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{{Infobox Person
'''Moses of Chorene''' (also '''Moses of Khoren'''; ] '''''Movses Khorenatsi''''' {{lang|hy|Մովսես Խորենացի}}, also transliterated ''{{lang|hy-Latn|Movsēs Xorenac‘i}}'', ''{{lang|hy-Latn|Movses Khorenats'i}}'') was an early ] scholar, author of a '''''History of Armenia''''', in reference to which Movses has been dubbed the "father of Armenian history" (''patmahayr'') and the "Armenian ]."<ref>Chahin, Mack. ''The Kingdom of Armenia: A History''. London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2001, p. 181 ISBN 0-7007-1452-9.</ref> Nothing is known of his life apart from alleged autobiographical details contained in this work. Traditionally believed to date to the 5th century, is mostly dated to between the 7th and 9th centuries by historians.<ref>]</ref>
| image = Movses_Khorenatsi_Matenadaran.jpg
| imagesize =175px
| caption = Movses Khorenatsi's statue in front of the ] in ].
| birth_date = ] 410 AD
| death_date = 490s AD
| birth_place = ], ]<sup>1</sup><br>
| death_place = Armenia
|known_for = '']''
|occupation = ]
|religion = ]<sup>2</sup><br>
|footnotes =
<sup>1</sup>It has also been suggested that Movses was born in ].<br>
<sup>2</sup>See Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in ''History of Armenia'', pp. 13-14.<br>
}}


'''Movses Khorenatsi''' ({{lang-hy|Մովսես Խորենացի}}, {{IPA-hy|movsɛs χoɹɛnɑtsʰi}}, '''Movses of Khoren'''; also written ''Movsēs Xorenac‘i'', ''Movses Khorenats'i''; ] 410 &ndash; 490s AD<ref>{{hy icon}} ]. "Introduction" in Movses Khorenatsi's ''History of Armenia, 5th Century'' (''Հայոց Պատմություն, Ե Դար''). Gagik Sargsyan (ed.) Yerevan: Hayastan Publishing, 1997, pp. 6, 16. ISBN 5-5400-1192-9.</ref>) was an ] ] and author of the '']''. He is credited with the earliest known historiographical work on the history of Armenia, but was also a ], or ], and a ]. Although other Armenians, such as ], had written histories of Armenia, Movses' work holds particular significance because it records the old oral traditions in Armenia during its pagan era and, more importantly, traces Armenian history from Movses' day to its origins. For this, he is considered to be the "father of Armenian history" (''patmahayr''), and is sometimes referred to as the "Armenian ]."<ref>Chahin, Mack. ''The Kingdom of Armenia: A History''. London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2001, p. 181 ISBN 0-7007-1452-9.</ref>
The ''History'' contains unique material on ancient Armenian legends, and such information on pagan (]) 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 ], and states that he composed his work at the request of Isaac (Sahak), the ] prince who fell in battle in ].
==Date==
19th century scholarship first cast doubt on the fifth century date due to historical inconsistencies. Since the author self-identifies as a disciple of ] (d. 440), he came to be known as "Pseudo-Movses".


==Biography==
The work is dated to between the 7th and 9th centuries in current scholarship. The traditional date has been established as untenable since at least 1961, when C. Toumanoff summarized the arguments already presented by A. Carriere in the 1890s.<ref>]. Reviewed work(s): "Moses Khorenats'i": History of the Armenians by Robert W. Thomson. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 42, No. 3 (1979), pp. 574-575</ref><ref>]. "On the Date of Pseudo-Moses of Chorene." ''Handes Amsorya''. № 9 (75), 1961.</ref>
===Early life and education===
Movses was believed to have been born in the village of Khorni (also spelled as Khoron) in the Armenian province of ] sometime in 410.<ref>For this reason, some have also referred to him as Movses of Taron.</ref> However, some scholars contend that if he was born here, he would have then been known as Movses of '''Khorneh''' or '''Khoron'''.<ref>Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in ''History of Armenia'', p. 7.</ref> They instead move the location of his birth from Taron to the Armenian province of ], in the village of Khorena in the region of Harband.<ref>Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in ''History of Armenia'', p. 7.</ref> He received his education in Syunik and was later sent to be taught under the auspices of ], the creator of the ], and ] ]. In having considerable difficulty translating the ] from Greek to Armenian, Mesrop and Sahak felt the need to send Movses and several of their other students to ], ], at that time the center of education and learning, so that they themselves learn the ] and ], as well as to learn ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{hy icon}} Sargsyan, Gagik. ''«Մովսես Խորենացի»'' (Movses Khorenatsi). ]. vol. viii. Yerevan, Armenian SSR: ], 1982, pp. 40-41.</ref>


