PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
395 Concord Avenue
Belmont, MA 02478
Tel.: 617-489-1610
Email: [email protected]
DR. GEORGE BOURNOUTIAN TO SPEAK
ON TIGRAN THE GREAT IN TWO LA TALKS
Dr. George Bournoutian will give two Los Angeles-area
lectures and book signings in connection with the publication of his
newest work, Tigranes II and Rome. Bournoutian will speak at Abril
Books, 415 E. Broadway, Glendale, CA, on Saturday, October 6, at 8:00
p.m.; and at the Ararat-Eskijian Museum, 15105 Mission Hills Road,
Mission Hills, CA, on Sunday, October 7, at 4:00 p.m. The talks will be
co-sponsored by the hosting organizations and the National Association
for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR).
Tigranes II and Rome is the first English translation of an
important work of Armenian historiography and was recently published as
part of Mazda Publishers Armenian Studies Series with a major grant from
NAASR and other funders.
Speaker To Draw Timely Comparisons
In this lecture, Bournoutian will also draw comparisons
between Roman and U.S. imperialism in the Middle East, as well as
consider the varying historical pictures of Tigranes in Armenian and
non-Armenian sources.
Bournoutian is also the author or translator of numerous
other books, including A Concise History of the Armenian People (2002),
Two Chronicles on the History of Karabagh (2004), and The Travel
Accounts of Simeon of Poland (2007). He is Senior Professor of History
at Iona College and has taught Armenian history at Columbia University,
Tufts University, New York University, Rutgers University, the
University of Connecticut, Ramapo College, and Glendale Community
College.
Tigranes II and Rome was written by Hakob H. Manandyan
(1873-1952) in Armenian and published in Yerevan in 1940. Manandyan
is revered as one of the major Armenian historians of his era but very
little of his work has appeared in English. His book on Tigranes
represents the first serious attempt to examine the 1st century
B.C. Armenian monarch without appealing to patriotic sentiments and
with a grounding in Greek and Roman sources.
Armenian Monarch Forged An Independent and Powerful State
Tigranes II, well-known to Armenians as Tigran the Great, is
the sole Armenian monarch who not only succeeded in unifying all the
lands inhabited by the Armenians but also extended Armenian rule into
Syria and northwestern Iran. He created an Armenian empire which lasted
for some two decades, taking the title of "King of kings," which until
then was only held by the kings of Parthia. Tigran’s greatness lay in
his attempt to forge an independent and powerful state and to break away
>From the constraints imposed upon Armenia by its geography as he tried
to free Asia Minor from Persian military and political threats in the
east and those of Rome in the west.
Making Available Work of An Important Scholar
According to Bournoutian, "the inspiration for this book
came from Dr. Nina Garsoian’s translation of Manandyan’s The Trade and
Cities of Armenia in Relation to Ancient World Trade, which is the only
other work of his in English." Bournoutian continues, "Manandyan’s
scholarship is great and he has numerous important works. I felt
students could benefit from such a translation. It may encourage others
to translate more of his works."
NAASR Board Chairman Nancy R. Kolligian stated that "NAASR
is very pleased to have helped make this important publication possible.
Dr. Bournoutian continues to make important works accessible to the
English-language reader, which has always been an important part of
NAASR’s mission. The fact that this is the first scholarly book on its
subject in English makes it all the more significant."
More information about Bournoutian’s lectures, Tigranes II
and Rome, or NAASR and its programs for the furtherance of Armenian
studies, research, and publication may be had by calling 617-489-1610,
faxing 617-484-1759, e-mailing [email protected], or writing to NAASR, 395
Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.