ArmHistory.com

A tale of loyalty, healing, and divine compassion in ancient Armenia In the rich world of Armenian mythology , the Aralezs hold a unique and moving role. These mythical beings—depicted as winged dog-spirits—were not gods of vengeance or war, but celestial healers. Revered for their ability to revive fallen heroes by licking their wounds, the Aralezs represent an ancient Armenian belief in divine mercy and second chances. A Legendary Tale: Ara the Beautiful and the Aralezs The most enduring legend involving the Aralezs comes from 5th-century historian Movses Khorenatsi . In his work History of the Armenians , he recounts the story of Ara the Beautiful , a noble Armenian king who died in battle after refusing the love of the Assyrian queen Semiramis . Refusing to accept his death, Semiramis laid Ara's body on a sacred mountain and prayed for the Aralezs to descend from the heavens and restore...

The 5th century occupies a distinguished place in Armenian intellectual history. Often referred to as the Golden Age of Armenian literature , this period gave rise not only to the Armenian alphabet but also to the birth of Armenian historiography . The works of the 5th-century Armenian historians laid the foundation for a national historical consciousness and continue to shape the collective memory and identity of the Armenian people. These historians— Agathangelos , Koryun , P’awstos Buzand, and Movses Khorenatsi —were not mere chroniclers of events. They were nation-builders, theologians, moralists, and literary stylists, each weaving together fact, tradition, and theology to construct narratives that linked Armenia’s past to its Christian present. Agathangelos: The Chronicler of Conversion Agathangelos is traditionally credited with writing The History of the Armenians , which details the conversion of Armenia to Christianity in the early 4th century under King Tiridates III an...

 Ashot II Bagratuni, known to posterity as Ashot Yerkat (“the Iron”), occupies a distinguished place in medieval Armenian history as a sovereign who embodied martial resilience, political prudence, and cultural stewardship. Reigning from 914 to 928 CE during a period of severe external pressure and internal fragmentation, Ashot’s leadership was instrumental in preserving the territorial integrity and institutional continuity of the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia . Crisis and Ascendancy: The Context of Ashot’s Rule The early 10th century was marked by volatile power dynamics in the South Caucasus. The Bagratid monarchy, restored under Ashot I in the previous century, faced renewed existential threats from Arab emirates, particularly the Sajid dynasty, which sought to reassert Abbasid suzerainty over Armenian lands. The execution of Ashot II’s father, King Smbat I , by the Sajid emir Yusuf Ibn Abi’l-Saj, and the installment of a rival pro-Sajid claimant, Ashot Shapuhyan, destabilized...

Among the many vivid figures of ancient Armenian mythology, none stands as boldly or burns as brightly as Vahagn , the god of fire, courage, and war. Revered as a heroic dragon slayer, Vahagn embodies the eternal struggle between light and darkness, chaos and order. His legend—passed down through generations of oral tradition and preserved in classical Armenian texts—reflects the strength and spirit of a people shaped by mountains, battles, and divine fire. Birth of a God: A Flame Born from the Cosmos One of the most enchanting elements of Vahagn’s myth is his fiery birth, recorded in a fragmentary yet powerful hymn preserved by Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi. The poem begins: "Fiery hair had he, flame his beard, His eyes were suns." According to the myth, Vahagn was born from the heart of the universe, emerging from a blazing reed, not as an infant but as a warrior already prepared for battle. His arrival was not gentle—it was a spectacle of divine force. The reed s...