It play also that he did struggle with the latest dragons, and you can overcame her or him; and lots of say that his valiant deeds was in fact for example unto Hercules
Their really ancient towns and cities, Van, Armavir, had been foundations from Vannic kings, if you find yourself recently it’s been unveiled that the town of Hajk, southeast out of Van, shows some of the familiar options that come with a great Khaldean payment. But their supreme goodness when you look at the pre-Religious era wasn’t Khaldis, however the Persian Ormuzd, which demonstrates that new Persians worked out a much greater determine.
Exactly how up coming you are going to Semiramis ever came to Van inside the quest out-of an enthusiastic Armenian queen, whilst seems that the fresh Scythians had currently beat Assyria just before the good increase out of Armenian millions? Nor does it check your town of Van is actually established from the Assyrian king, toward inscriptions generate no regard to the lady name. Queen Memas which, throughout the look at Lynch, created the latest greatest canal, was at the likelihood the author of the garden town. The belief, according to Lynch, since already said, is the fact so it legend is the Armenian style of the outdated Hellenic myth of Aphrodite and you may Adonis, absorbed inside the control of your Seleucid dynasty which observed the fresh new conquest regarding Alexander in the 325 B.C.fourteen
But that is unrealistic. One to a misconception shall be bought out by the an interest some one while the characters rechristened is easy to know, however, your identity of a single of those might be used towards the old city is very improbable to put it mildly. In addition, the legend was tasting alternatively strongly which have Persian voluptuousness, which will be not really suggestive regarding Greek delicacy and you may subtlety. Neither is the fact that the horde annexed the nation after the destruction out-of Assyria at all conclusive, to own in the event that there are one consumption whatsoever, since there need to certainly was, the newest Khaldean community and history would be to one the amount the actual possession of your Armenians. Even intermarriage create perhaps end up being a lot of, for just what Irishman that has been in the usa two days does not talk about Benjamin Franklin and you can George Washington while the their forefathers? It’s as listed and one even today the fresh tunnel spoken of is known as “Shamiram-Su” otherwise lake out of Semiramis, of the the Armenians.15 In general it appears in my experience definitive, therefore, that legend out of Semiramis and you may Ara has its sources in Armenian history, that’s not a form of brand new Hellenic misconception.
Point 4. The fresh Legend regarding Vahakn
Brand new legend of Vahakn, king and you may jesus of Armenians, is very obviously due to the brand new Greek period, and therefore observed new Persian conquest under Xerxes. Vahakn was deified because of his higher valor and made the fresh new fire-jesus of your own Armenian someone.16 He had been called “Vishapakagh,” uprooter off dragons, as the guy cleared Armenia from monsters and you will stored it regarding worst has an effect on. His exploits was indeed identified about home of your own gods since really such as Armenia. The best of those is this new theft from corn from the newest barns regarding Queen Barsham of Assyria, out-of who he ran aside and you can made an effort to cover-up inside heaven. Because of the ears he decrease inside the fast flight, around emerged the Milky Means Polyamorous dating apps to create when you look at the Armenian new “monitoring of new corn stealer.”17
With these own ears did we pay attention to such words sung to brand new musical accompaniment of your harp. Someone else say that he was a jesus, and that good image of him stood on house regarding Georgia, in which it was worshipped, which have sacrifices.19
The fresh new girlfriend out of Vahakn was Astghik, brand new goddess away from charm, a beneficial personification of the moonlight, equal to the fresh Phoenician and you can Sidonian Astarte. This might be effective of Greek dictate, to possess Venus, this new Greek deity of beauty, was also brand new spouse away from a flames-jesus, Vulcan.20