Armenian Literature
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Armenian Literature
Armenian literature begins around AD 400 with the invention of the Armenian alphabet by Mesrop Mashtots. History Early literature Only a handful of fragments have survived from the most ancient Armenian literary tradition preceding the Christianization of Armenia in the early 4th century due to centuries of concerted effort by the Armenian Church to eradicate the "pagan tradition". Christian Armenian literature begins about 406 with the invention of the Armenian alphabet by Mesrop for the purpose of translating Biblical books into Armenian. Isaac, the Catholicos of Armenia, formed a school of translators who were sent to Edessa, Athens, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Caesarea in Cappadocia, and elsewhere, to procure codices both in Syriac and Greek and translate them. From Syriac were made the first version of the New Testament, the version of Eusebius' History and his Life of Constantine (unless this be from the original Greek), the homilies of Aphraates, the Acts of G ...
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Armenian Alphabet
The Armenian alphabet ( hy, Հայոց գրեր, ' or , ') is an alphabetic writing system used to write Armenian language, Armenian. It was developed around 405 AD by Mesrop Mashtots, an Armenian linguist and wikt:ecclesiastical, ecclesiastical leader. The system originally had 36 letters; eventually, three more were adopted. The alphabet was also in wide use in the Ottoman Empire around the 18th and 19th centuries. The Armenian word for "alphabet" is ('), named after the first two letters of the Armenian alphabet: hy, այբ ' and hy, բեն, links=no '. Armenian is written writing system#Directionality, horizontally, left to right. Alphabet *Listen to the pronunciation of the letters in or in . Notes: #Primarily used in classical orthography; after the reform used word-initially and in some compound words. #Except in ով "who" and ովքեր "those (people)" in Eastern Armenian. #Iranian Armenians (who speak a subbranch of Eastern Armenian) pronounce the soun ...
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Mechitharists
, image = , image_size = , caption = , abbreviation = C.A.M. , nickname = Mechitarists , established = , founder = Abbot Mekhitar of Sebaste, C.A.M. , founding_location = Constantinople , type = Monastic order of Pontifical Right for men , headquarters = Isola di San Lazzaro, Venezia-Lido, Italy , members = 32 members (includes 24 priests) as of 2015 , leader_title = Abbot General , leader_name = , parent_organization = Armenian Catholic Church , website = , footnotes = The Mechitarists officialy named as the Benedictine Congregation of the Mechitarists ( la, Benedictina Congregatio Mechitarista) abbreviated CAM is an Armenian Catholic Church monastic order of Pontifical Right for men founded in 1701 by Abbot Mekhitar of Sebaste (Mkhitar Sebastatsi). They are best known for their series of scholarly publications ...
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Daredevils Of Sassoun
''Daredevils of Sassoun'' ( hy, Սասնա ծռեր ''Sasna cṙer'', also spelled Daredevils of Sasun) is an Armenian heroic epic poem in four cycles (parts), with its main hero and story better known as ''David of Sassoun'', which is the story of one of the four parts. In the initial decades following the discovery of the epic in the late nineteenth century a general consensus emerged attributing its theme to the struggle of four generations of Sassoun's warriors against Muslim rule in the 8th to 10th centuries. The pioneers of this interpretation of the epic were the philologist Manuk Abeghian in Armenia and academic Joseph Orbeli at the Hermitage Museum in Leningrad, who argued that there are no characters in the epic that could be attributed to a historical person from before the 10th century. The historicist school held its sway until the Armenian philologist Grigoryan first in an article (1981), then in a book (1989) argued following an incisive analysis of the epic, "it ...
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Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Greek hero's iconography and myths for their literature and art under the name ''Hercules''. In later Western art and literature and in popular culture, ''Hercules'' is more commonly used than ''Heracles'' as the name of the hero. Hercules is a multifaceted figure with contradictory characteristics, which enabled later artists and writers to pick and choose how to represent him. This article provides an introduction to representations of Hercules in the later tradition. Mythology Birth and early life In Roman mythology, although Hercules was seen as the champion of the weak and a great protector, his personal problems started at birth. Juno sent two witches to prevent the birth, but they were tricked by one of Alcmene's servants and sent ...
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David Of Sasun
David of Sassoun ( hy, Սասունցի Դավիթ ''Sasuntsi Davit also spelled David of Sasun'') is the main hero of Armenia's national epic ''Daredevils of Sassoun'', who drove Arab invaders out of Armenia. Background The ''Daredevils of Sassoun'' (also known as after its main hero ''David of Sassoun'') is an Armenian national epic poem recounting David's exploits. As an oral history, it dates from the 8th century, and was first put in written form in 1873 by Garegin Srvandztiants. He also published other ethnographic books. David of Sassoun is the name of only one of the four acts, but due to the popularity of the character, the entire epic is known to the public as David of Sassoun. The epic's full name is ''Sasna Tsrer'' (The Daredevils of Sassoun). In 1902, the prominent Armenian poet and writer Hovhannes Tumanyan penned a poem of the same name retelling the story of the David of Sassoun in a more modern language. In 2010, an animated film was produced called ''Sasna ...
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Arab Conquest Of Armenia
The Muslim conquest of parts of Armenia and Anatolia was a part of the Muslim conquests after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 632 CE. Persarmenia had fallen to the Arab Rashidun Caliphate by 645 CE. Byzantine Armenia was already conquered in 638–639. Background: Islamic expansion After Muhammad's death in 632, his successors started a military campaign in order to increase the territory of the new Caliphate. During the Muslim conquests, the Arabs conquered most of the Middle East. Sources The details of the early conquest of Armenia by the Arabs are uncertain, as the various Arabic, Greek, and Armenian sources contradict each other. The main sources for the period are the eyewitness account of the Armenian bishop Sebeos, along with the history of the 8th-century Armenian priest Łewond. The Arabic historians al-Tabari and Ya'qubi also provide information about the period, but the main source is the 9th-century scholar al-Baladhuri, who, unusually for a Musl ...
