Armenelos

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Revision as of 19:27, 27 December 2020 by Gaetano (talk | contribs) ([1/2] fixed references, revised and added some info. Also not sure where that sentence about the Maiar is from couldn't find a source so I am leaving a fact tag just in case)
Armenelos
City
Jef Murray - Armenelos the golden.jpg
"Armenelos the golden" by Jef Murray
General Information
Pronunciationar-men-eh-los
Other namesThe Golden, City of the Kings, Arminalêth (A)
LocationArandor, nigh Meneltarma
TypeCity
DescriptionCapital of Númenor
People and History
InhabitantsNúmenóreans
CreatedEarly Second Age
DestroyedS.A. 3319, Downfall of Númenor
GalleryImages of Armenelos

Armenelos, also known as the City of the Kings and Armenelos the Golden, was the capital city of Númenor. It was the fairest of all cities on the island and in later years possibly the largest after Andúnië declined.[1]

It was situated on a hill in eastern central Númenor, in the district called Arandor, the Kingsland, close to Meneltarma. The chief road of Númenor ran through the royal city, eastward it led to the haven of Rómenna while westward it led to Andúnië.

Armenelos contained the great house of the Kings, reportedly built with the help of the Maiar[source?] and the courts of the King where the White Tree Nimloth grew.

History

Armenelos was founded as far back as the end of the First Age, when the Edain first migrated to the island. Conceivably Arandor was the first district they settled after landing in a firth that later led to the haven of Rómenna.

In S.A. 32, the coronation of Elros in Armenelos marked the beginning of the Númenórean realm.[2]

The Elves of Eressëa brought many gifts to Númenor, one of which was a seedling of the White Tree Celeborn and it grew in the courts of the King in Armenelos and it was named Nimloth.[3]

In S.A. 870, the city celebrated the wedding of the King's Heir Aldarion and Erendis.[4]

Near the end of the Second Age, the Temple was built in the city by order of the King's adviser Sauron and the White Tree Nimloth was burned on its altar and later human sacrifice.[3]

The city was destroyed in the Downfall of Númenor.

Etymology

Armenelos is Quenya, Robert Foster suggest it means "royal-heaven-fortress"[1], analyzed as ar- + menel + ost.

The Adûnaic name is Arminalêth.[5] which appears to be a direct translation of the Quenya name, analyzed as ar- + minul (Adûnaic name of menel).[6]

Other versions of the legendarium

At early stages of writing, this city was called by other names: Númenos,[7] Númar[7] or Nûmar[8] (at first used of what became Númenor)

See also

References