===Return to Armenia===
When Harvard historian R. W. Thomson published a translation of Movses' work in 1978,<ref> ''History of the Armenians'', Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1978.</ref> his account of the evidence of the later date than the traditionally assumed 5th century drew a lot of criticism from Soviet Armenian scholars.<ref>{{hy icon}} Hovhannisyan, Petros. "Review of ''History of the Armenians''." ''Banber Yerevan Hamalsarani''. № 3 (45), 1982, pp. 237-239.</ref><ref>{{hy icon}} ]. "Review of ''History of the Armenians''. '']''. № 1 (88), 1980, pp. 268-270.</ref><ref>]. "Review of ''History of the Armenians''." ''Journal of Ecclesiastical History''. Vol. 30: № 4, October 1979, pp. 479-480.</ref><ref>Sarkissian, Gaguik . ''The "History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatzi''. Trans. by Gourgen A. Gevorkian. Yerevan: Yerevan University Press, 1991, pp. 58-59, 76ff.</ref><ref>Hacikyan et al. ''Heritage of Armenian Literature'', p. 306.</ref>
The students left Armenia sometime between 432 to 435. After studying in Alexandria for five to six years, Movses and his fellow classmates returned to Armenia, only to find that Mesrop and Sahak had died. Movses expressed his grief in a ] at the end of ''History of Armenia'':
It is a peculiarity of ] ] that it conflated ] including fierce critiques of any foreign historians who "attempted to question sacred assumptions in the canonical version of Armenian history."<ref>"Soviet Armenian scholars bitterly attacked Thomson's dating of Khorenatsi and his characterization of the author. In a sense, a foreigner had tampered with the soul of the nation. ... A young historian in post-Soviet Armenia, Armen Aivazian, begins his critical review of American historiography on his country by declaring, 'Armenian history is the inviolable strategic reserve of Armenia.' His views, hailed by his countrymen, provide a window into the particular form of historical reconstruction of Armenian identity and historical imagination that dominates post-Soviet Armenian historiography. His tone is militant and polemical, for his self-appointed task is to defend Armenia from its historiographical enemies." </ref>


{{quotation|While they awaited our return to celebrate their student’s accomplishments , we hastened from ], expecting that we would be dancing and singing at a wedding...and instead, I found myself grieving at the foot of our teachers' graves...I did not even arrive in time to see their eyes close nor hear them speak their final words.<ref>{{hy icon}} Movses Khorenatsi. '']'' (''Հայոց Պատմություն, Ե Դար''). Annotated translation and commentary by ]. Gagik Sargsyan (ed.) Yerevan: Hayastan Publishing, 1997, 3.68, p. 276. ISBN 5-5400-1192-9.</ref>}}
==Authorship==
] Armenian manuscript.]]
The author of the ''History'' gives a number of auto-biographical details, posing as a disciple of ].<ref>"Since Moses was in fact a writer of the eighth century or thereabouts, he could easily have continued his narrative for another three hundred years, but this would have exposed his own literary deception, making nonsense of his claim to be a disciple of St Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the Armenian alphabet."
]. Reviewed work(s): "Moses Khorenats'i": History of the Armenians by Robert W. Thomson. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 42, No. 3 (1979), pp. 574-575.</ref>


