Movses Khorenatsi

Moses of choirs (Armenian Մովսէս Խորենացի, Movses Khorenatsi, in scientific transliteration Movses Xorenac'i; 5th century AD ) was a late ancient Armenian historian. He is considered one of the most important Armenian historian, and as the father of Armenian historiography.

Life

By his own account, Moses was a disciple of St. Mesrop and authored the work of his master at the request of Prince bagratunidischen Isaac ( Sahak ), who fell in the year 482 during the war.

Some researchers suggest that Moses is not the author of the work "History of Armenia " was. The historical figure of Moses by choirs, who was one of the most venerable fathers of the Armenian Church is, however, not in doubt. Lazarus of Pharp testifies to the existence of an Armenian bishop named Moses in the 5th century, who was a brilliant writer.

Moses of choirs is also known as a poet or hymn writer. He was also an important grammarian. It is from a resident of Khoren the speech, which was sent by Mesrop, the founder of Armenian literature, for study purposes to Edessa, Constantinople Opel, Alexandria, Athens and Rome. After his return, he helped Mesrop in the translation of the Bible into Armenian. His date of birth is unknown. However, the above data indicate that his birth coincided with the end of the 4th century. His death is dated to the end of the 5th century.

History of Armenia

Moses of CHOREN work " History of Armenia " includes the time of the formation of the Armenian people to his presence, in the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sassanid Empire fought for influence over Armenia. It contains rich and unique material with ancient Armenian legends, the pre-Christian religion, everyday life in the country and its relations with the rest of the world. It also includes much information about the history and culture of neighboring countries.

The author is critical of other sources of information. Characteristic are his extraordinary literary merits in vivid description of the people and events, the harmony of the structure as a whole and especially the picturesque - laconic language. The book had a tremendous impact on the Armenian historiography.

The book consists of three parts:

• " Genealogy of Greater Armenia " covers the history of Armenia from the beginning to the founding of the Arsacid dynasty, 149 BC and is largely awesome.
• " The history of our ancestors in the middle period " extends from 149 BC to the death of St.. Gregory the Illuminator and the reign of King Trdat III. 149-332 AD
• In the third part of the story is treated 428 AD until the fall of the Arsacid dynasty.

The first part is largely useless as a historical source. There is also a fourth part, the continuing wrote the narrative to the Eastern Roman Emperor Zeno ( 474-491 ). This was added to the plant later by another author. The first three parts include some time incorrectly associated data, which is in contradiction with other Armenian writings, such as those available from Koriun and Lazarus of Pharp who have lived in the fifth century AD also. Because of these contradictions and erroneous classifications suspected some researchers ( Bardenhewer, Carrière ) that the "History of Armenia" does not come from Moses of Khorene.

We do not know what was the motive of the author of the fourth book, who has edited the book of Moses in the name of choirs in the eighth or ninth century. However, it is likely that he wanted the bagratunische dynasty, which surpassed all other dynasties to shine from the end of the seventh century to glorify.

Although this author has lived later, his datings be considered reliable. He used a flowery narrative about the former statesmen, with his characters in the stories occasionally, depending on the mood of the author, and transformed the ideas are the figures adapted; still can not claim that the treated figures were fictitious one. His statements about the early history of Armenia largely came from legends and folk songs

The first edition of " History of Armenia " was printed in Amsterdam in 1695, the second in 1736 in London and the third edition in 1752 in Venice. The third edition was translated into French and Italian. The best translation is by Langlois entitled " Historiens Anciens de l' Arménie " (Paris, 1867). The Venetians have Mekhitarist in 1827 and 1843-1864 also published several editions of the work. German Translation: Of Moses by Chorene History Wholesale - Armenia. From the Armenian translated by M. Lauer. English Manz, Regensburg 1869. Thomson RW: Moses Khorenats'i, History of the Armenians. Translation and Commentary on the Literary Sources. Revised Edition. Caravan Books, Ann Arbor, 2003. ISBN 2-87754-141- X