History of Armenia (Moses of Chorene)
Encyclopedia
The History of Armenia attributed to Moses Khorenatsi is an early account of Armenia, covering the mythological origins of the Armenian people as well as Armenia's interaction with Sassanid, Byzantine
and Arsacid
empires down to the 5th century.
It contains unique material on ancient Armenian legends, and such information on pagan (pre-Christian
) Armenian as has survived. It also contains plentiful data on the history and culture of contiguous countries. The book had an enormous impact on Armenian historiography.
In the text, the author self-identifies as a disciple of Saint Mesrop, and states that he composed his work at the request of Isaac (Sahak), the Bagratuni prince who fell in battle in 482
.
Moses' authorship of the work. According to Robert Thomson, "there are indications that the book itself was written after the 5th century. Not only does Movses use sources not available in Armenia at that time, he refers to persons and places attested only in the sixth or seventh centuries."
According to Thomas Artsruni, writing in the 10th century, there was also a fourth part which brings the history down to the time of the Zeno (474-491). This fourth part of the Movses's "History" is lost or destroyed by the armenian clergy.
List of the Armenian patriarchs according to Moses:
These cover the 24th to 9th centuries BC in Moses' chronology, indebted to the Chronicon
of Eusebius.
There follows a list of legendary kings, covering the 8th to 4th centuries BC:
These gradually enter historicity with Tigran I (6th century BC), who is also mentioned in the Cyropaedia of Xenophon (Tigranes Orontid , traditionally 560-535 BC; Vahagn 530-515 BC), but Aravan to Vahé are again otherwise unknown.
.
.
During Soviet authority the book had published many times.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
and Arsacid
Arsacid Dynasty of Armenia
The Arsacid dynasty or Arshakuni dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Armenia from 54 AD to 428 AD. Formerly a branch of the Iranian Parthian Arsacids, they became a distinctly Armenian dynasty. Arsacid Kings reigned intermittently throughout the chaotic years following the fall of the Artaxiad Dynasty...
empires down to the 5th century.
It contains unique material on ancient Armenian legends, and such information on pagan (pre-Christian
Pre-Christian
Pre-Christian may mean:*before Christianization**historical polytheism *BC**Classical Antiquity**Iron Age...
) Armenian as has survived. It also contains plentiful data on the history and culture of contiguous countries. The book had an enormous impact on Armenian historiography.
In the text, the author self-identifies as a disciple of Saint Mesrop, and states that he composed his work at the request of Isaac (Sahak), the Bagratuni prince who fell in battle in 482
482
Year 482 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Severinus and Illus...
.
Authorship
Gibbon in his History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (ch. 32) still accepted the 5th century date of Moses, on grounds that "deficient as he is in every qualification of a good historian, his local information, his passions and his prejudices, are strongly expressive of a native and contemporary", but Gutschmid (1876) showed the secondary nature of much of Moses' material, and current scholarship is doubtful ofMoses' authorship of the work. According to Robert Thomson, "there are indications that the book itself was written after the 5th century. Not only does Movses use sources not available in Armenia at that time, he refers to persons and places attested only in the sixth or seventh centuries."
Contents
The book is divided into three parts:- "Genealogy of Armenia Major", embracing the history of Armenia from the beginning down to Alexander the Great;
- "History of the middle period of our ancestors", extending from Alexander to the death of Gregory the IlluminatorGregory the IlluminatorSaint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
and the reign of King Terdat (330330Year 330 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gallicanus and Tullianus...
); - the third part brings the history down to the overthrow of the Arshakuni Dynasty (428428Year 428 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Felix and Taurus...
) - the fourth part brings the history down to the time of the Emperor ZenoZeno (emperor)Zeno , originally named Tarasis, was Byzantine Emperor from 474 to 475 and again from 476 to 491. Domestic revolts and religious dissension plagued his reign, which nevertheless succeeded to some extent in foreign issues...
(474-491), during this time there were three wars: a. the Armenian Independence War headed by Vasak Syuni (450), b. the civilian war between Vardan Mamikonyan and Vasak Syuni (autumn of 450 - may 451), inspired by romans, persians and armenian clergy, c. the 2nd independence war headed by Sahak Bagratuni (who ordered Movses Khorenatsi to write the "history of Armenia") and then by Vahan Mamikonyan (after the death of Sahak Bagratuni in 482).
