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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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In this way, with the help of the antagonism between its two powerful neighbours but also thanks to the courage of its people and the spirit of independence of its princes, Armenia managed to sustain its independence and its administrative and political organization.

Nevertheless, it was the same princes who, by putting their own personal gain before the need of their citizens, became the major obstacle for the creation of a united and independent nation and prevented the Armenians from joining their forces together for a common cause. None of the revolts in Armenia, during the 8th century, consisted of the 40,000 or so men which a united Armenia could have gathered. In general, the uprisings embodied no more than 5,000 participants; the maximum number would reach 10,000. The Armenian principalities never coordinated their offensive with each other, rather confronting the Arabs on their own and at different occasions.

In summarizing this period we can quote Muyldermans, who writes: "The feudal history of Armenia is full of actions which were carried out by the great families of Bagratouni, Mamikonian, Artzrouni and Rshtouni. These families, despite their fame and glory, were at the same time a great asset for their country through their loyalty towards their traditions and a burden with their eternal struggle for power amongst themselves." 46

Military Aspects

Here, we shall not only describe the military aspects in Armenia during the 400 years of Persian and Arab rule, but also the last two preceding centuries of independent Armenia under the rule of the Arshakounian dynasty.

From a military perspective, the last 200 years under the rule of the Arshakouni dynasty (3rd and 4th centuries) were little affected by the lack of balance between Rome and Persia.

The Sasanids were a much more dangerous enemy for Armenia than the Arsacids. In addition to sustaining the famous Arsacid riders, the Sasanids had, with the creation of a well-organized and professional army, improved the Persian infantry which had always been the weak point of the Arsacids. They gained the strength to surround and besiege fortresses, a level of warfare which the Arsacids never reached. Against this asset, the chain of Roman outposts along the Euphrates (for instance, the fortress of Nisibis) decreased its importance.

One could argue that the Romans had fought against the Persians over such a long period that they had taught the Persians the most valuable lesson in war: what their own weaknesses were. The Romans should have followed the advice of Lycurgus which he gave to the Spartans: "Never fight to long with one and the same people lest they learn your warfare."

In the case, the great Roman army was by this point not what it used to be anymore. The legions in the east consisted more or less of soldiers which they had recruited from amongst the local population, for example, in Syria and Palestine. These peoples were extremely dangerous in their own ways of warfare, in endurance and guerrilla warfare, but quite inexperienced in organized wars. As the Roman army relied upon organized warfare, the balance between the west and the Sasanid forces was tipped to the advantage of Rome's enemy.

Later, with Islam as their driving force, the Arabs were transformed into a power seemingly impossible to withstand, due to their religious motivation. The extremely rapid conquest of the entire Middle East, with relatively small Arab armies (each consisting of 5,000 to 10,000 men) remains an incredible event in history.