The Bagratids

The History and Legacy of the Kings Who Ruled Medieval Armenia

By: Charles River Editors

Narrated by: KC Wayman

During the reign of the Artaxiad dynasty, Armenia became a hub of trade and commerce, connecting the Silk Road and the Mediterranean world. The Armenian kings encouraged the development of agriculture, commerce, and arts, and the kingdom became renowned for its skilled artisans, writers, and philosophers. Of course, given its central location, the dynasty also faced numerous challenges, including repeated invasions by the Roman and Parthian empires, internal conflicts, and economic hardships. The dynasty’s resilience and adaptability enabled it to survive for nearly two centuries, leaving behind a rich cultural and political legacy that has endured in the region, even as its historical memory was overshadowed by its more powerful neighbors.

After the collapse of the Artaxiad dynasty (at the onset of the 1st century BCE), Rome and the kingdom of Parthia engaged in a competition for political influence in the vast territory of Greater Armenia. The Parthian Arshakunis endeavored to expel Rome from the region, aiming to establish the dominance of their own lineage. The political strategy devised by Parthian King Artabanus III, however, remained unrealized, as his sons Vorodes and Arshak I, who held the throne in Great Armenia, were deposed due to the intervention of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. By inciting the Alban, Georgian, and other neighboring tribes against the Armenians, Tiberius facilitated the ascendancy of Mithridates, the brother of Iberian King Pharasmanes, to the throne of Greater Armenia in the year 36.

With the approval of the Roman emperor, the Goderdzak province of Greater Armenia was annexed to Iberia in 37, and Armenian Mesopotamia was incorporated into Adiabene. Simultaneously, Tiberius elevated the Armenian kingdoms of Commagene and Lesser Armenia to the status of Roman territories.

©2024 Charles River Editors (P)2024 Charles River Editors

Terrible delivery

This has got to be the worst reading of a book I have heard so far on audible. The reader could not be bothered to check pronunciation. So bad that he does not know how to pronounce even the most basic terms such as “Armenia” and “Catholicos” - let alone any of the Armenian names!! He does not even know how to pronounce English words such as “ministerial”. His delivery is way too fast giving the impression that he just wants to get it over with. Audible needs to do a lot better than this.