To further complicate their problems, the atmosphere in ] that Movses and the other students had returned to was one that was extremely hostile and they were viewed at with contempt by the native population. While later Armenian historians blamed this on an ignorant populace, Persian ideology and policy also lay at fault since its rulers "could not tolerate highly educated young scholars fresh from Greek centers of learning."<ref>Hacikyan, Agop Jack, Gabriel Basmajian, Edward S. Franchuk, and Nourhan Ouzounian. ''The Heritage of Armenian Literature: From the Oral Tradition to the Golden Age, Vol. I''. Detroit: Wayne State University, 2000, p. 307. ISBN 0-8143-2815-6.</ref> Given this atmosphere and persecution by the Persians, Movses went into hiding in a village near ] and lived in relative seclusion for several decades.
The byname ''Khorenatsi'' was taken to place the author's origin in Khorni (also spelled as Khoron) in the Armenian province of ] sometime in 410.<ref>For this reason, some have also referred to him as Movses of Taron.</ref> However, some scholars contend that if he was born here, he would have then been known as Movses of ''Khorneh'' or ''Khoron''.<ref>Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in ''History of Armenia'', p. 7.</ref> They instead move the location of his birth from Taron to the Armenian province of ], in the village of Khorena in the region of Harband.<ref>Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in ''History of Armenia'', p. 7.</ref>

Moses claims to have been taught under the auspices of ], the creator of the ], and ] ]. Mesrop and Sahak later sent Movses and several of their other students to ] in ].<ref>{{hy icon}} Sargsyan, Gagik. ''«Մովսես Խորենացի»'' (Movses Khorenatsi). ]. vol. viii. Yerevan, Armenian SSR: ], 1982, pp. 40-41.</ref>
The students left Armenia sometime between 432 to 435. After studying in Alexandria for five to six years, Movses and his fellow classmates returned to Armenia, only to find that Mesrop and Sahak had died. Movses expressed his grief in a ] at the end of ''History of Armenia'':
{{quotation|While they awaited our return to celebrate their student’s accomplishments , we hastened from ], expecting that we would be dancing and singing at a wedding...and instead, I found myself grieving at the foot of our teachers' graves...I did not even arrive in time to see their eyes close nor hear them speak their final words.<ref>{{hy icon}} Movses Khorenatsi. '']'' (''Հայոց Պատմություն, Ե Դար''). Annotated translation and commentary by ]. Gagik Sargsyan (ed.) Yerevan: Hayastan Publishing, 1997, 3.68, p. 276. ISBN 5-5400-1192-9.</ref>}}
Back in ], Movses and the other students faced the hostility and contempt of the native population.<ref>Hacikyan, Agop Jack, Gabriel Basmajian, Edward S. Franchuk, and Nourhan Ouzounian. ''The Heritage of Armenian Literature: From the Oral Tradition to the Golden Age, Vol. I''. Detroit: Wayne State University, 2000, p. 307. ISBN 0-8143-2815-6.</ref> Given this atmosphere and persecution by the Persians, Movses went into hiding in a village near ] and lived in relative seclusion for several decades.


] Armenian manuscript.]]
The ] Gyut (461-471) one day met Movses while traveling through the area and, unaware of his true identity, invited him to supper with several of his students. Movses was initially silent, but after Gyut's students encouraged him to speak, Movses made a marvelous speech at the dinner table. One of the Catholicos' students was able to identify Movses as a person Gyut had been searching for; it was soon understood that Gyut was one of Movses' former classmates and friends.<ref>Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in ''History of Armenia'', p. 15.</ref> Gyut embraced Movses and, being either a ] Christian or at least tolerant of them (since Movses was also Chalcedonian), brought his friend back from seclusion and appointed him to be a bishop in Bagrevan. The ] Gyut (461-471) one day met Movses while traveling through the area and, unaware of his true identity, invited him to supper with several of his students. Movses was initially silent, but after Gyut's students encouraged him to speak, Movses made a marvelous speech at the dinner table. One of the Catholicos' students was able to identify Movses as a person Gyut had been searching for; it was soon understood that Gyut was one of Movses' former classmates and friends.<ref>Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in ''History of Armenia'', p. 15.</ref> Gyut embraced Movses and, being either a ] Christian or at least tolerant of them (since Movses was also Chalcedonian), brought his friend back from seclusion and appointed him to be a bishop in Bagrevan.
Serving as a bishop, Movses was approached by Sahak ], who, having heard of Movses' reputation, asked him to write a history of the Armenians, especially the biographies of Armenian kings and the origins of the Armenian '']'' families.<ref>Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in ''History of Armenia'', p. 16.</ref> Movses agreed to do so and he finished his book sometime in the time period of 483-485. One of his primary reasons for taking up Sahak Bagratuni's request is given in the first part of ''Patmutyun Hayots'', or ''History of Armenia'': "For even though we are small and very limited in numbers and have been conquered many times by foreign kingdoms, yet too, many acts of bravery have been performed in our land, worthy of being written and remembered, but of which no one has bothered to write down."<ref>Movses Khorenatsi. ''History of Armenia'', 1.4., pp. 70-71.</ref> Movses' history also gives a rich description of the oral traditions that were popular among the Armenians of the time, such as the romance story of '']'' and the birth of the god ].


