Armenia and the Armenians: A List of References in the New York Public Library

Armenia and the Armenians: A List of References in the New York Public Library

This list contains titles of works in The New York Public Library on March 1, 1919. The books and articles mentioned are in the Reference Department, in the Central Building of the Library at Fifth Avenue and Forty-second Street. Few people have been the subject of so much pity and commiseration as have the Armenians. And few have deserved such pity as fully as have they. A remarkable race, they have had an uncommon history. They have always written and spoken an Indo-European language, one that belongs to that large number of which the Sanskrit is an early and prominent representative. According to their traditions, they are also of Indo-European race; though evidently intermixed with Semitic and other blood. Historically, they come to our notice at first in ancient Phrygia; and, peculiarly enough, seem to have reversed the general order and to have travelled towards the rising sun instead of towards the west. The Empire of the Hittites was breaking up, and the Armenians appear to have settled in the upper reaches of the Euphrates, to have extended their quarters into the region of Lakes Van and Urmia and to have made their home around Mt. Ararat. Unfortunately, the Armenians were never able to hold out long as an independent kingdom. In antiquity the greater Powers of Greece, of Seleucid Syria, of Persia and of Rome were at hand, ready to prevent the assertion of any rights that might controvert their own. At one time, it is true, that which historians call Armenia Major and Armenia Minorthe Caucasus regions south of the mountains and north of Mesopotamiawere ruled by independent kings, especially under Tigranes II, termed the Great (9456 B. C.), who extended his power to take in a good deal of the former kingdom of Assyria, the northwest corner of Persia, the province of Azerbaijan, a territory said to have covered some 500,000 square miles and to have contained some 3,000,000 inhabitants. His royal city was called after his own nameTigranocerta; and it is sufficient to record Ciceros saying that Tigranes made the Republic of Rome tremble before his powers. But Romes watchful eye was envious of such power, and under Lucullus, in 69 B. C., Armenian independence was put downnot to be raised again for many centuries. At a later date she became the playball between Byzantium and Persia, who in their continued strife swarmed up and down her land carrying destruction in their wake. Weakened as she thus was, she was in no condition to withstand the onslaughts made upon [2]her by the Arab hordes that swarmed up through northern Mesopotamia in 636 A.D. But, withal, her people held firmly to their heritage. From time to time attempts at freedom were made and independent kings ruled for a nonce and after a fashion. Vartan did this in from 571 until 578 under the Byzantines. Ashot I was semi-independent in 885 under the auspices of Arab overlords. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 52371
Author: Pratt, Ida A. (Ida Augusta)
Release Date: Jun 19, 2016
Format: eBook
Language: English