ՌՈՄԻԿ ՔՈՉԱՐԵԱՆ / ROMIK KOCHARIAN 
Պատմութեան որպէս իմաստ գոյութիւնն ու կերպաւորումը Մովսէս Խորենացու
պատմագիտական հայեցակարգում
The being and formation of history as of meaning in the historical-scientific conception
of Moses Khorenatsi 

Bazmavep 2016 / 3 - 4, pp. 298-348

In this article an attempt is made on the basis of the Babylonian Chronicles and Armenian medieval historians Movses Khorenatsi and Sebeos to describe the political situation in the Armenian Highlands at the end of the 7th century BC. In his monumental work, Khorenatsi mainly preferred Greek sources, hence the Median version of the fall of the Assyrian state. But Khorenatsi clearly possessed other sources as well, according to which the fall of Assyria was considered from the point of view of Babylon. Moreover, Khorenatsi himself does not deny the existence of this fact – “For the deeds of the father Nabuchadnezzar were written down by the supervisors of their annals ...”. Here the conclusions are more than clear: there were two versions available to Khorenatsi according to which the first Armenian king was crowned not by Nabopalassar or Nebuchadnezzar, but by the Median king Varbakes-Cyaxares.
In the work of Sebeos we come across only the Babylonian version, where the above mentioned events are connected with Babylon. Sebeos notes: “This P’arnawaz submitted to the king of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar, and since then was ruled by the kings of the Babylonians and Medians before Alexander the Great.” Sebeos reports that the possession of P’arnawaz were located in the southwestern regions of the Armenian Highland – in Ałdznik (Աղձնիք) or Sophene (Isuwa, Ծոփք), in particular in the region of Angełtun (Անգեղտուն) of the Armenian Geography. The name of P’arnawaz appears in the list of Armenian kings and patriarchs in Khorenatsi’s work. The records of Sebeos are similar to the Babylonian Chronicles. Of the latter, we know that during the Assyrian-Babylonian conflict (626-605 BC), the Babylonian army led by kings Nabopalassar and Nebuchadnezzar, the heir to the throne, appeared at least three times on the borders of the Armenian Highlands. Perhaps they moved further into the highlands – in 609 BC to the Izalla area, in 608 BC to Bet-Hanuniya and in 607 BC “to the district of Uraš/rtu” or “to the district of the sea” [in the basin of Lake Van or Lake Hazar (?)].
In this article an attempt is made (on the basis of the “Babylonian Chronicles” and Armenian medieval historians Movses Khorenatsi and Sebeos) to restore political situation in the Armenian Highland at the end of VII century B.C. In his monumental work M. Khorenatsi mainly preferred Greek sources. Hence originates the “Median” version of the fall of the Assyrian state. But M. Khorenatsi obviously possesses with other sources also, according to which the fall of Assyria was considered from the point of view of Babylon. Moreover, M. Khorenatsi himself does not deny the existence of this fact – "For the deeds of the father Nabuchadnezzar were written down by the supervisors of their annals...". Here the conclusions are more than clear: under the hand of M. Khorenatsi there were two versions according to which the first Armenian king was crowned not by Nabopalassar or Nebuchadnezzar, but by the Midian king "Varbakes"-Cyaxares. And in the study of Sebeos we meet only the “Babylonian” version, where the above mentioned events are bound to Babylonia. Sebeos notes: "This P’arnawaz submitted to the king of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar. And since then was owned by the kings of the Babylonians and Midian before the Alexander the Great". Sebeos reports that the possession of Parnawaz were located in the southwestern regions of the Armenian Highland - in Ałdznik or Sophena (Isuwa), in particular, in the region of Angełtun of the “Armenian Geography”. The name of P’arnawaz occurs in the list of Armenian kings-patriarchs in M. Khorenatsi's work. The records of Sebeos are similar to the "Babylonian Chronicles". Of the latter, we know that during the Assyrian-Babylonian conflict (626-605 B.C.), the Babylonian army, led by King Nabopalassar and Nebuchadnezzar, the heir to the throne, appeared at least three times on the borders of the Armenian Highland. Perhaps they moved further into the highlands - in 609 B.C. in the Izalla area, in 608 B.C. in Bet-Hanuniya and in 607 B.C. "to the district of Uraš/rtu" or "to the district of Sea (in the basin of Lake Van or Lake Hazar (?))".