IMPORTANT NOTE: You are required to respond to two of the questions below in essay form.
Written probably sometime in the early seventh century C.E., Eghishe’s History of Vardan and the War recounts the war of Vardandants‘ of 451 C.E. between Sasanian Iran and Armenia over the Armenians’ right to remain a Christian nation against the Sasanian emperor Yazdkert II’s attempts to impose Zoroastrianism on the Armenians. As Robert Thomson and Peter Cowe point out in their studies, the History of Vardan is regarded as one of the most important works in the Armenian literary canon because it represents a social drama of good versus evil, purity versus pollution, unity and perseverance versus dissent and betrayal. Relying on Thomson’s and Cowe’s essays, classroom discussion, as well as any other relevant works from the syllabus, describe and analyze 1) the historical circumstances leading to the war of Vardanants, 2) the respective roles of Vardan Mamikonian and Vasak Suny in the war, and 3) why Eghishe’s account of the war has served as a “root paradigm” (Aslanian lecture and Marble essay) or “polysemic text” (Cowe) for understanding struggles involving the preservation of Armenian identity from the Armenian genocide to the Karabagh movement in the late twentieth century. Your response should incorporate readings by Thomson, Cowe, Garsoïan chapter (“the Marzpanate period”), Aslanian “marble of Armenian history,” chapter(s) from Bournoutian, classroom lecture, and any other sources relevant to the topic.
2) Describe and analyze the expansion of Islam into Armenia beginning in the early 640s and culminating with the establishment of Abbasid rule in Armenia. What important changes on Armenians and Armenia did the expansion of Islam into Armenia bring? In the long term, how did the advent of Islamic rule in Armenia 1) influence the power relations between various nakharar families, 2) influence the demographic balance in the region, and 3) contribute to economic, cultural, and urban renewal, and promote religious autonomy for the Armenian church? In your response, you need to consult at least the following works: Garsoïan, “The Arab Invasions and the Rise of the Bagratuni (640-884)” in The Armenian People: From Ancient to Modern Times, and Bournoutian, “A People of the Book: Armenia under Arab Domination,” and readings by Eaton and lecture.
3) Agathangelos’s History of Armenia written around 460 C.E. contains the classic account of Tiridates the Great’s (r. 298-330) conversion to Christianity in the early years of the fourth century C.E. Since the work was written about a hundred and fifty years after Armenia’s Christianization was initiated and stylistically conforms to the Christian genre of hagiography, scholars have treated the History as confirmation that by the late fifth century, Greco-Syrian Christianity had fully supplanted Zoroastrian culture in Armenia. How does Nina Garsoïan’s essay, “The Iranian Substratum of the Agathangelos Cycle,” boldly challenge this interpretation? Why does Garsoïan focus on the symbolism of the “wild boar” to gain a rare glimpse into the Zoroastrian culture of post-conversion Armenia? A good response to this question needs to make use of Agathangelos’s original source (see primary source readings under Agathangelos) for a careful interpretation and reconstruction of Garsoïan’s arguments in her “Iranian Substratum” essay. An excellent response would also rely on Garsoïan’s “prolegomena” essay.
4) The Invention of the Armenian script in the early years of the fifth century C.E. by Mashtots came on the heels of an alphabet and codex revolution in the Near East ushering in the universal and evangelizing religion of Christianity. Relying on James Russell’s two essays on the syllabus, the Kouymjian chapter of the “archeology of the Armenian manuscript,” as well as other relevant work (including lectures) describe and analyze the coming of the script and codex to Armenia and how this invention by Mashtots‘ contributed to 1) the more thorough spread of the process of Christianization, and 2) in the long run established one of the key foundations of Armenian national identity by promoting manuscript culture that has left in its wake over 31,000 surviving Armenian manuscripts in numerous collections around the world.
III. Instructions:
Remember to think historically – always take into account historical context, specificity, and significance. Avoid generalizations and blanket statements that possess little historical value, meaning, or accuracy.
Essays must have clearly stated introduction, thesis statement, and arguments/analysis/discussion supported with relevant references and bibliography.
Essays must be clearly structured and analytical, noting all relevant points and supporting your thesis with evidence and examples, that is, relevant dates, figures, places, events.
The questions above are fairly straightforward yet require thought, analysis, and synthesis.
Appropriate responses to the questions require the following:
having command of the topic, meaning facts/evidence and essential issues;
selectively and at times creatively choosing examples from a variety of possibilities;
combining the particular and separate pieces of evidence into a coherent whole;
presenting that whole in a well-organized and grammatically correct essay that has a clear thesis, cogent analysis, and adequate evidence.
The essay must draw from all relevant readings, lectures, and discussions. It is imperative that you demonstrate understanding of and ability to incorporate readings assigned and discussed in class. That means bringing them into your response by direct reference and discussion whenever relevant. Failure to do successfully incorporate all relevant readings will be detrimental to your grade on this assignment. if you need further clarification, please ask.
IV. Format
Two essays of no more than four pages each for a total of 8 pages and not more. Paginate! [Do not count the title page if you have one.] Also, while the first page is counted, it is not numbered. Typed, doublespaced, 12-point font, one-inch margins, and black ink.
On the title page or first page, include the following: Your name, date (or semester), course number, and my name.
Before each essay, include the essay question or number.
Use the past tense. Do not use the present or subjunctive mood for the conditional, i.e., do not use “would.” It happened – it is in the past – use the past tense.
V. Evaluation
The paper will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Quality of insights/material presented
Clear demonstration of effort
Quality of writing, including clarity and elegance
Organization
Use of specific examples to support points
Following instructions
Accuracy of citations
REMEMBER TO PROOFREAD AND POLISH YOUR PAPER BEFORE SUBMITTING IT. SLOPPY WRITING WILL BE REFLECTED IN YOUR GRADE.