===''History of Armenia''===
==Contents==
Serving as a bishop, Movses was approached by Sahak ], who, having heard of Movses' reputation, asked him to write a history of the Armenians, especially the biographies of Armenian kings and the origins of the Armenian '']'' families.<ref>Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in ''History of Armenia'', p. 16.</ref> Movses agreed to do so and he finished his book sometime in the time period of 483-485. One of his primary reasons for taking up Sahak Bagratuni's request is given in the first part of ''Patmutyun Hayots'', or ''History of Armenia'': "For even though we are small and very limited in numbers and have been conquered many times by foreign kingdoms, yet too, many acts of bravery have been performed in our land, worthy of being written and remembered, but of which no one has bothered to write down."<ref>Movses Khorenatsi. ''History of Armenia'', 1.4., pp. 70-71.</ref> Movses' history also gives a rich description of the oral traditions that were popular among the Armenians of the time, such as the romance story of '']'' and the birth of the god ].
The book is divided into three parts:
* "Genealogy of Armenia Major", embracing the history of Armenia from the beginning down to ];
* "History of the middle period of our ancestors", extending from Alexander to the death of ] and the reign of ] (AD ]);
* the third part brings the history down to the overthrow of the Arshakuni Dynasty (AD ]).


Movses lived for several more years, and he died sometime in the late 490s.
According to ], writing in the 10th century, there was also a fourth part which brings the history down to the time of the ] (474-491).


==Authorship and works==
===Genealogy===
{{main|History of Armenia (Movses Khorenatsi)}}
In 32 chapters, from Adam to Alexander the Great.
Beginning in the 19th century and continuing on until today, many scholars doubt that Movses wrote the work in the fifth century due to historical inconsistencies, refer to him as "Pseudo-Movses", and date him and the ''History'' to the seventh to ninth centuries.<ref>]. "On the Date of Pseudo-Moses of Chorene." ''Handes Amsorya''. № 9 (75), 1961.</ref><ref>Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in ''History of Armenia'', pp. 3-5.</ref> ], an Armenian ] and expert of ] literature, likened the early critical period from the late 19th to early 20th centuries to a "competition", whereby one scholar attempted to outperform the other in their criticism of Movses.<ref>Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in ''History of Armenia'', p. 3.</ref> Although some claim that these views have now been discredited and "much of this criticism has been rejected,"<ref>Hacikyan et al. ''Heritage of Armenian Literature'', p. 306.</ref> most scholars outside of Armenia do not support the old fifth century dating of Khorenatsi.<ref>]. Reviewed work(s): "Moses Khorenats'i": History of the Armenians by Robert W. Thomson. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 42, No. 3 (1979), pp. 574-575</ref>
List of the Armenian patriarchs according to Moses:
*] (grandson of ]), Armenag, Aramais, Amassia, Gegham, Harma, ]
*], Ara Kardos, Anoushavan, 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 '']'' of ].
There follows a list of legendary kings, covering the 8th to 4th centuries BC:
*Parouyr, Hratchia, Pharnouas, Pachouych, Kornak, Phavos, Haikak II, Erouand I, ], ], Aravan, Nerseh, Zareh, Armog, Bagam, Van, Vahé.
These gradually enter historicity with Tigran I (6th century BC), who is also mentioned in the ] of Xenophon (Tigranes Orontid , traditionally 560-535 BC; Vahagn 530-515 BC), but Aravan to Vahé are again otherwise unknown.


