Post by ioan on Jun 22, 2010 3:47:16 GMT -5
ROMAN PROVINCE THRACE IN
“ARMENIAN HYSTORY”
BY MOSES OF CHORENE
A very few part of Balkan Peninsula had that strategic importance for several dozen centuries, as Thrace used to be. Different political and religions interests were interlacing in it, depend on time of its events and there was no period without events in that area usually considered of Danube in north up to Constantinople in south.
Strategic importance of Thrace additionally emphasized the Danube valley and Black sea coast. There were no antic writer who has not give data on Thrace – Herodot, Strabon, Plinius Junior, Dion Kassius, Arrian, Xenophont… are just few names which had perpetuate events in Thrace and Thrace itself from their point to view. It was exceptionally interesting for us, to see how Thrace was written about by somebody who had lived across the Black Sea and had different interests unlike their precursors. So, we had chosen Moses of Chorene who was born in 370. AC in Chorene, Armenia.
Moses of Chorene also known as “the father of Armenian literature” earned his broad education after basic level in all larger cultural centers. So, he had lived in Edesa (Mesopotamia), Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, Athens and Constantinople.
It is needed to emphasize that he improved the knowledge of Greek literature an also have been known for its knowledge.
He spends time in Constantinople until 434. when he decided to return to native Armenia which just had achieved in 442. After he was ordained for bishop in Armenia, he also became parish archive custodian and as a linguist collaborated in translation of the Old Testament.
It is needed to mention he had started to write the history of Armenia the very same year he returned to Armenia (442), and he covered the events up to 441. year. There are opinions, although isolated, Moses of Chorene was one of the most educated man of its time . The exact year of his death is unknown, but two years are speculated: with 487. in reference to 492.
On the basis of certain anachronisms, newer historiography has determined the history of Armenia has been in writing up to 9th century which doesn’t reduce its significance concerned narrative about Armenian data in which it is very clear and precise. There are a several facts of this literary work connected in one way or another to Thrace and we are going to focus on those facts.
We find a very interesting fact in second book of history of Armenia when Moses writes: “on the days of Arshak” , great intrigues appeared at the bottom of large Caucus forest , in the land of Bulgarians; many of them separated and joined our side and settled for a long period of time at the bottom of Kola , on fruitful ground, in the places full of bread. ”
With regard to Moses previously at one point mentions certain Bulgarian by his name Bunda , at the same area (region below Caucus beside Black sea), who leaded a group of his fellow tribesmen to Metsamor, where they get a land and also a collective name Vanande , it can be said it is first testimony, to our knowledge, about colonization of the Black sea coast from its east side by certain Armenian source. Two facts are attracted special attention: terms “Bulgarian Vehndur Vund” and “the land of Bulgarians” both used by Moses of Chorene.
It is very possible to term “Vrlndur” designations a title very similar to Mongol bagatur or Russian bogatûrü which marks a tribe ruler. There is also a presumption Vund is the Bulgaria tribe’s name among tribes mentioned in Armenia’s “Geography of VII century” as a olkontor . From the point of todays knowledge, it is assumed we are here dealing with Volsh Bulgarians which have settled upper basin of Kura river at first, than later, after they’ve got land the most likely in permanent ownership, have been assimilated and proof for that claim is their name (Venande). Naturally, all of this happens during the reign of Vaharshaks. Moses of Chorene also claims “up today” (until his time and that would be 5th century) they are called by names of their brothers and descendants - Venda . Under his son Arhak I, therefore in period between II and I century BC, certain group of Bulgarians set out by the Kura river, the most probably around river basin into Caspian lake (“and they settled for a long period of time down of Kolo, on the fruitful land, full of bread”) . On the news, German scientist Neumann , based on mention of Bulgarians, Bulkars and their leader Vunda/Venda, thought it can be spoken of historic existence of Slavs Bulgarians since 2nd century BC. This thesis was supported by Moses himself claimed in their names there was no sense of Armenian language as well as a fact that Ptolemy and Pliny had registered the tribes of Serbi and Serrei in this areas, what is certainly according to other antic sources, strongly pointed to Vends, Vunds to Slavs close Serbs entity equality. As this subject requires an extra and new viewpoint of this problem, we shall not discuss it any further.Reconstruction of Serbs by Pliny and Ptolomy
For this study, it is far more interesting fact Moses claims almost as an unimportant one and concerned with conflict between Abgar and Irod. Here is how Moses describes it:
“Abgar couldn’t protest new taxes. There has been a census conducted in Armenia. As he felt Rome support, Irod asked for his portrait to be placed in Armenian’s temples as well, among Roman emperor’s portraits and the Armenian czar’s portrait. That demand caused stormy Armenian people’s reaction. At that time, Irod was supposed to lead army versus Thrace and German army to devastate Persian country . Irod have changed his itinerary since Abgar didn’t let him additionally crossing throughout Armenia but pointed him to enter Persia by desert side, upon the August’s decree, so Irod has decided to get through Abgar country and that caused a rise of all Armenian nation forbade Irod to enter their region. At the time of this Irod get bad and passed away. This incident weakened Rome influence in Armenia.