According to Thomas Artsruni, writing in the 10th century, there was also a fourth part which brings the history down to the time of the Zeno (474-491). This fourth part of the Movses's "History" is lost or destroyed by the armenian clergy.
Legendary patriarchs
This first book contains 32 chapters, from Adam to Alexander the Great.List of the Armenian patriarchs according to Moses:
- HaikHaikHayk Nahapet is the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation. His story is told in the History of Armenia attributed to the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi .- Etymology :...
, Haig (grandson of TirasTirasTiras was, according to and Chronicles 1, the last-named son of Japheth who is otherwise unmentioned in the Hebrew Bible. According to the Book of Jubilees, the inheritance of Tiras consisted of four large islands in the ocean....
), Armenak (or Aram), Aramais, Amassia, Gegham, Harma, Aram - Ara GeghetsikAra the BeautifulAra the Beautiful is a legendary Armenian hero. He is notable in Armenian literature for the popular legend in which he was so handsome that the Assyrian queen Semiramis waged war against Armenia just to get him.He is sometimes associated with the historical king of Ararat known as Arame who...
, Ara Kardos, Anushavan, Paret, Arbag, Zaven, Varnas, Sour, Havanag - Vashtak, Haikak, Ampak, Arnak, Shavarsh, Norir, Vestam, Kar, Gorak, Hrant, Endzak, Geghak
- Horo, Zarmair, Perch, Arboun, Hoy, Houssak, Kipak, Skaiordi
These cover the 24th to 9th centuries BC in Moses' chronology, indebted to the Chronicon
Chronicon (Eusebius)
The Chronicon or Chronicle was a work in two books by Eusebius of Caesarea. It seems to have been compiled in the early 4th century. It contained a world chronicle from Abraham until the vicennalia of Constantine I in 325 AD...
of Eusebius.
There follows a list of legendary kings, covering the 8th to 4th centuries BC:
- Parouyr, Hratchia, Pharnouas, Pachouych, Kornak, Phavos, Haikak II, Erouand I, Tigran I, VahagnVahagnVahagn was a god worshiped anciently and historically in Armenia. Some time in his existence, he formed a "triad" with Aramazd and Anahit. Vahagn was identified with the Greek Heracles. The priests of Vahévahian temple, who claimed Vahagn as their own ancestor, placed a statue of the Greek hero...
, Aravan, Nerseh, Zareh, Armog, Bagam, Van, Vahé.
These gradually enter historicity with Tigran I (6th century BC), who is also mentioned in the Cyropaedia of Xenophon (Tigranes Orontid , traditionally 560-535 BC; Vahagn 530-515 BC), but Aravan to Vahé are again otherwise unknown.
- chapter 1: letter to Sahak
- chapter 5: from Noah to Abraham and Belus
- chapters 10-12: about HaikHaikHayk Nahapet is the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation. His story is told in the History of Armenia attributed to the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi .- Etymology :...
Haig - chapter 13: war against the MedesMedesThe MedesThe Medes...
- chapter 14: war against AssyriaUrartu-Assyria WarThe Urartu–Assyria War was a conflict between the Kingdom of Urartu, the Neo-Assyrian Empire, and Assyria's successor state, the Babylonian Empire, after it was conquered. The war began around 714 BC, with the invasion of Urartu by the Assyrian King Sargon II. Sargon led multiple offensives deep...
, 714 BC - chapters 15-16: Ara and SemiramisSemiramisThe real and historical Shammuramat , was the Assyrian queen of Shamshi-Adad V , King of Assyria and ruler of the Neo Assyrian Empire, and its regent for four years until her son Adad-nirari III came of age....
