Book: The History of Armenia: From the Origins to the Present
Author: Simon Payaslian
Reviewed by: John Mulholland, retired manufacturing executive
Like many Americans, my knowledge of Armenians has been limited to the fact that many in their diaspora “made it” in theater and film in the U.S. — and that they hail from one of the oldest civilizations in the Caucasus region.
More recent issues, however, have put the spotlight on the modern-day country of Armenia, whose roots date back to ancient times.
Fortunately, I had inherited this book from my brother, and I pulled it out to sate my curiosity after learning about the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and gaining a cursory understanding about the genocide of Armenians by the Turks in the early part of the 20th century (still a contentious issue between the two countries a century later).
The Armenians boast a rich cultural and historical heritage centered in the Armenian Highlands, a mountainous region that includes parts of modern-day Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Iran. The book carefully follows the history of the Armenians over three millennia, with chapters spanning the Roman, Byzantine, Abbasid, Ottoman Empires and Armenia’s modern period as a Soviet republic until, finally, true independence was achieved in 1991.
Since then Armenia has lived in the shadow of the Turkish genocide (which Turkey still does not concede) and its lost homelands near Lake Van in eastern Turkey. It continues to face the difficulty of creating an economically vibrant republic in modern times and the double-edged sword of soliciting financial support from a widely dispersed diaspora around the world.
Current through 2020, the book describes how today, despite these challenges, Armenia is a free and successful republic in that difficult neighborhood called the Caucasus. If you’re curious like me, this book will answer all your questions, and I highly recommend it.
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