This incident, described by Moses of Chorene, brought us some very special cognition, and we will handle with it in this essay. Namely, it says that Irod did sent “Thracian and German armies to ravage Persian side”. The association between Thracians and Germans in these areas is the anachronism by itself because the very first German’s settlers were noticed in this region three-four centuries afterwards.
As Moses had procreated and lived in Chorene, it was possible that he considered some other clan arrived over the Thrace and the Black sea coast like a Germans. The question is: what Thracian army is about with Irod going to invade Armenia, and we will consider that question in further course of this essay.
It is clear that the term Thracian army means an army which composed by people from Thrace. But, Thrace was full of many different clans, and it will be very interesting to find out which clan or which clan’s members are about. The clans which were described by Herodot like these involved in Dary’s forays (because of political obligation, or geographic location) are following: “Petians, Kikonians, Bistons, Sapyans, Dersejci, Edonians, and Satyre. And all of them those were lived on the sea coast followed him (Darie, N.O.) in the war (…) all of them but Satiri. ” The all mentioned clans belong to Herodotus Thracians and for these it says that “beside the Indus, it is about the greater world nation …They have plenty of names, according to different districts, but their have common habits, with exception of Getae and Trauzae and the tribes which settle down over the Krestoniances. ”
Our opinion is that this citation is the key for identifying the Germans mentioned by Moses. The biggest encyclopedist from the 6th century, Isidor Bishop of Seville, in his capital work “Etymology” it says that Getae is the very first name for the Goths tribe. Getae which were dwelt area southward from Danube until northwest part of Carpati, were forebears of Goths and they were considered as Dachians. So, G.Soturif says that some briefs instigated Getae as a Dachians, and some as a Goths. We shell try to identify the origin of Moses’s Germans i.e. Getae/Goths by achieving conceivably sense about who were clan members which were ran to help Irod. The fact that several antique authors were placing Thracians in the same family tree with the Illyrians, Sarmatians, Scitians, and Dalmatians, established by Jafet perfectly makes sense. No one speaks about Dacians regarding this, and this is the proof that ethnonim was arisen later, by the migration of Thrace’s population across the river Danube, and by administrative division into separated complexes Dacia and Dacia Ripensis on the one and the Thrace on the other side.
According to Strabonov’s data, Getian has the same language as the Thracians. Roman poet/bard Ovidius, who was expatriated in Pont, it says: “I have already learned to speak Getian and Sarmatian “ and at another place: “I as a roman bard – forgive me, muses! - as many time I did forced speaking Sarmatian.” In this place, it is very important to make a difference between Sarmatian and Gethian language, and that is the cornerstone for derive conclusion that was about two different languages. In the range of various antique sources dealing with the same subject – unique language and close understanding of Balkan’s clans, it will append Appian’s evidence that “to the Romans, who Moesians considered as Illyrians, Thracian and Illyrian languages was the same.”
From the all data mentioned above, the famous Dominican Sebastian Dolci has written: “Verily, based on the oldest monuments, it is clear that Thracians, Illyrians, Sarmatian and Getae had common dealing, common language actually.”
However, it’s can’t be said about Thraco-German army who rans to help Irod, without deeper understanding about it what entity/es was/were considered as the tribes mentioned in the work of Moses of Chorene. In any case, if we accept the possibility that was underlined by almost all ancient authors who deal with tribes of Thracia, that’s the clans of Balkan Peninsula have had one single language, (with possibility of known dialect’s differences), it’s bringing a question: which language they used to, by itself? This will helps, probably, to reveal another piece of knowledge regarding history of Balkan Peninsula and Thrace itself as its relevant factor.
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