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Index

Armenia

The Urartu Civilisation

Victory for Independence

Artashisian Dynasty on the Armenian Throne

Armenia caught between Rome and the Arsacids

The Acceptance of Christianity

Defending Christianity

Armenia Under the Bagratouni Dynasty

Cilicia - the New Armenia

Armenia Under Turanian Rule

The Renaissance or the Resurrection of Armenia

The Eastern Question

Russia in the Caucasus

The Armenian Question

Battle on Two Fronts

Tsarist Russia Against the Armenians

The Revolution of the Young Turks and the Armenian People on the Eve of World War I

The First World War

The Resurrection of Armenia

Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

- Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

Eastern Armenia

Western Armenia

"The Fateful Years" (1914-1917)

"Hopes and Emotions" (March-October, 1917)

The Bolshevik Revolution and Armenia

Transcaucasia Adrift (November, 1917

Dilemmas (March-April, 1918)

War and Independence (April-May, 1918)

The Republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia

The Suppliants (June-October, 1918)

In conclusion

Soviet Armenia

The Second Independent Republic of Armenia

Epilogue

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Armenia and Rome Against the Sasanids (228-252)

The emergence of the Sasanids in Persia entirely changed the situation in Armenia. The Arsacids had been an important counterweight in the balance against the Romans, since they did not wished to conquer the entire Middle East, but only strove to defend their country and preserve the independence of Armenia to their own advantage. In contrast to this, the Sasanids wanted to conquer the entire western Asia, drive out the Romans from the Middle East and even the Near East, and conquer Armenia and annex it to Persia

And finally, Armenia, through the Arshakounian dynasty, was closely related to the Arsacids now expelled from Persia. In the same way that Napoleon, just prior to his coronation, could not tolerate the presence of the Bourbon dynasty in Naples and Spain, the Sasanids, after their seizure of power in Persia, could not tolerate the existence of the Arsacids on the Armenian throne.

But as Bussel pointed out the Armenian branch of the Arsacid dynasty had become much more secure than the main family in Persia 3 and would, with the help from the Romans, maintain their throne and independence for another two centuries.



From AD 228 the Sasanids began their attacks on Armenia, but were thrown back. In year AD 230 A.D. the Great War between Rome and the Sasanids started and the Armenian king Khosrov (Tirdat II) joined the Roman camp with his army. The Romans suffered some defeats in Mesopotamia but Armenia managed to defend itself with success. In AD 232, Emperor Alexander Severus arrived with a large army and began a counterattack. He divided his army into three : the first force went to Armenia and joined the Armenian army in order to attack Persia from north. The second force positioned itself in the central part of the Tigris Delta, while the third, which was more important, continued under the command of the emperor himself towards Mesopotamia. The northern force, together with the Armenian army, was successfully able to march towards the Medes Atropatene (present-day Iranian Azerbaijan), but the Sasanids king Ardashir, who acted with great skill, contented himself by leaving only some scattered groups against the northern army, while he concentrated his main force against the Roman army in Mesopotamia and managed to defeat them. Alexander Severus, together with his defeated army, retreated and fled to Antiochia. 4

Now the Sasanids turned towards Armenia. The Armenian army which was supported by some Roman legions, under the command of Junius Palmatus, could defend itself with great success and managed to continue the war for several years. Mommsen pointed out that it was actually the defence of the Armenians which drew the attention of the enemy to itself and prevented the smaller Roman losses from being turned into an irreparable disaster. 6

E. Gibbon noted: "The Sasanids managed to defeat the Arsacid dynasty, but among the countless kings of this dynasty it was only Khosrov I (Tirdat II), the king of Armenia, who managed to defend himself with success. He was able, with the assistance of the natural strength of his country, with help from the enemy soldiers that had fled the country to seek asylum at his court, with assistance from Rome and most important of all, his own courage, defend Armenia. During a 30-year war the Sasanids did not manage to defeat him and were finally forced to assassinate him through a conspiracy." 8



During these events, in 242, Rome started a new counteroffensive, but the Roman legions had become totally demoralised and seemed to be more interested in politics than war. They appointed their own commander, Philip, as emperor and he returned to Rome to take over power. Chaos and a lack of discipline prevailed in the Roman army and power had fallen into the hands of the soldiers in the imperial guard. Finally, Philip and the Sasanid king Shapour signed a peace treaty.