Late Antique Historiography

Primary history of Armenia

Title(s):
  • Primary history of Armenia
Author:
Period covered:
Mythical past-1 c. B.C.
Language:
Armenian
State of Preservation:
Fragmentary
Genre:
  • Secular history (ethnic history)
  • Secular history (general)
Remarks:
Mar Abas Catina is hard to date. He is sometimes considered as the author of the Primary history of Armenia, the first of the three sections which make up the History of Armenia by Pseudo-Sebeos. This division was established by Mihrdatean in 1851 whereas there is no division in the manuscripts. It is difficult to delineate precisely the passages borrowed from the work of Mar Abas in the History of the Armenians by Moses of Khoren. See Maribas the Chaldaean.
Edition - Translation:
Fragments:
  • Moses of Khoren, History of the Armenians 1.8-12, 1.14, 1.18, 1.26, 2.9 [Thomson 1981: 28-42, 45-48, 56, 74-77, 118-119]
Users:
Sources:
Bibliography:
  • F. Macler (1903) 'Extraits de la Chronique de Maribas Kaldoyo (Mar Abas Katina [?]): Essai de critique historico-littéraire'. In: Journal asiatique 10.1: 491-549.
  • H. Manandyan (1956) 'Načal' naja istorija Armenii' Mar-Abasa (k voprosu ob istočnikax Sebeosa, Moiseja Xorenskogo i Prokopija Kesarijskogo)'. Palestinskij Zbornik 2: 69-96.
  • R.W. Thomson (1981) Moses Chorenensis,Patmut‘iwn Hayots‘ (History of the Armenians): A facsimile reproduction of the 1913 Tiflis edition. New York.
  • R.W. Thomson (2006) Moses Khorenats‘i, History of the Armenians: Translation and commentary on the literary sources. Second edition. Ann Arbor: 12-13 and 53-56.