Dvin (ancient city)

Dvin
Դվին
Drawing of the central square of the ancient Armenian capital city of Dvin. The main cathedral of St. Grigor (3rd–5th century), with a small church of St. Sarkis to the right (6th century), and the residence of the Catholicos on the left (5th century).
Dvin (ancient city) is located in Armenia
Dvin (ancient city)
Shown within Armenia
Dvin (ancient city) is located in Ararat
Dvin (ancient city)
Dvin (ancient city) (Ararat)
LocationSouthwest of the Dvin village; between Hnaberd and Verin Dvin, Ararat Province, Armenia
Coordinates40°0′16″N 44°34′42″E / 40.00444°N 44.57833°E / 40.00444; 44.57833
History
BuilderKing Khosrov III
Founded4th century
Abandoned1236

Dvin (Classical Armenian: Դուին Duin or Դվին Dvin; Greek: Δούβιος, Doύbios or Τίβιον, Tίbion;[1] Arabic: دبيل, Dabīl or Doubil) was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city of Artaxata, along the banks of the Metsamor River, 35 km to the south of modern Yerevan. It is claimed it was one of the largest cities east of Constantinople prior to its destruction by the Mongols in the 13th century, but with an overall area of approximately 1 km2, it was far smaller than many of the great cities of Asia.[2][3]

The site of the ancient city is currently not much more than a large hill located between modern Hnaberd (just off the main road through Hnaberd) and Verin Dvin, Armenia. Excavations at Dvin since 1937 have produced an abundance of materials, which have shed light on the Armenian culture of the 5th to the 13th centuries.

  1. ^ Garsoïan, Nina G. (1991). "Duin". In Kazhdan, Alexander (ed.). The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 665–666. ISBN 9780195046526.
  2. ^ Evans 2018, p. 31.
  3. ^ "3D model of ancient capital city of Armenia - Dvin". November 2015.