Battle of Avarayr

Battle of Avarayr
	; A 15th-century Armenian miniature depicting the battle
Date	26 May 451
Location	Avarayr Plain, Canton of Artaz, Vaspurakan, Greater Armenia; (modern-day Chors, Chaypareh County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran)
Result	Sasanian victory
Belligerents
Sasanian Empire; Pro-Sasanian Armenians	Christian Armenians
Commanders and leaders
Vasak of Syunik; Mushkan Niusalavurt	Vardan Mamikonian †; Ghevond Vanandetsi
Strength
300,000 Sasanians; 60,000 Armenian loyalists; Unknown number of elephants	66,000 Armenians; (Perhaps exaggerated)
Casualties and losses
3,544 dead	1,036 dead

39°20′20″N 45°3′26″E / 39.33889°N 45.05722°E / 39.33889; 45.05722

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. Although the Persians were victorious on the battlefield, it was a pyrrhic victory. The Armenians were allowed to continue practising Christianity freely.

The battle is seen as one of the most significant events in Armenian history. The commander of the Armenian forces, Vardan Mamikonian, is considered a national hero and has been canonized by the Armenian Apostolic Church.