Late Antique Historiography

History of the Armenians

Title(s):
  • History of the Armenians
  • Պատմութիւն Հայոց
    (Patmut῾iwn Hayoc῾, History of the Armenians)
Author:
Period covered:
Origins of the Armenian nation (Hayk) until 440 (death of Mesrop Maštoc῾)
Language:
Armenian
State of Preservation:
Full
Genre:
  • Secular history (ethnic history)
  • Secular history (general)
Remarks:
Western scholars date Moses of Khoren to the eighth century, while Armenian and scholars from the Soviet Union tended to date him to the fifth century. For a summary of the debates about Moses’ datation, see Mahé (1993: 18-20). There are no references to Moses before the ninth-tenth century (Thomas Artsruni’).
Since no Armenian translation of John Malalas and the Paschal chronicle existed, the parallels with these works may well be due to a common source. Moses usually uses Armenian translations of Greek texts (see Thomson 1978: 10-55).
Edition - Translation:
  • J.-P. Mahé, A. Mahé (1993) Histoire de l'Arménie par Moïse de Khorène. Paris.
  • P. Sargisean (1991) Moses Chorenensis, Patmut‘iwn Hayots‘ (History of the Armenians): Facsimile edition with additional collation. Yerevan.
  • 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 (1978) Moses Khorenats‘i, History of the Armenians: Translation and commentary on the literary sources. New York.
  • M. Abełean, S. Yarut᾽iwnean (1913) Patmut‘iwn Hayoc‘. Tiblisi.
  • I.O. Emin (1858) (tr.) Исторiя Арменiи Моисея Хоренскаго. Moscow.
  • K.M. Muradyan, K. Uzbashyan (2003) ‘Movsěs Khorenac‘i hayoc’ patmut‘iwn ’. In: Matenagirk‘ Hayoc‘. Volume Two: Fifth century. Ant‘ilias: 1743-2121 (= Abełean – Yarut᾽iwnean 1913 = Thomson 1981).
Fragments:
Users:
Sources:
Bibliography:
  • N. Garsoian (2003-2004) 'L'Histoire attribuée à Movsēs Xorenac’i: Que reste-t-il à en dire?'. Revue des études arméniennes 29: 29-48.
  • G. Soultanian (2012) The History of the Armenians and Mosēs Khorenats‘i. London.
  • R.W. Thomson (1995) A bibliography of classical Armenian literature to 1500 A.D. Turnhout: 156-168.
  • R.W. Thomson (2007) 'Supplement to a bibliography of classical Armenian literature to 1500 A.D.: Publications 1993-2005'. Le muséon 120: 194-197.
  • A. Topchyan (2006) The problem of the Greek sources of Movsēs Xorenatc῾I’s History of Armenia. Leuven.
  • C. Toumanoff (1961) 'On the date of the Pseudo-Mouses of Chorene'. Hamdes Amsorya, 75: 467-476.
  • J. Traina (1995) 'Materiali per un commento a Movsēs Xorenac‘i, Patmut‘iwn Hayoc‘: I'. Le muséon 108: 279-333.
  • J. Traina (2000) 'Movsês Xorenac‘i et l' "Occident" classique'. In: Moïse de Khorène et l’historiographie arménienne des origines, ed. D. Kouymjian. Antelias: 205-214.
  • J. Traina (2007) 'Moïse de Khorène et l'Empire sassanide'. In: Des Indo-Grecs aux Sassanides: Données pour l’histoire et la géographie historique, ed. R. Gyselen (Res Orientales, 17). Bures-sur-Yvette: 158-179.