Armenelos

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Armenelos
City
Jef Murray - Armenelos the golden.jpg
General Information
Other namesThe Golden,City of the Kings
LocationArandor, nigh Meneltarma
TypeCity
DescriptionMighty city, capital of Númenor
RegionsNúmenor
People and History
InhabitantsNúmenóreans
EventsDownfall of Númenor
GalleryImages of Armenelos

Armenelos the Golden, referred to as The City of Kings, was the capital and (in later years) the largest city of Númenor.

History

It was situated in eastern central Númenor, in the district called Arandor, the Kingsland, close to Meneltarma and the haven of Rómenna.

It 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.

Armenelos contained the royal palace, the King's House, reportedly built with the help of the Maiar. Its finishing, together with the coronation of Elros in S.A. 32 marked the beginning of the Númenórean realm.

Etymology

Helge Fauskanger has suggested that Armenelos is a Quenya name.[1]

At early stages of writing, this city was called by other names:

  • Ar-Minalêth, an Adûnaic name (it is uncertain whether this name was deleted or not).
  • Númenos (also at first used of what became Númenor)[2]
  • Númar[2] or Nûmar[3] (also at first used of what became Númenor)

References

  1. Quenya - the Ancient Tongue at Ardalambion (accessed 25 September 2011)
  2. 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part One: The Fall of Númenor and The Lost Road", pp. 11, 14, 19, 30
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies — Part One" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter and Patrick H. Wynne), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 45, November 2003, p. 26

See also