians | Christian Armenians | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Vasak of Syunik Mushkan Niusalavurt |
Vardan Mamikonian † Ghevond Vanandetsi[6] | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
200,000[4]–300,000[7] Sasanians 60,000 Armenian loyalists[7] Unknown number of elephants | 66,000 Armenians[7] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Heavy[5] | Heavy[5] |
The Battle of Avarayr (Armenian: Ավարայրի ճակատամարտ, romanized: Avarayri chakatamart) was fought on 26 May 451 on the Avarayr Plain in Vaspurakan between a Christian Armenian army under Vardan Mamikonian and Sassanid Persia. It is considered one of the first battles in defense of the Christian faith.[8] Although the Persians were victorious on the battlefield, it was a pyrrhic victory as Avarayr paved the way to the Nvarsak Treaty of 484, which affirmed Armenia's right to practise Christianity freely.[4][5]
The battle is seen as one of the most significant events in Armenian history.[9] The commander of the Armenian forces, Vardan Mamikonian, is considered a national hero and has been canonized by the Armenian Apostolic Church.[10][11]
So spirited was the Armenian defence, however, that the Persians suffered enormous losses as well. Their victory was pyrrhic and the king, faced with troubles elsewhere, was forced, at least for the time being, to allow the Armenians to worship as they chose.
The Armenian defeat in the Battle of Avarayr in 451 proved a pyrrhic victory for the Persians. Though the Armenians lost their commander, Vartan Mamikonian, and most of their soldiers, Persian losses were proportionately heavy, and Armenia was allowed to remain Christian.