Robert W. Thomson, the former holder of the chair in Armenian studies at ] and the translator of several classical Armenian works, is one of the foremost of modern scholars to expound this theory.<ref>See Robert W. Thomson's introduction in his translation of Movses' work, ''History of the Armenians'', Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1978.</ref>
:chapter 1: letter to Sahak
Thomson's dating of Khorenatsi and his characterization of the author met severe criticism when the English translation of ''History of Armenia'' appeared in 1978.<ref>{{hy icon}} Hovhannisyan, Petros. "Review of ''History of the Armenians''." ''Banber Yerevan Hamalsarani''. № 3 (45), 1982, pp. 237-239.</ref><ref>{{hy icon}} ]. "Review of ''History of the Armenians''. '']''. № 1 (88), 1980, pp. 268-270.</ref><ref>]. "Review of ''History of the Armenians''." ''Journal of Ecclesiastical History''. Vol. 30: № 4, October 1979, pp. 479-480.</ref> Gagik Sargsyan, a leading scholar and biographer of Movses, as well as other scholars admonished Thomson for anachronistic "hypercriticism" and for stubbornly rehashing and "even exaggerating the statements once put forward" by the late 19th and early 20th century scholars, and in particular, those of Grigor Khalatyants (1858-1912).<ref>Sarkissian, Gaguik . ''The "History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatzi''. Trans. by Gourgen A. Gevorkian. Yerevan: Yerevan University Press, 1991, pp. 58-59.</ref> Sargsyan noted that Thomson, in condemning Movses' failure to mention his sources, ignored the fact that "an antique or medieval author may have had his own rules of mentioning the sources distinct from the rules of modern scientific ethics."<ref>Sarkissian. ''"History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatzi'', p. 76.</ref> Thomson's allegation of Movses' supposed falsification of sources was also countered by Sargsyan, who contended that Thomson was "treating a medieval author with the standards of modern scientific ethics" and that numerous classical Greek historians engaged in the same practice.<ref>Sarkissian. ''"History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatzi'', p. 80.</ref>
:chapter 5: from Noah to Abraham and Belus
:chapters 10-12: about ]
:chapter 13: war against the ]
:chapter 14: war against Assyria
:chapters 15-16: Ara and ]
:chapters 17-19: Semiramis flees from ] to Armenia and is killed by her son.
:chapter 20: Ara Kardos and Anoushavan
:chapter 21: Parouyr, first king of Armenia at the time of ]
:chapter 22: kings from Pharnouas to Tigran
:chapter 23: ] and his sons
:chapters 24-30: about ]
:chapter 31: descendants of Tigran down to Vahé, who is killed in resistance against Alexander
:chapter 32: Hellenic wars


The following works are also attributed to Movses:
===Middle Period (332 BC - AD 330)===
*Treatise on Rhetoric
{{see|List of Armenian Kings}}
*Treatise on Geography
92 chapters, from ] to ].
*Letter on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

*Homily on Christ's Transfiguration
===Arsacid period AD 330-428===
*History of ] and Her Companions
{{see|Arsacid Dynasty of Armenia}}
*Hymns used in Armenian Church Worship
68 chapters, from the death of Tiridates III to ].
*Commentaries on the Armenian Grammarians

*Explanations of Armenian Church Offices
==Editions and translations==
*''editio princeps'', ], ];
*], with a Latin translation, ]
*], ]
* Italian and French translations, Venice, 1841
*Tiflis, 1913 (facsimile ed., intro. by R. W. Thomson, 1981 Caravan Books, ISBN 9780882060323).
*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).


