History of Armenia (book)

Authorship

Until the 19th century most scholars accepted Movses's History as an authentic script. For example, Gibbon in his History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (ch. 32) still accepted the 5th century date of Movses, on grounds that "his local information, his passions and his prejudices, are strongly expressive of a native and contemporary"." It is now clear that the current version we have could not have been written in the 5th century There is clearly a later Christian influence back-dating the Christianity of Armenia, and relating other stories from the area to the conversion of Armenian to Christianity. For example, in the book Adgbar's queen, Helena, is a pious Christian who cannot live among the pagans and moves to Jerusalem where she provides food during a famine. This story is actually about Queen Helena of Adiabene from the Neo-Assyrian vassal state Adiabene, who, according to Flavius Josephus converted to Judaism and indeed contributed to the city at a time when Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire.

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 Illuminator and the reign of King Terdat (330);

the third part brings the history down to the overthrow of the Arshakuni Dynasty (428)

the fourth part brings the history down to the time of the Emperor Zeno (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 Tovma 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).

Legendary patriarchs

This first book contains 32 chapters, from Adam to Alexander the Great. List of the Armenian patriarchs according to Moses:

Hayk, Haig (grandson of Tiras), Armenak (or Aram), Aramais, Amassia, Gegham, Harma, Aram

Ara Geghetsik, 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 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, Vahagn, 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 Sahakchapter 5: from Noah to Abraham and Beluschapters 10-12: about Haykchapter 13: war against the Medeschapter 14: war against Assyria, 714 BCchapters 15-16: Ara and Semiramischapters 17-19: Semiramis flees from Zoroaster to Armenia and is killed by her son.chapter 20: Ara Kardos and Anushavanchapter 21: Paruyr, first king of Armenia at the time of Ashurbanipalchapter 22: kings from Pharnouas to Tigranchapter 23: Sennacherib and his sonschapters 24-30: about Tigran Ichapter 31: descendants of Tigran down to Vahé, who is killed in resistance against Alexanderchapter 32: Hellenic wars

Middle Period (332 BC - AD 330)

92 chapters, from Alexander the Great to Tiridates III of Armenia.

Arsacid period 330-428

68 chapters, from the death of Tiridates III to Gregory the Illuminator.

Editions and translations

Under Soviet rule the book was published many times.

R. W. Thomson, English translation, 1978 (Harvard, ISBN 978-0-674-39571-8).

G. Kh. Sargsyn, Russian translation, 1991 (ISBN 9785808401853).

R. W. Thomson, English translation, rev. ed. 2006 (Caravan Books, ISBN 978-0-88206-111-5).