Erz-Rum, or Garin,1 is now the chief town, and one of
great importance, from its position, although its population
has been reduced, since the war of 1829, from 130,000 to
less than 30,000 ; in consequence of a forced migration of
the inhabitants into the Russian provinces.2
The population of Armenia has always been considerable ;3
but from the nature of the country, which is subdivided into
many small districts by its numerous mountains, valleys, and
rivers, and from the inhabitants being composed of many
different tribes, it became almost always an easy prey to the
invader ; and it has, in fact, been subdued successively by the
Babylonians, Assyrians, Medes, Mongols, Parthians, Romans,
and Turks. In consideration of their ready obedience and
passive fidelity, the Turks prefer, as agents or servants, the
Armenians to the Greeks, and, indeed, to any other people
in the Sultan’s dominions. They have also been partially
engaged to serve as militiamen, and apparently with more
advantage to the state than could have been expected, considering
that want of spirit and activity by which they are
generally characterised.
The Armenians say that they were converted to Christianity
in the year 44, by Saints Bartholemy and Thadeus,
who were put to death subsequently by the authority of
Sanahughe, the reigning chief.4 St. Gregory was the next
gospel missionary ; and it was he who accompanied Tiridates,
king of Armenia, to Rome.
A n c ie n t G eo g r a ph y .'
Armenia, according to Herodotus, is separated from Cilicia
by the river Euphrates on one side, and touches Matiane on
* Called Theodosiopolis, in honour of Theodosius the Younger.—Moses
Chorene, Hist., lib. III., cap. lv.
s 12 690 were placed in the province of Bambak Shuragel (southward of
Tiflls).—Aperçu, &c., Tome II., p. 302.
3 That of the different provinces will he given with the territory to which
they belong.
4 MSS. of Armenian History, collected during, my journey in 1831 ; also
Etat présent de l’Arménie. Paris, 1694.
the other. It is watered by four navigable rivers, and possesses
an abundance of cattle.1 The people, he adds, were
originally a colony of Phrygians.2 But, On the contrary,
Strabo, whilst he gives the tradition of their descent from
Armenus (who had followed Jason from Thessaly into
Armenia), adds, that the Armenians are in some degree
relatives of the Thessalians.3
Towards the east are Media Magna and Atropatena; to
the north, the mountains of Parachoathras, which overlook
the Caspian Sea, and the country of the Albanians, the Iberians,
and Caucasus. To the west are the mountains of
Paryadres4 and the Cydisses, as far as Armenia Minor, and
that part of the river Euphrates which separates Armenia
from Gappadocia and Commagene;5 and finally the Taurus
separates it from Mesopotamia.6
Moses Choronensis7 gives nearly the same limits. He says ■
that Armenia Major is situated eastward from Cappadocia
and Armenia Minor, and that the river Euphrates and the
mountains of Taurus separate it from Mesopotamia. Southward
is Assyria, stretching along the frontiers of Atropatia
and Media, as far as the mouths of the Araxes. To the north
it has Albania, Iberia, and Egeria, L e., Colchis.
D iv is io n s o f A rm e n ia by M oses C h o r o n e n s is .
Within these limits are fifteen great provinces, which aré
named in the following order, viz.
In the North, and going from W. to E.,
1. High Armenia, or Bartzer Haic.
2. Daik’h.
3. Koukark’h, or Gugars.
4. Oudi, or Uti.
In the centre; also from W. to E.,
5. Fourth Armenia, or Chayroot Haic.
1 Herod., lib. V., c. xlix. 3 Lib. VII., c. Ixxiii. 3 Lib. XI., p. 530.
4 Pliny says that Armenia Major commences at the Paryadres, and extends
to Adiabene; also to the river Tigris, on the side of Mesopotamia, and
to the Euphrates towards Cappadocia.—Lib. VI., c. ix.
5 Lib. XI., p. 527. 3 Lib. XL, p. 521. 7 p 357