Hayk – Legendary Patriarch And Founder Of Armenia Who Defeated King Bel Of Babylon

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - People in Armenia say they are descendants of Hayk (Haic), who was their Patriarch and founder of the nation.

Knowledge about the fascinating legend of Hayk comes from Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi (410 – c. 490). Khorenatsi documented the events in the life of the legendary Patriarch in the book History of Armenia, which contains unique material on ancient Armenian legends and historical information on the nation's contact with Sassanid, Byzantine Arsacid empires.

Statue of Hayk the Great in Yerevan, Armenia. Credit: Eupator - CC BY-SA 3.0

Legend tells Hayk was as beautiful as the gods and strong as a giant. He was the son of Torgom, one of Noah's descendants, and he lived in Shinar, the land of modern-day Iraq, where he was a director of the famous Tower of Babel.

When Hayk was still a young man, the patron god of Babylon was Bel, often referred to as God Bel Marduk.

"In ancient times, Babylon was considered almost the "center of the world." For the ancient people, Babylon was the "sacred city" dedicated to the cult of Marduk, who had there his temple and a golden statue, which unfortunately was looted several times by attacking Hittites, Elamites, Assyrians." ¹

The conflict between Bel Marduk and Hayk is said to have happened sometime between 2492 B.C. and  2107 B.C.

King Bel Marduk made himself king over all and demanded to be worshipped. Still, Hayk refused to obey what he considered to be an arrogant deity and fled with his family and animals to the land of Ararat.

Near Mount Ararat, Hayk founded a village that he named Haykashen. He settled there with a large household of at least 300 people, but he soon realized that life would not be peaceful.

King Bel made several attempts to convince Hayk to come back, but the latter refused, and this subordinated attitude angered the god of Babylon.

"Thou hast departed and hast settled in a chill and frosty region," urged the Assyrian god. "Soften thy hard pride, change thy coldness to geniality; be my subject and come and live a life of ease in my domain." ²

As Movses Khorenatsi wrote in his book, "Hayk was a handsome, friendly man, with curly hair, sparkling eyes, and strong arms. He was a man of giant stature, a mighty archer and fearless warrior. Hayk and his people, from the time of their forefathers Noah and Japheth, had migrated south toward the warmer lands near Babylon. In that land there ruled a wicked giant, Bel.

Bel tried to impose his tyranny upon Hayk's people. But proud Hayk refused to submit to Bel. As soon as his son Aramaniak was born, Hayk rose up and led his people northward into the land of Ararad. At the foot of the mountain, he built a village and gave it his name, calling Haykashen."³

King Bel was furious that he assembled a large army against Hayk, forcing him into submission, but this military action did not end as the Babylonian King wished.

Hayk defeats Bel with an arrow. Credit: Juliano Zasso (1833-1889) - Public Domain

Hayk, who had been warned by his grandson Kadmos of a massive Babylonian force approaching the village, made the necessary preparations to engage the enemy.

The Armenian hero gathered his army along the shore of Lake Van and told his warriors that they must defeat and kill Bel or die trying to do so rather than become captured and forced to be his slaves.

The forces of Bel and Hayk met each other in a decisive battle at Dyutsaznamart near Julamerk southeast of Lake Van, on August 11, 2492 B.C.

During this battle, legendary Patriarch and founder of Armenia Hayk was "victorious, for he slew Bel with an arrow from his own bow. The place where Bel was buried is called "Kerezman," meaning grave, and is pointed out to this day. Armenians sing songs and tell stories of the great beauty and valor of Haic. He died at the age of four hundred in about 2028 B.C." ⁴

The ancient history of Armenia is rich, and the myths and legends of the nation can teach us much. As Anon E. Mouse writes in the book 7 Legends from Ancient Armenia, the story of Hayk is the oldest Armenian legend. It is "in accounting for the beginnings of a people, savours of the Old Testament and is suggestive of the Assyrian invasion which took place about the ninth century before Christ.

"Hayk" by Mkrtum Hovnatanian (1779–1846). The legendary founder of the Armenian nation, standing next to the tomb of Bel, with Hayk's arrow still in Bel's chest. The map depicts the Lake Van region and Mount Ararat, with Noah's ark. Credit: Public Domain

It is significant that the Armenians refused the protection of Bel, and that in the very beginning of their legendary history, they insisted on standing firm and maintaining their independence, for no single quality is more characteristic of this people than a proud, haughty, even at times disdainful independence.

It is also suggestive that their patriarchal hero was no saint, but a mighty giant, beautiful as he was strong, whose greatest pride was in the throwing of a spear, for his descendants have not been a peaceful people. To be sure, they were the first nation to be converted to Christianity, which would say little for their firmness and independence, were it not that the priest with the cross was followed by a powerful king with a sword at the head of an army that had learned to fight as the Romans fought."⁴

It should be added that some accounts tell the individual killed by Hayk's arrow was Nimrod, the Biblical King in the land of Shinar.

Memories of legendary Hayk have been kept alive in some Armenian villages where people sing songs in honor of their mighty long-gone hero.

Article in Portuguese - here 

Updated on August 23, 2022

Written by Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com

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