Glossary (Abas Bagratuni-Aharonian, Avetis)
Abas Bagratouni
(Abas I) King of Armenia (928-953). He was son of Sembat I and brother of Ashot Erkat. In contrast to his predecessors’ ruling, his reign was marked by years of peace and stability.
Abgar
King of Armenia and ruler of Edessa (AD1-34). According to the Armenian tradition, he was converted by Apostle Thaddeus to become the first Christian king in history. Many researchers deny the historicity of Armenian King Abgar and associate him with Abgar IX the Syrian who was indeed converted to Christianity in the late 2d century. Maybe the explanation can be found in the History of Moses of Khoren: “…Because of his uncommon modesty and wisdom, and his old age, this Abgaros was given the title of Avag Hair (Senior Father). The Greeks and Syrians, unable to articulate his name correctly, called him Abgar.”
Abovian, Khachatur
A portrait of Khachatur Abovian by Ludwig von Maydell, 1831
(1809-1848) Armenian writer and public figure, author of Wounds of Armenia, in which he enthusiastically welcomes the liberation of Armenia by the Russians. This novel, written in vernacular, laid foundation of the new Armenian literature. Abovian translated into Armenian the works of Homer and Schiller. He misteriously disappeared in 1848.
Acharian, Hrachia
Hrachia Acharian
(1876-1953) Armenian linguist and etymologist, author of a capital Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Language. He also compiled a Dictionary of the Armenian Proper Names, and The Grammar of the Armenian Language.
Adamian, Hovannes
Hovannes Adamian
(1879-1932) Armenian engineer, native of Baku. He engineered the systems of black and white and color television. He was known also as a witty caricaturist.
Adana
City in Cilicia (now in South Turkey). Adana was under the Armenian control before the First Crusade, and then dominated by the Antiokh princes. Levon I reattached it to Cilicia in 1132. In 1909, the Young Turks instigated here the mass pogroms, in which some 35,000 Armenians were killed.
Adonts, Nikolay
Nikoghayos Adonts(1871-1942) Nicoghayos Ter-Avetikian, Armenian historian. He authored some 80 monographs in Armenian, Russian and French. His major achievement is Armenia under Justinian.
Aghathangeghos
Armenian author of the 4th century, secretary of King Tiridates the Great. He wrote the first known history of the Armenians, called History of the Conversion of Armenia.
Aghdam
Town in Karabakh, east of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. In the 1st century BC, Tigranes the Great built here a city and named it Tigranakert. In ancient times and in the early Middle ages, the area was part of Outik province of Greater Armenia. Once a large village with the predominant Armenian population, Aghdam became a large Azeri town in the Soviet period; in 1992-1993, the Azeri military deployed here a base used for systematic bombardment of the NKR Armenian-populated areas. In summer of 1993, Aghdam was taken by the Armenian forces, and is presently under the Armenian control.
Aghdznik
Historical province (ashkhar, “world” in Armenian) of the Greater Armenia, Aghdznik consisted of 10 cantons: Neprkert, Arzn, Kegh, Ketik, Tatik, Azenvats dzor, Serkhetk, Gzegh, Salandzor and Sassun.
Aghuank
(Caucasian Albania) According to the Armenian tradition, King Vagharshak (149-127 BC) appointed Prince Aran, nicknamed Aghu (Kind, Gentle) as a governor of the lands to northeast of the Greater Armenia, between the Caucasus range, Kura (Kuros) and Alazan rivers. Subsequently, the above territories were named Aghuank (Domain of Aghu). The Greek and Roman sources identify them as Albania (which is the Greek-Roman transcription of Aghuank). According to Strabo, Albania was mostly inhabited by several nomadic tribes. Among them, Gargares were the most numerous. Albania was a merely geographical concept, as the Albanian tribes never united into an organized nation.
In AD 387, Armenia was divided between Persia and Byzantine. Both Persians and Greeks established their own administrative division on the respective parts of the conquered Armenia. The Persians united the Armenian provinces Artsakh, Outik, and northwest of Paytakaran with Aghuank to form a new large province called Aran or Aghuank. Afterwards, the name of Aghuank, since it never had an ethnic origin, but rather was associated with an Armenian Prince Aghu, expanded on the above Armenian provinces. The Armenian historians and chroniclers of different times always used the name Aghuank in relation with Artsakh, Outik and Paytakaran provinces, whereas they rather used Aghuank Proper to designate what the Greek-Roman authors identified as Albania.
Aharonian, Avetis
Avetis Aharonian
(1866-1948) Armenian politician, writer and public figure. He chaired the Armenian National Council, which proclaimed the independence of Armenia on May 28, 1918. As a member of parliament, he headed the Armenian delegation to the Paris Peace Conference, where he signed the Treaty of Sevres. He died in Paris.
