Spoke 4: The Biblewheel and The 4th Century - Apostacy in Armenia

Spoke 4: The Biblewheel and The 4th Century
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Apostacy in Armenia


In the 4th Century Armenia, there was a struggle between living independently or joining the Parthian Empire or the Byzantine Empire:

Meruzhan Artsruni

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Meruzhan Artzruni (Armenian: Մերուժան Արծրունի Meružan Arcruni, transliteration differs; can also be spelled Merujan, Ardzruni, Artsruni, Artsrouni) (ruled c. 355-369 CE) was a Nakharar (Armenian feudal lord) from the Artzruni family. He lived in the decades following the official conversion of Armenia to Christianity, but himself remained a Zoroastrian. When the Persian king Shapur II invaded Armenia in the 360s, Meruzhan and several other Armenian lords defected to Persia, a Zoroastrian state, joining Shapur in raiding the districts of Sophene and Akilisene. The Armenian King Arsaces II (Arshak II) fled, and the Persian attack was successfully repulsed by the sparapet (general) Vassak Mamikonian. In many Armenian histories, including that of P'awstos, Meruzhan is seen as a traitor, and it is said that he was promised riches and governorship by Shapur.^[1] Some, however, contend that he saw himself as a ruler exercising his lawful powers to counter the growth of Christianity.^[2] He was killed by Arsaces II's successor King Papas (Pap).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meruzhan_Artsruni



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King of Armenia

Valens was reluctant to bestow a royal title upon Pap in order not to violate an earlier treaty signed by Jovian in July 363.^[5] Valens dispatched his magister peditum praesentalis Arinthaeus to Armenia just as Shapur II invaded the country in pursuit of Pap who was hiding near the Roman frontier in Lazica. Meanwhile, Terentius restored Sauromaces to the throne of Iberia, but the king appointed by the Persians, Aspacures retained control of the eastern part of that kingdom. Instead of going after Pap, Shapur II concentrated his attack on the now long besieged fortress of Artogerassa which fell in the winter of 370, the royal treasure was captured by the Persians and Pharantzem, raped and murdered.^[2] Shapur II also began systematically persecuting the local Christians by forcing apostasy to Mazdaism, a form of Orthodox Zoroastrianism.^[2]

Shapur II contacted Pap who was still in hiding and tried to persuade him to come over to his side. Under Shapur II's influence Pap murdered the duplicitous Cylaces and Artabanes and sent their heads to the shahanshah as a sign of loyalty. In the spring of 370 Shapur II prepared a massive invasion of Armenia which was realized in the spring of 371. Valens' generals Traianus and Vadomarius met the Persian force in Armenia at Bagrevandnot far from the village called Dzirav and came off victorious. Faustus of Byzantium gives considerable credit for the victory to sparapet Mushegh I Mamikonian. Moses of Chorene of Armenia and Roman Ammianus Marcellinus noted that the Valens' generals did not participate in the battle actively but rather were engaged in protecting the King. During the ensuing battles more Armenian territories were reclaimed from the Persians, including Arzanene and Corduene which were ceded to Persians by Jovian in 363.^[2]

By the end of the summer Shapur II retreated to his capital at Ctesiphon and Valens went back to Antioch. Shapur II was unable to confront the massive Roman build up in Armenia as a result of his preoccupation with Kushan attacks in the eastern realm of his empire. While peace prevailed with Persia, the situation inside Armenia began to crumble.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pap_of_Armenia