Atlas of Battles

battle, major, ancient

Battle of Avarayr

Battle of Avarayr was a battle fought on 26 May AD 451 at Avarayr Plain, in what is now Iran. It was part of the War of the Vardanants, which ran from AD 450 to AD 451. The recorded result: Sasanian victory. Recorded strength: 300,000 Sasanians; 60,000 Armenian loyalists; Unknown number of elephants against 66,000 Armenians; (Perhaps exaggerated).

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Battle of Avarayr
Wikimedia Commons, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought26 May AD 451
WhereAvarayr Plain, Iran39.339N, 45.057E
OutcomeSasanian victory
BelligerentsSasanian Empire; Pro-Sasanian ArmeniansagainstChristian Armenians
Casualties and lossesVery heavy (3,544 dead)andVery heavy (1,036 dead)
Part ofWar of the VardanantsAD 450 to AD 451

Record

Date26 May AD 451
PlaceAvarayr Plain, Iran
39.339N, 45.057E
KindBattle, ancient
Strength300,000 Sasanians; 60,000 Armenian loyalists; Unknown number of elephants66,000 Armenians; (Perhaps exaggerated)
Casualties and lossesVery heavy (3,544 dead)Very heavy (1,036 dead)
Commanders
  • Mushkan Niusalavurt
  • Vasak of Syunik
  • Vardan Mamikonian
Battle of AvarayrBattle of AvarayrBattle of NakhchivanSiege of AbbasabadSiege of AlinjaBattle of ChaldiranBattle of ArtaxataSiege of AbbasabadSiege of AlinjaBattle of ArtaxataYerevanVanKhvoyAğrıStepanakertAharGavarrAshtarak100 km39.339N, 45.057E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Satellite view of the site of Battle of Avarayr today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2024-10-07. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2024.

Today the ground within 5 km is 32% grassland, 28% bare ground, 27% cropland.

grassland: 32%bare ground: 28%cropland: 27%built-up: 10%water: 2%grassland 32%bare ground 28%cropland 27%built-up 10%water 2%
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in AD 451

Battle of Avarayr is one of 88 engagements of the 5th century in the atlas and one of 157 in present-day Iran.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q734700, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Avarayr, revision 1384205742, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.