Armenia

Sources from old books

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of ARMENIA and the Provinces and Cities thereof.

ARMENIA hath on the East Media, and the Caspian Sea, on the West Euphrates and the Euxine Sea, on the North Tartarie, on the South Mesopotamia; the whole Countrey is divided into three Provinces; first, Colchis; secondly, Georgia; thirdly, Turcomania.

Colchis lieth on the Euxine Sea, the Inhabitants thereof being Christians; hence did Iason in the dayes of old steale the golden fleece; and here is also seene the ruines of that famous Citie Dioscuria, where by reason of the many forraine Merchants from all Countries that here frequented, three hundred languages was commonly spoken and practised.

Neither can I finde in Georgia, earst called Iberia, any Citie of note for trading. Turcomania being also as barren in this kinde. It is observed by sundry Authours that out of this Province is derived the Name and Originall of the Turkes, who here had their off-spring, and who within these three hundred yeares last past have made themselves potent by their Armies, and to the ruine of many Kingdomes, the present Grand Signior Sultan Amurath, who in Anno 1623, at my being in Constantinople was proclaimed Emperour of that Nation, hath under his Dominions and command in chiefe as Soveraigne all these Countries; first in Europe he hath Dacia, Grecia, all the Aegean Ilands, and Taurica Chersonesus; in Asia he hath the Provinces before already described; also Arabia, Syria, Media, Mesopotamia, Rhodes, Cyprus, and other Ilands; and lastly, in Africa he hath Aegypt and the Kingdome of Tunes and Argier, and many others of lesser consequence: and thus leaving Armenia, my next step is to Arabia, which commeth now to be handled.

1676. A most exact and accurate map of the whole world by Donald Lupton.

surrounded with Taurus, Mons Scordiscus, and Euphrates, and the black River Melas; with Arabyssus, where Chrysostome was banished by Eudoxia. Melitone, now Suur, famous for Wines and Oyls. 3 Strong Gornuce, Nicopolis, and Oromundus.

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Armenia, a Large Country of Asia, mostly under the Turks, it's usually divided into Greater and Lesser; The greater, now call'd Turcomania and Curdistan was much more famous anciently than now, as having no other advantages, but what Nature has afforded it in its bounds and scituation; for the whole Armenia is enclos'd between Mountains, Rivers and Seas. To the North lye the Mountains of Muscovy, that separate it from Colchis, Iberia and Albany, which is generally call'd Georgia; to the South it has the Mountains Taurus and Niphates, which part it from Mesopotamia or Assyria, now call'd Diarbeck; Westward the Euphrates, and under it from Lesser Asia or Anatolia, the Caspian Mountains bound it Eastward on that side next to Media, at this day known by the name of Servan: There are other parts of Armenia that lye towards the Caspian Sea, between Albania and Media, and others towards Pontus Euxinus, or the Black Sea; and therefore some Geographers extend the bounds of Armenia as far as those Seas. The Cities of Curdistan or Turcomania, are Erzerum, Cars, Van Shildir, Teflis, Revan, Derbent, &c. of which some belong to the K. of Persia. The Lesser Armenia, now call'd Aladuli, or according to others Pegian is entirely under the Turk; the principal City of this Country is Maraz, There is also Savas or Sebasta, and some others which are usually plac'd in Anatolia, or Asia the less. Armenia is full of Valleys, Lakes and Rivers. The Mountain of Anti-Taurus cuts it from East to West. The Air is wholsome, thô somewhat cold by reason of the Mountains; they have abundance of Fruit and Corn, but little Wine: There is also Bole Armene, Amomum, which is a kind of odoriferous Shrub, Honey, Silk and Silver Mines toward Seruan. The Pasture is very good, especially for Horses. It was upon the Mountains of this Country that the Ark rested; and some will have Paradice to have been also here. The Armenians are a good sort of People, satisfied with a very little; many of 'em industrious, and great Traders in Asia and Europe. This Country was formerly subject to the Persians, and afterwards to the Macedonians, yet it has had some Kings of its own, whereof Tigranes, the 1st, and most considerable, sided with his Father-in-Law Mithridates against the Romans; but was at last forc'd to hold his Crown of 'em. The Armenians, in the following Ages, pay'd Homage to the Emperors of Constantinople, until 1515. that they were utterly Conquer'd by Selim the Turkish Emperor. Ricaut. Hist. of the Turkish Empire.