Armenia and Georgia Since Independence

Abstract

Located at the crossroad between Christianity and Islam, somewhere between Asia and Europe, Armenia and Georgia share similar historical traits. Both frequently suffered from the aspirations of regional powers. Mongols, Persians, Arabs, and Turks invaded the South Caucasus for centuries. In the last 150 years, it was Tsarist and later Soviet Russia that subjugated the Armenian and Georgian peoples. Both nations were able to preserve their strong sense of nationhood mainly due to their distinct languages with their unique alphabets and the strong influence of their respective churches, the oldest Christian communities in the world, dating back to the 4^th century. It is therefore not surprising that with the advent of glasnost Armenians and Georgians expressed a strong thirst for independence.