Դվին | |
 Drawing of the central square of the ancient Armenian capital city of Dvin. The main cathedral ofSt. Grigor (4th–5th century), with a small church ofSt. Sarkis to the right (6th century), and the residence of theCatholicos on the left (5th century). | |
  Dvin Shown within Armenia Show map of Armenia Dvin Dvin (Ararat) Show map of Ararat | |
| Location | Southwest of theDvin village; betweenHnaberd andVerin Dvin,Ararat Province,Armenia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°0′16″N44°34′42″E / 40.00444°N 44.57833°E /40.00444; 44.57833 |
| History | |
| Builder | KingKhosrov III |
| Founded | 4th century |
| Abandoned | 1236 |
Dvin (Classical Armenian:ԴուինDuin orԴվինDvin;Greek:Δούβιος,Doúbios or Τίβιον,Tíbion;[1]Arabic:دبيل, Dabīl or Doubil) was a large commercial city and thecapital ofearly medieval Armenia. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city ofArtaxata, along the banks of the Metsamor River, 35 km to the south of modernYerevan. It is claimed it was one of the largest cities east ofConstantinople prior to its destruction by the Mongols in the 13th century, but with an overall area of approximately 1 km2, it was far smaller than many of the great cities of Asia.[2][3] It had an estimated population of 45,000 in 361, 47,000 in 622, and around 100,000 at its height in the 8th-9th centuries.[4] Nyura Hakobyan proposed a peak population of 100,000 to 150,000.[5]
The site of the ancient city is currently not much more than a large hill located between modernHnaberd (just off the main road through Hnaberd) andVerin Dvin, Armenia. Excavations at Dvin since 1937 have produced an abundance of materials, which have shed light on theArmenian culture of the 5th to the 13th centuries.
The earliest Armenian authors almost always give the name of the city asDuin (Դուին), while later authors such asSamuel of Ani spell itDvin (Դվին), which is the form commonly used in scholarly literature.[6][a] The early medieval Armenian historianMovses Khorenatsi explains the name of Dvin as coming from a(Middle) Persian word (*duwīn) meaning 'hill'.[7][8][6] In the 5th-century Armenian history attributed toFaustus of Byzantium, the site is called "the hill [blur] in the plain of the Mecamōr called Duin" without reference to the meaning of the name.[9] According to Erich Kettenhofen, Khorenatsi's explanation of the name resulted from an incorrect interpretation of the aforementioned passage in Faustus's history.[6] Marie-Louise Chaumont writes that Khorenatsi's etymology became more accepted after Vladimir Minorsky pointed out the use of the worddovīn to mean 'hill' in Persian place names.[7]
The ancient city of Dvin was built byKhosrov III Kotak in 335 on a site of an ancient settlement and fortress from the 3rd millennium BC. Since then, the city had been used as the primary residence of the Armenian Kings of theArsacid dynasty. Dvin boasted a population of about 100,000 citizens in various professions, including arts and crafts, trade, fishing, etc.[10][11][12][13][14]
After the fall of theArmenian Kingdom in 428, Dvin became the residence ofSassanid appointedmarzpans (governors), Byzantinekouropalates and laterUmayyad- andAbbasid-appointedostikans (governors). Under Arsacid rule, Dvin prospered as one of the most populous and wealthiest cities east ofConstantinople. Its prosperity continued even after thepartition of Armenia between Romans and Sasanids, when it became the provincial capital ofPersian Armenia,[15] and eventually it became a target during the height of theEarly Muslim conquests. The palace at Dvin contained a Zoroastrian fire-temple.[16] According toSebeos and CatholicosJohn V the Historian, Dvin was captured by theArabs in 640 during the reign ofConstans II and Catholicos Ezra. During theArab conquest of Armenia, Dvin was captured and pillaged in 640, in the first raids. On January 6, 642 the Arabs stormed and took the city, with many deaths.[17] Dvin became the center of the Muslim province ofArminiya, the Arabs called the city Dabil.