==Notes== ==Notes==
{{reflist|2}} {{reflist|2}}


==Further reading==
*{{ru icon}} ]. ''Истории древнеармянской литературы''. Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1975. *{{ru icon}} ]. ''Истории древнеармянской литературы''. Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1975.
*]. ''Armenia in the Period of Justinian: the Political Conditions Based on the Naxarar System''. Translated with partial revisions, a bibliographical note, and appendices by Nina G. Garsoïan. Lisbon, 1970. *]. ''Armenia in the Period of Justinian: the Political Conditions Based on the Naxarar System''. Translated with partial revisions, a bibliographical note, and appendices by Nina G. Garsoïan. Lisbon, 1970.
*] "The Date of Moses of Khoren." ''Bazmavep''. № 10 (1901). *] "The Date of Moses of Khoren." ''Byzantinische Zeitschrift''. № 10 (1901).
*{{hy icon}} ]. ''Խորենացու առեղծված շուրջը'' (''About the Enigma of Khorenatsi''). Yerevan, Armenian SSR, 1940. *{{hy icon}} ]. ''Խորենացու առեղծված շուրջը'' (''About the Enigma of Khorenatsi''). Yerevan, Armenian SSR, 1940.
*{{hy icon}} Sargsyan, Gagik. ''Հելլենիստական դարաշրջանի Հայաստանը և Մովսես Խորենացին'' (''Armenia in the Hellenistic Age and Movses Khorenatsi''). Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1966. *{{hy icon}} Sargsyan, Gagik. ''Հելլենիստական դարաշրջանի Հայաստանը և Մովսես Խորենացին'' (''Armenia in the Hellenistic Age and Movses Khorenatsi''). Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1966.
*{{hy icon}} ______________. ''Մովսես Խորենացու «Հայոց Պատմության» ժամանակագրական համակարգը''. (''The Chronological Structure of Movses Khorenatsi's History of Armenia'').Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1965. *{{hy icon}} ______________. ''Մովսես Խորենացու «Հայոց Պատմության» ժամանակագրական համակարգը''. (''The Chronological Structure of Movses Khorenatsi's History of Armenia'').Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1965.
*Sarkissian, Gaguik . ''The "History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatzi''. Trans. by Gourgen A. Gevorkian. Yerevan: Yerevan University Press, 1991 *Sarkissian, Gaguik . ''The "History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatzi''. Trans. by Gourgen A. Gevorkian. Yerevan: Yerevan University Press, 1991
*Topchyan, Aram. ''The Problem of the Greek Sources of Movsēs Xorenacʻi's History of Armenia''. Peeters Publishers, 2006. *Topchyan, Aram. ''The Problem of the Greek Sources of Movsēs Xorenacʻi's History of Armenia''. Peeters Publishers, 2006.
* Robert H. Hewson, ''"The Primary History of Armenia": An Examination of the Validity of an Immemorially Transmitted Historical Tradition'', History in Africa (1975).

==See also==
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]


==External links== ==External links==
* (in Armenian)
* (in Russian)
*
*{{ru icon}} *{{ru icon}}


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Revision as of 17:58, 11 April 2009

Moses of Chorene
Movses Khorenatsi's statue in front of the Matenadaran in Yerevan.
Borncirca 410 AD
Taron, Armenia
Died490s AD
Armenia
OccupationHistorian
Known forHistory of Armenia
Notes
It has also been suggested that Movses was born in Syunik.
See Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in History of Armenia, pp. 13-14.

Movses Khorenatsi (Template:Lang-hy, Armenian pronunciation: [movsɛs χoɹɛnɑtsʰi], Movses of Khoren; also written Movsēs Xorenac‘i, Movses Khorenats'i; circa 410 – 490s AD) was an Armenian historian and author of the History of Armenia. He is credited with the earliest known historiographical work on the history of Armenia, but was also a poet, or hymn writer, and a grammarian. Although other Armenians, such as Agatangeghos, had written histories of Armenia, Movses' work holds particular significance because it records the old oral traditions in Armenia during its pagan era and, more importantly, traces Armenian history from Movses' day to its origins. For this, he is considered to be the "father of Armenian history" (patmahayr), and is sometimes referred to as the "Armenian Herodotus."

Biography

Early life and education

Movses was believed to have been born in the village of Khorni (also spelled as Khoron) in the Armenian province of Taron sometime in 410. However, some scholars contend that if he was born here, he would have then been known as Movses of Khorneh or Khoron. They instead move the location of his birth from Taron to the Armenian province of Syunik, in the village of Khorena in the region of Harband. He received his education in Syunik and was later sent to be taught under the auspices of Mesrop Mashtots, the creator of the Armenian alphabet, and Catholicos Sahak Partev. In having considerable difficulty translating the Bible from Greek to Armenian, Mesrop and Sahak felt the need to send Movses and several of their other students to Alexandria, Egypt, at that time the center of education and learning, so that they themselves learn the Greek and Syriac languages, as well as to learn grammar, oratory, theology and philosophy.

Return to Armenia

The students left Armenia sometime between 432 to 435. After studying in Alexandria for five to six years, Movses and his fellow classmates returned to Armenia, only to find that Mesrop and Sahak had died. Movses expressed his grief in a lamentation at the end of History of Armenia:

While they awaited our return to celebrate their student’s accomplishments , we hastened from Byzantium, expecting that we would be dancing and singing at a wedding...and instead, I found myself grieving at the foot of our teachers' graves...I did not even arrive in time to see their eyes close nor hear them speak their final words.

