THE ISSUE OF MAMIKONYANS’ ORIGIN IN HISTORIOGRAPHY AND THE QUESTION OF THEIR HOMELAND’S LOCATION

Abstract

Both during the reign of the Arshakuni dynasty and Marzpanate period, the activities of the Mamikonyan princely family played a special role in the history of the Armenian Nakharar houses. In the mid-240s, as a result of internal strife and a difficult geopolitical situation, they left their homeland - Chenastan, the issue of localization of which for two centuries remained in the focus of attention of researchers who have expressed different points of view.

Studies show that the ancestral home of the Mamikonyans bordered India in the south, the Kushan Empire in the west, Sistan in the north, and the Chinese Empire in the east. Having left their homeland, the Mamikonyans first found refuge in Bahl, where Vasudev Arshakuni gave them shelter. Owing to the efforts of the latter, having escaped punishment, they settled in Greater Armenia, where Trdat II reigned, who fought against the rule of the Sassanids, trying to preserve the independence of the country. In subsequent decades, the Mamikonyans not only gained fame as the best nakharars, but also headed the key position in the Armenian army - the position of Sparapet (supreme commander).