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:
224-325
Language:
Armenian
State of Preservation:
Full
Genre:
  • Ecclesiastical history
  • Secular history (ethnic history)
Remarks:
Agathangelus narrates the conversion of Armenia to Christianity. From the Armenian Agathangelus (Aa) derive the Greek (Ag), Arabic (Ar), Syriac and Georgian versions. From the Greek version were also made Latin, Arabic, Coptic and Ethiopic versions.
It is assumed that there are two Armenian versions, one known through the Armenian manuscripts, the other known through two Greek manuscripts (Thomson 1976: xxii-xxiii): the A cycle, texts of the Life of Gregory which depend on the extant Armenian; and the V Cycle, texts which derive from the lost Armenian version. The priority of the Armenian over the Greek version was established by Lafontaine (1973: 13-33). For the manuscripts, see Thomson (1976: 505) and Thomson (1980).
Edition - Translation:
  • R.W. Thomson (1976) Agathangelos: History of the Armenians, with translation and commentary. Albany.
  • R.W. Thomson (1980) Agathangelos, Patmowt‘iwn Hayots‘ (History of the Armenians): A facsimile reproduction of the 1909 Tiflis edition with an introduction. New-York.
  • G. Ter-Mkrtč῾ean (1909) St. Kanayeanc‛, Agat’angełay Patmut’iwn Hayoc‘. Tiflis. (= (1914) Agat’angełay Patmut’iwn Hayoc‘ (Lukasean Matenadaran, 15), Tbilisi).
  • R.W. Thomson (2001) The teaching of St. Gregory: An early Armenian catechism. Revised edition. New-York.
  • R.W. Thomson (2010) The Lives of Saint Gregory: The Armenian, Greek, Arabic, and Syriac versions of the History attributed to Agathangelos, translated with introduction and commentary. Ann Arbor.
  • K.M. Muradyan, K. Uzbashyan (2003) ‘Agat‘angeghosě ew aṙaǰin Hayoc‘ patmut‘iwn”ě’. InMatenagirk‘ Hayoc‘. Volume Two: Fith century. Ant‘ilias: 1302-1735 (= Ter-Mkrtč῾ean 1909 = Thomson 1980).
Fragments:
Users:
Sources:
Bibliography:
  • G. Garitte (1946) Documents pour l'étude du livre d'Agathange. Rome.
  • A.J. Hacikyan, G. Basmajian, E.S. Franchuk, N. Ouzounian (2000) (eds.) The heritage of Armenian literature. Volume One: From the oral tradition to the golden age. Detroit: 117-148.
  • G. Lafontaine (1973) La version grecque ancienne du livre arménien d'Agathange: Édition critique (Publications de l'Institut Orientaliste de Louvain, 7). Louvain-la-Neuve: 13-33, 166-169.
  • R.W. Thomson (1995) A bibliography of classical Armenian literature to 1500 A.D. Turnhout: 90-95.
  • R.W. Thomson (2007) 'Supplement to a bibliography of classical Armenian literature to 1500 A.D.: Publications 1993-2005'. Le muséon 120: 179-180.
  • R.W. Thomson (2011) 'Agathangelos'. In: Encyclopædia Iranica I/6: 607-608.
  • N. Tommaseo (1843) Storia dell'Armenia. Venice.
  • M. van Esbroeck (1971) 'Un nouveau témoin du livre d'Agathange'. Revue des études arméniennes 8: 13-167.
  • M. van Esbroeck (1985) 'Agathangelos'. In: Reallexikon für Antike und Christentum, Supplement 1/2: 239-248.
  • M. van Esbroeck (1989) 'Saint Grégoire d'Arménie et sa Didascalie'. Le muséon 102: 131-145.