To further complicate their problems, the atmosphere in Persian Armenia that Movses and the other students had returned to was one that was extremely hostile and they were viewed at with contempt by the native population. While later Armenian historians blamed this on an ignorant populace, Persian ideology and policy also lay at fault since its rulers "could not tolerate highly educated young scholars fresh from Greek centers of learning." Given this atmosphere and persecution by the Persians, Movses went into hiding in a village near Vagharshapat and lived in relative seclusion for several decades.

Movses depicted in a 14th century Armenian manuscript.

The Catholicos of Armenia Gyut (461-471) one day met Movses while traveling through the area and, unaware of his true identity, invited him to supper with several of his students. Movses was initially silent, but after Gyut's students encouraged him to speak, Movses made a marvelous speech at the dinner table. One of the Catholicos' students was able to identify Movses as a person Gyut had been searching for; it was soon understood that Gyut was one of Movses' former classmates and friends. Gyut embraced Movses and, being either a Chalcedonian Christian or at least tolerant of them (since Movses was also Chalcedonian), brought his friend back from seclusion and appointed him to be a bishop in Bagrevan.

History of Armenia

Serving as a bishop, Movses was approached by Sahak Bagratuni, who, having heard of Movses' reputation, asked him to write a history of the Armenians, especially the biographies of Armenian kings and the origins of the Armenian nakharar families. Movses agreed to do so and he finished his book sometime in the time period of 483-485. One of his primary reasons for taking up Sahak Bagratuni's request is given in the first part of Patmutyun Hayots, or History of Armenia: "For even though we are small and very limited in numbers and have been conquered many times by foreign kingdoms, yet too, many acts of bravery have been performed in our land, worthy of being written and remembered, but of which no one has bothered to write down." Movses' history also gives a rich description of the oral traditions that were popular among the Armenians of the time, such as the romance story of Artashes and Satenik and the birth of the god Vahagn.

Movses lived for several more years, and he died sometime in the late 490s.

Authorship and works

Main article: History of Armenia (Movses Khorenatsi)

Beginning in the 19th century and continuing on until today, many scholars doubt that Movses wrote the work in the fifth century due to historical inconsistencies, refer to him as "Pseudo-Movses", and date him and the History to the seventh to ninth centuries. Stepan Malkhasyants, an Armenian philologist and expert of classical Armenian literature, likened the early critical period from the late 19th to early 20th centuries to a "competition", whereby one scholar attempted to outperform the other in their criticism of Movses. Although some claim that these views have now been discredited and "much of this criticism has been rejected," most scholars outside of Armenia do not support the old fifth century dating of Khorenatsi.

Robert W. Thomson, the former holder of the chair in Armenian studies at Harvard University and the translator of several classical Armenian works, is one of the foremost of modern scholars to expound this theory. Thomson's dating of Khorenatsi and his characterization of the author met severe criticism when the English translation of History of Armenia appeared in 1978. Gagik Sargsyan, a leading scholar and biographer of Movses, as well as other scholars admonished Thomson for anachronistic "hypercriticism" and for stubbornly rehashing and "even exaggerating the statements once put forward" by the late 19th and early 20th century scholars, and in particular, those of Grigor Khalatyants (1858-1912). Sargsyan noted that Thomson, in condemning Movses' failure to mention his sources, ignored the fact that "an antique or medieval author may have had his own rules of mentioning the sources distinct from the rules of modern scientific ethics." Thomson's allegation of Movses' supposed falsification of sources was also countered by Sargsyan, who contended that Thomson was "treating a medieval author with the standards of modern scientific ethics" and that numerous classical Greek historians engaged in the same practice.

