Urartu

Urartu (*exonym*)
Urartu (exonym)
860 BC – 590 BC/547 BC
	Urartu under Sarduri II, 743 BC
Capital	Sugunia; Arzashkun; Tushpa (after 832 BC);
Common languages	Assyrian; Proto-Georgian; Urartian; Proto-Armenian;
Religion	Urartian polytheism;
Government	Monarchy
• 858–844	Arame
• 844–834(?)	Lutipri(?)
• 834–828	Sarduri I
• 828–810	Ishpuini
• 810–785	Menua
• 785–753	Argishti I
• 753–735	Sarduri II
• 735–714	Rusa I
• 714–680	Argishti II
• 680–639	Rusa II
• 639–635	Sarduri III
• 629–590 or 629–615	Rusa III
• 615–595	Sarduri IV
• 590–585	Rusa IV
Historical era	Iron Age
• Established	860 BC
• Median conquest (or Achaemenid conquest in 547)	590 BC/547 BC
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Nairi
	Diauehi
Median Empire
Achaemenid Empire
Satrapy of Armenia

Urartu was an Iron Age kingdom centered around the Armenian highlands between Lake Van, Lake Urmia, and Lake Sevan. The territory of the ancient kingdom of Urartu extended over the modern frontiers of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Armenia, the southern regions of Georgia, and western regions of Azerbaijan. Its kings left behind cuneiform inscriptions in the Urartian language, a member of the Hurro-Urartian language family.

The kingdom emerged in the mid-9th century BC and dominated the Armenian highlands in the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Urartu frequently warred with Assyria and became, for a time, the most powerful state in the Near East. Weakened by constant conflict, it was eventually conquered, either by the Iranian Medes in the early 6th century BC or by Cyrus the Great in the middle of the 6th century BC. Archaeologically, it is noted for its large fortresses and sophisticated metalwork.