Although Armenia was abattleground between Arabs and Byzantine forces for the next two centuries, in the 9th century it still flourished. Frequent earthquakes and continued warfare led to the decline of the city from the beginning of the 10th century. During a majorearthquake in 893, the city was destroyed, along with most of its 70,000 inhabitants.[18]
Following a devastatingBuyid raid in 1021, which sacked the city, Dvin was captured by theKurdishShaddadids ofGanja, and ruled byAbu'l-Aswar Shavur ibn Fadl,[19] who successfully defended it against threeByzantine attacks in the latter half of the 1040s.[20][21] In 1046, Byzantine forces underConstantine IX Monomachos attacked Dvin.[22] TheByzantines assembled a large force under the command ofMichael Iasites andConstantine the Alan and allied with theArmenians under the command of Vahram Pahlavuni and Liparit Orbelean. To defend the city, theShaddadid ruler Abu'l-Aswar flooded the surrounding fields, limiting the attacking army's mobility and causing it to fall victim to defenders' arrows. The attackers were completely broken by theKurds, and Vahram was killed.[23]
In 1064, theSeljuk Turks occupied the city. TheShaddadids continued to rule the city as Seljuk vassals until the Georgian KingGeorge III conquered the city in 1173. In 1201–1203, during the reign ofQueen Tamar, the city was again under Georgian rule. It was captured byJalal al-Din Mangburni in 1225.[24] Rule ofKhwarezmian Empire lasted tillBattle of Yassıçemen in 1230. After the battle, Georgians regained it. In 1236, the city was conquered and completely destroyed byMongols.[25]
Dvin was the birthplace ofNajm ad-Din Ayyub andAsad ad-Din Shirkuh bin Shadhi,Kurdish generals in the service of theSeljukZengids;[26] Najm ad-Din Ayyub's son,Saladin, was the founder of theAyyubid dynasty. Saladin was born inTikrit, Modern Iraq, but his family had originated from the ancient city of Dvin.
Situated in the central square of the ancient city was the Cathedral ofSaint Grigor which may be on the site of originally constructed triple-nave pagan temple with seven pairs of interior structural supports. In the 5th century (ca. 450–485) it was rebuilt as a Christian church, with a pentahedralapse that protruded sharply on its eastern side. In the late 5th or early 6th century there was a second phase of construction: an exterior arched gallery was added to the existing structure. At the time that the cathedral was built, it was the largest in Armenia and measured 30.41 meters by 58.17 meters.[27]
Ornate decorations adorned the interior and the exterior of the building. The capitals of the columns were decorated with fern-like relief, while the cornices were carved in the design of three interlaced strands. The interior floor of the structure was made up of mosaic multi-colored soft-toned slabs in a geometric pattern, while the floor of the apse was decorated in the 7th century with a mosaic of smaller stone tiles representing the Holy Virgin. It is the most ancient mosaic depiction of her in Armenia. By the middle of the 7th century, the cathedral was rebuilt into a cruciform domed church with apses that protruded off of its lateral facades. All that remains of the cathedral today are the stone foundations uncovered during archaeological excavations in the 20th century.
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According to Chandler (1987), the population of Dvin was 45,000 in 361 CE, while in 622 CE, before the conquest by the Arabs, it was estimated at 47,000. By the time Dvin was flourishing (the eight-ninth centuries), its population was on the order of 100,000 people.
Ամենածաղկուն շրջանում բնակչությունը կազմել է 100.000-150.000:
According to Chandler (1987), the population of Dvin was 45,000 in 361 CE, while in 622 CE, before the conquest by the Arabs, it was estimated at 47,000. By the time Dvin was flourishing (the eight-ninth centuries), its population was on the order of 100,000 people.
Ամենածաղկուն շրջանում բնակչությունը կազմել է 100.000-150.000:
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