The following works are also attributed to Movses:

  • Treatise on Rhetoric
  • Treatise on Geography
  • Letter on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
  • Homily on Christ's Transfiguration
  • History of Hripsime and Her Companions
  • Hymns used in Armenian Church Worship
  • Commentaries on the Armenian Grammarians
  • Explanations of Armenian Church Offices

Notes

  1. Template:Hy icon Malkhasyants, Stepan. "Introduction" in Movses Khorenatsi's History of Armenia, 5th Century (Հայոց Պատմություն, Ե Դար). Gagik Sargsyan (ed.) Yerevan: Hayastan Publishing, 1997, pp. 6, 16. ISBN 5-5400-1192-9.
  2. Chahin, Mack. The Kingdom of Armenia: A History. London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2001, p. 181 ISBN 0-7007-1452-9.
  3. For this reason, some have also referred to him as Movses of Taron.
  4. Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in History of Armenia, p. 7.
  5. Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in History of Armenia, p. 7.
  6. Template:Hy icon Sargsyan, Gagik. «Մովսես Խորենացի» (Movses Khorenatsi). Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia. vol. viii. Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1982, pp. 40-41.
  7. Template:Hy icon Movses Khorenatsi. History of Armenia, 5th Century (Հայոց Պատմություն, Ե Դար). Annotated translation and commentary by Stepan Malkhasyants. Gagik Sargsyan (ed.) Yerevan: Hayastan Publishing, 1997, 3.68, p. 276. ISBN 5-5400-1192-9.
  8. Hacikyan, Agop Jack, Gabriel Basmajian, Edward S. Franchuk, and Nourhan Ouzounian. The Heritage of Armenian Literature: From the Oral Tradition to the Golden Age, Vol. I. Detroit: Wayne State University, 2000, p. 307. ISBN 0-8143-2815-6.
  9. Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in History of Armenia, p. 15.
  10. Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in History of Armenia, p. 16.
  11. Movses Khorenatsi. History of Armenia, 1.4., pp. 70-71.
  12. Toumanoff, Cyril. "On the Date of Pseudo-Moses of Chorene." Handes Amsorya. № 9 (75), 1961.
  13. Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in History of Armenia, pp. 3-5.
  14. Malkhasyants. "Introduction" in History of Armenia, p. 3.
  15. Hacikyan et al. Heritage of Armenian Literature, p. 306.
  16. David M. Lang. Reviewed work(s): "Moses Khorenats'i": History of the Armenians by Robert W. Thomson. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 42, No. 3 (1979), pp. 574-575
  17. See Robert W. Thomson's introduction in his translation of Movses' work, History of the Armenians, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1978.
  18. Template:Hy icon Hovhannisyan, Petros. "Review of History of the Armenians." Banber Yerevan Hamalsarani. № 3 (45), 1982, pp. 237-239.
  19. Template:Hy icon Ter-Petrosyan, Levon. "Review of History of the Armenians. Patma-Banasirakan Handes. № 1 (88), 1980, pp. 268-270.
  20. Nersessian, Vrej. "Review of History of the Armenians." Journal of Ecclesiastical History. Vol. 30: № 4, October 1979, pp. 479-480.
  21. Sarkissian, Gaguik . The "History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatzi. Trans. by Gourgen A. Gevorkian. Yerevan: Yerevan University Press, 1991, pp. 58-59.
  22. Sarkissian. "History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatzi, p. 76.
  23. Sarkissian. "History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatzi, p. 80.

Further reading

  • Template:Ru icon Abeghyan, Manuk. Истории древнеармянской литературы. Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1975.
  • Adonts, Nicholas. Armenia in the Period of Justinian: the Political Conditions Based on the Naxarar System. Translated with partial revisions, a bibliographical note, and appendices by Nina G. Garsoïan. Lisbon, 1970.
  • Conybeare, F. C. "The Date of Moses of Khoren." Byzantinische Zeitschrift. № 10 (1901).
  • Template:Hy icon Malkhasyants, Stepan. Խորենացու առեղծված շուրջը (About the Enigma of Khorenatsi). Yerevan, Armenian SSR, 1940.
  • Template:Hy icon Sargsyan, Gagik. Հելլենիստական դարաշրջանի Հայաստանը և Մովսես Խորենացին (Armenia in the Hellenistic Age and Movses Khorenatsi). Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1966.
  • Template:Hy icon ______________. Մովսես Խորենացու «Հայոց Պատմության» ժամանակագրական համակարգը. (The Chronological Structure of Movses Khorenatsi's History of Armenia).Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1965.
  • Sarkissian, Gaguik . The "History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatzi. Trans. by Gourgen A. Gevorkian. Yerevan: Yerevan University Press, 1991
  • Topchyan, Aram. The Problem of the Greek Sources of Movsēs Xorenacʻi's History of Armenia. Peeters Publishers, 2006.

External links

Medieval Armenian Historians and Chroniclers

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