Beate Dignas & Engelbert Winter - Kaveh Farrokh

26 Armenia 181
built during late antiquity and in particular the early Middle Ages can still be
admired today, which has led to the assumption that Armenia contributed
to the development of Christian religious architecture in general. 39 The
following passage attests to the consequences of Tiridates’ decision for
Armenia’s position between Rome and the Sasanian Empire.
Moses of Chorene (ed. Thomson) iii.5 40
Copy of the letter of the Armenians
‘Head-bishop Vrt anēs and those bishops under him and all the nobles of Greater
Armenia, to our lord Constantius, emperor, autocrator, Greeting.
Remember the sworn agreement 41 of your father Constantine, which was [made]
to our king Tiridates; and do not give this country of yours to the godless Persians,
but assist us with forces, in order to create as king the son of Tiridates, Xusrō.
For God has made you lord not only of Europe but also all the Middle-lands, and
respect for your power has reached the ends of the earth. And we ask that your
rule may expand more and more. Be well.’
On hearing this, Constantius sent Antiochus, the overseer of his palace, 42 with a
substantial force and purple robes with a crown and a letter which had this original:
Letter of Constantius
‘Augustus, autocrator, emperor Constantius, to you the great Vrt‘anēs and all
your countrymen, greetings.
I have sent to you a force in assistance and the order to make as king for you
Xusrō, son of your king Tiridates, so that, having been established in good order,
you may serve us faithfully. Be well.’
As is the case with the history of Agathangelos, the work of Moses of
Chorene confronts us with serious chronological difficulties, and this with
regard to its date of composition as well as the sequence of the narrative.
Moses himself claims to have composed his work in the fifth century and
to have been a contemporary of St Maˇstoc . The debate over the date is
ongoing but recent scholarship has forcefully argued in favour of a date of
composition in the eighth or ninth century. 43 As far as the narrative itself
is concerned, in many places the work contradicts the information given
by other authors. Nevertheless, the text throws much light on the situation
of Armenia during the first half of the fourth century. After the victory of
39 See Redgate 1998: 113–39.
40 On this passage see also Thomson 1980: 257–8.
41 Such an ‘agreement’ is also referred to by Agathangelos 877, ‘Similarly with great happiness he showed
love for king Tiridates as a dear brother especially because of his knowledge of God; furthermore he
made a treaty with him, holding the faith which was in Christ the lord as the common denominator,
so that they might preserve assuredly and for ever a steadfast friendship between the kingdoms’ (tr.
T. Greenwood); see also Epic Histories iii.21.
42 Cf. Thomson 1980: 258 with n. 3. 43 See Thomson 1980: 1–61; Mahé and Mahé 1993.