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Sassanid Empire
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named after the House of Sasan, it endured for over four centuries, from 224 to 651 AD, making it the longest-lived Persian imperial dynasty. The Sasanian Empire succeeded the Parthian Empire, and re-established the Persians as a major power in late antiquity alongside its neighbouring arch-rival, the Roman Empire (after 395 the Byzantine Empire).Norman A. Stillman ''The Jews of Arab Lands'' pp 22 Jewish Publication Society, 1979 International Congress of Byzantine Studies ''Proceedings of the 21st International Congress of Byzantine Studies, London, 21–26 August 2006, Volumes 1–3'' pp 29. Ashgate Pub Co, 2006 The empire was founded by Ardashir I, an Iranian ruler who rose to power as Parthia weakened from internal strife and wars with th ...
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Movses Khorenatsi
Movses Khorenatsi (ca. 410–490s AD; hy, Մովսէս Խորենացի, , also written as ''Movses Xorenac‘i'' and Moses of Khoren, Moses of Chorene, and Moses Chorenensis in Latin sources) was a prominent Armenian historian from the late antique period and the author of the '' History of the Armenians.'' Movses's ''History of the Armenians'' was the first attempt at a universal history of Armenia and remains the only known general account of early Armenian history. It traces Armenian history from its origins to the fifth century, during which Movses claimed to have lived. His history had an enormous impact on Armenian historiography and was used and quoted extensively by later medieval Armenian authors. He is called the "father of Armenian history" () in Armenian, and is sometimes referred to as the "Armenian Herodotus." Movses's history is also valued for its unique material on the old oral traditions in Armenia before its conversion to Christianity. Movses identified hims ...
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Elishe
Yeghishe (, , AD 410 – 475; also spelled Eghishe or Ełišē, latinized Eliseus) was an Armenian historian from the time of late antiquity, best known as the author of ''History of Vardan and the Armenian War'', a history of a fifth-century Armenian revolt led by Vardan Mamikonian against the suppression of Christianity under Sassanid Iranian rule. Life According to ancient and medieval sources that have trickled down to historians, Yeghishe was one of the younger pupils of Sahak Partev and Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the Armenian Alphabet.Khrlopyan, Gevorg. ''«Եղիշե»'' eghishe Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia. Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1977, vol. 3, pp. 506-507. In 434, he, along with several other students, were sent to Alexandria to study Greek, Syriac and the liberal arts. He returned to Armenia in 441 and entered into military service, serving as a soldier or secretary to the '' Sparapet'' Vardan Mamikonian. He took part in the war of religio ...
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Ghazar Parpetsi
Ghazar Parpetsi ( hy, Ղազար Փարպեցի, translit=Łazar P῾arpec῾i) was a 5th to 6th century Armenian chronicler and historian. He had close ties with the powerful Mamikonian noble family and is most prominent for writing a history of Armenia, ''History of Armenia'', sometime in the early sixth century. Life Ghazar was born in the village of Parpi (near the town of Ashtarak in Armenia, then under Sasanian rule), and was raised by a princess of the Mamikonian family. Melik-Bakhshyan, Stepan. ''«Ղազար Փարպեցի»'' (Ghazar Parpetsi). Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia. vol. vii. Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1981, pp. 19–20. Owing to the close ties he held with the Mamikonian family, following the defeat of the Armenians at the battle of Avarayr in 451, Ghazar moved to the Mamikonian Prince Ashusah's castle in Gugark, where he received his primary education. Studying under the auspices of Aghan Artstruni, he befriended Vahan Mamikonian; he was an excellent ...
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Faustus Of Byzantium
Faustus of Byzantium (also Faustus the Byzantine, hy, Փաւստոս Բուզանդ, translit=P'awstos Buzand) was an Armenian historian of the 5th century. Faustus' ''History of the Armenians'' (also known as '' Buzandaran Patmut'iwnk''') exists in four "books", beginning with Book 3 ("Beginning") and ending with Book 6 ("Ending"), which appears to be due to the work of a later editor of the surviving manuscript. The ''History'' describes events from the military, socio-cultural and political life of 4th-century Armenia. Pavstos describes in detail the reigns of Arsaces (Arshak) II and his son Papas (Pap), and portrays the Mamikonians as defenders par excellence of Armenia. The identity of Pavstos and the referent of Buzand remain unsolved. Buzand is either interpreted as meaning "the Byzantine" or, alternatively, "composer of epics". If the latter interpretation is true, then ''Buzandaran'' could be translated as "Epic Histories." Faustus' ostensible Byzantine origin was place ...
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Koryun
Koriun ( hy, Կորիւն, reformed spelling: Կորյուն; also transliterated as ''Koriwn'', ''Koryun'') was the earliest Armenian-language author. Writing in the fifth century, his ''Life of Mashtots'' contains many details about the evangelization of Armenia and the invention of the Armenian alphabet by Mesrop Mashtots. Some Armenian and European scholars, such as G. Alishan, O. Torosyan, G. Fintigliyan, A. Sarukhan, G. Ter-Mkrtchyan (Miaban), S. Weber and others, have speculated that Koriun could have been Iberian-Armenian or Iberian (Georgian). According to Armenian and European scholars, Koriun was elevated to the rank of bishop of Iberia. Having received his early education under Mashtots, Koriun went to Byzantium for higher studies, returning to Armenia with other students in 432. He was a close friend of Eznik of Kolb and Ghevond. Later, he was appointed Bishop of Georgia. He has been listed among the junior translators. His style is original, but somewhat obscure due ...
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