- chapters 17-19: Semiramis flees from ZoroasterZoroasterZoroaster , also known as Zarathustra , was a prophet and the founder of Zoroastrianism who was either born in North Western or Eastern Iran. He is credited with the authorship of the Yasna Haptanghaiti as well as the Gathas, hymns which are at the liturgical core of Zoroastrianism...
to Armenia and is killed by her son. - chapter 20: Ara Kardos and Anushavan
- chapter 21: Paruyr, first king of Armenia at the time of AshurbanipalAshurbanipalAshurbanipal |Ashur]] is creator of an heir"; 685 BC – c. 627 BC), also spelled Assurbanipal or Ashshurbanipal, was an Assyrian king, the son of Esarhaddon and the last great king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire...
- chapter 22: kings from Pharnouas to Tigran
- chapter 23: SennacheribSennacheribSennacherib |Sîn]] has replaced brothers for me"; Aramaic: ) was the son of Sargon II, whom he succeeded on the throne of Assyria .-Rise to power:...
and his sons - chapters 24-30: about Tigran I
- chapter 31: descendants of Tigran down to Vahé, who is killed in resistance against Alexander
- chapter 32: Hellenic wars
Middle Period (332 BC - AD 330)
92 chapters, from Alexander the Great to Tiridates III of ArmeniaTiridates III of Armenia
Tiridates III or Diritades III was the king of Arsacid Armenia , and is also known as Tiridates the Great ; some scholars incorrectly refer to him as Tiridates IV as a result of the fact that Tiridates I of Armenia reigned twice)...
.
Arsacid period 330-428
68 chapters, from the death of Tiridates III to Gregory the IlluminatorGregory the Illuminator
Saint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
.
Editions and translations
| Number | Year | Place | Publisher | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1695 | Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... |
Tovmas Vanandetsi | The first publishing; "editio princeps" |
| 2 | 1736 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
William and George Whiston | with a Latin translation; "Historiae Armeniacae" |
| 3 | 1752 | Venice Venice Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region... |
Anton Bortoli | "History of the Armenians" |
| 4 | 1827 | Venice Venice Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region... |
The Armenian Mechitarist Fathers of Venice | |
| 5 | 1841 | Venice Venice Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region... |
L. de Florivar | Italian and French translations |
| 6 | 1843 | Venice Venice Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region... |
The Armenian Mechitarist Fathers of Venice | |
| 7 | 1845 | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
The Armenian Mechitarist Fathers of Venice | |
| 8 | 1864 | Venice Venice Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region... |
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| 9 | 1881 | Tiflis Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... |
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| 10 | 1881 | Tiflis Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... |
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| 11 | 1913 | Tiflis Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... |
facsimile ed., intro. by R. W. Thomson, 1981 Caravan Books, ISBN 9780882060323 | |
| 12 | 1910's (?) | Tiflis Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... |
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During Soviet authority the book had published many times.
- R. W. Thomson, English translation, 1978 (Harvard, ISBN 9780674395718).
- G. Kh. Sargsyn, Russian translation, 1991 (ISBN 9785808401853).
- R. W. Thomson, English translation, rev. ed. 2006 (Caravan Books, ISBN 9780882061115).
See also
- History of ArmeniaHistory of ArmeniaArmenia lies in the highlands surrounding the Biblical mountains of Ararat. The original Armenian name for the country was Hayk, later Hayastan , translated as the land of Haik, and consisting of the name Haik and the suffix '-stan' ....
- Zenob GlakZenob GlakZenob Glak was a 4th century Syrian who became the first abbot of the Glak monastery in the Taron region of Greater Armenia. He began the chronology that would become the History of Taron of John Mamikonean . Zenob Glak was a 4th century Syrian who became the first abbot of the Glak monastery...
- John MamikoneanJohn MamikoneanJohn Mamikonean is the author of the 7th century History of Taron, a continuation of the account of Zenob Glak. John is not known from any source other than his History, and in the colophon self-identifies as the 35th bishop of Glak after Zenob.-External links:*...
- Gregory the IlluminatorGregory the IlluminatorSaint Gregory the Illuminator or Saint Gregory the Enlightener is the patron saint and first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church...
- Roman relations with the ArmeniansRoman relations with the ArmeniansContacts between the Italian peninsula and the Armenian Highland go back to the Iron Age when the Etruscan civilization traded with the Kingdom of Urartu by way of Phrygia and Ancient Greece. Urartian bronzes, bull-headed cauldrons and pottery were excavated in various parts of Etruscan Italy...