Արմինիյա Արաբական նահանգի սահմաններն ու վարչատարածքային բաժանումը ըստ արաբագիր սկզբնաղբիւրների
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Date
2010
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Abstract
According to the first Arabic geographers and historians (9th-10th centuries), Armenia (arab. Arminiya), Eastern Georgia/Kartli (arab. Jurzan) and Caucasian Albania (arab. Ar-Ran) constituted the single province of Arminiya in the Arab Caliphate (701-886).
On the north Arminiya bordered the Khazar Khaganate (delimited by the Great Caucasian Mountain range). It coincided with the state borders of the Arab Caliphate. In the north-west and the west Arminiya's neighbor was the Byzantine Empire (delimited by the Likh, Meskheti and Lazistan mountain ranges). In the south-west Arminiya's frontiers reached to the fortified Arab border zone of As-Sughur (near the city of Arshamashat). The Arab province of al-Jazira (Upper Mesopotamia) flanked its southern border (delimited by the Armenian Taurus and Kurdish mountains). The Arab province of Adharbayjan (delimited by the Kotur-Zagros mountain range and the Kotur, Araxes and Kur rivers) constituted its south-eastern neighbor, and on the cast Arminiya was washed by the Caspian Sea
Basing his suggestions on Arabic sources, the author suggests certain modifications to the maps, which are currently in circulation. He recommends including the Arzan region in the Arminiya province, while excluding the five upper regions of Persoarmenia and the three eastern regions of Vaspurakan. He notes, however, that the Caliphate had not divided its conquered areas according to ethnic criteria. Rather he underlines that several areas which were populated by ethnic Armenians were combined with non-Armenian areas.
On another note, the author refutes the long-standing view that Arminiya consisted of four administrative units, namely Arminiya I (ie. Albania), Arminiya II (ie. Kartli), Arminiya III and Arminiya IV (ie. Armenia). The author supports his argument by referring to the distinguished Arab historian and geographer Al-Ya'kubi (d. 897). The latter was very familiar with Armenia, as his grandfather, Wadih 'Abbas, had been its governor in 775 and he himself had served there during his youth. Al-Ya'kubi testifies that Arminiya consisted of three administrative units, namely Arminiya I (L.e. Armenia) with Dabil/Dvin as its capital, Arminiya II (ie. Albania) with Bardha'a/Partav as its capital and Arminiya III (i.e. Kartli) with Tiflis Tbilisi as its capital.
Finally, the author calculates the area of the province of Arminiya, which sums up to 271,032 sq. kms.
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Շահինեան, Ա., «Արմինիյա Արաբական նահանգի սահմաններն ու վարչատարածքային բաժանումը ըստ արաբագիր սկզբնաղբիւրների», «Հայկազեան հայագիտական հանդէս», 2010, Պէյրութ, էջ 319-321