Dvin (ancient city): Difference between revisions

'''Dvin''' ({{Lang-Langx|xcl|Դուին|translit=|label=[[Classical Armenian]]}} {{Transliteration|xcl|Duin}} or {{Lang|xcl|Դվին}} {{Transliteration|xcl|Dvin}}){{efn|Also '''Duin''' or '''Dwin'''. Modern Armenian pronunciation:; {{IPALangx|hy|dəˈvin|}}. {{lang-el|Δούβιος}}, {{transl|el|''Doύbios}}'' or {{lang|el|Τίβιον}}, {{transl|el|''Tίbion}}'';<ref name="ODB">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Garsoïan |first=Nina G. |author-link=Nina Garsoïan |title=Duin |url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195046526.001.0001/acref-9780195046526-e-1577 |pages=665–666 |editor-last=Kazhdan |editor-first=Alexander |editor-link=Alexander Kazhdan |encyclopedia=[[The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium]] |location=New York and Oxford |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1991 |isbn=978-0-19-504652-6 |access-date=2013-11-10 |archive-date=2020-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023030047/https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195046526.001.0001/acref-9780195046526-e-1577 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{Lang-Langx|ar|دبيل|translit=}}, Dabīl or Doubil}}}}) was a large commercial city and the [[Historic capitals of Armenia|capital]] of [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|early medieval Armenia]]. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city of [[Artaxata]], along the banks of the Metsamor River, 35&nbsp;km to the south of modern [[Yerevan]]. It is claimed it was one of the largest cities east of [[Constantinople]] prior to its destruction by the Mongols in the 13th century, but with an overall area of approximately 1&nbsp;km², it was far smaller than many of the great cities of Asia.<ref>{{cite book sfn|last1=Evans |first1=Helen C. |author1-link=Helen C. Evans |title=Armenia: Art, Religion, and Trade in the Middle Ages |date=2018 |publisherp=[[Metropolitan31}}<ref>{{cite Museum of Art]] and [[Yale University Press]]web |isbn=9781588396600 |oclc=1028910888 |url=https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/Armenia_Art_Religion_and_Trade_in_the_Middle_Ages |chapter=Armenians and their Middle Age |page=31 }}</ref><ref>https://www.behance.net/gallery/31097593/3D-model-of-ancient-capital-city-of-Armenia-Dvin {{Bare| URLtitle=3D model of ancient capital city of Armenia - Dvin inline| date=AugustNovember 2015 2024}}</ref>

The earliest Armenian authors almost always give the name of the city as {{Transliteration|xcl|Duin}} ({{Lang|xcl|Դուին}}), while later authors such as [[Samuel Anetsi|Samuel of Ani]] spell it {{Transliteration|xcl|Dvin}} ({{Lang|xcl|Դվին}}), which is the form commonly used in scholarly literature.<ref name=Kettenhofen>{{SfnEncyclopaedia Iranica |volume=7 |fascicle=6 |title=Dvin |last=Kettenhofen |1995first=Erich |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/dvin |pages=616–619 }}</ref>{{Efn|In [[Armenian orthography reform|reformed Armenian orthography]], both forms are rendered {{lang|hy|Դվին}} {{transliteration|hy|Dvin}}.}} The early medieval Armenian historian [[Movses Khorenatsi]] explains the name of Dvin as coming from a [[Middle Persian|(Middle) Persian]] word ({{Transliteration|pal|*duwīn}}) meaning 'hill'.<ref name=chaumont>{{sfnEncyclopaedia Iranica |volume=2 |fascicle=4 |title=Armenia and Iran ii. The pre-Islamic period |last=Chaumont |1986first=M. L. |ppurl=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/armenia-ii |pages=418–438 }}</ref><ref>{{sfnODLA |last=Van Lint |2018}}{{sfnfirst=Theo |Kettenhofentitle=Dvin |1995url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198662778.001.0001/acref-9780198662778-e-1589?rskey=qcGt2H&result=63 }}</ref><ref name=Kettenhofen/> In the 5th-century Armenian history attributed to [[Faustus of Byzantium]], the site is called "the hill [{{Transliteration|xcl|blur}}] in the plain of the Mecamōr called Duin" without reference to the meaning of the name.{{Sfn|Garsoïan|1989|pp=75, 460}} According to Erich Kettenhofen, Khorenatsi's explanation of the name resulted from an incorrect interpretation of the aforementioned passage in Faustus's history.{{Sfn|<ref name=Kettenhofen|1995}}/> Marie-Louise Chaumont writes that Khorenatsi's etymology became more accepted after Vladimir Minorsky pointed out the use of the word {{Transliteration|fa|dovīn}} to mean 'hill' in Persian place names.{{Sfn|Chaumont|1986}}<ref name=chaumont/>

After the fall of the [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Armenian Kingdom]] in 428, Dvin became the residence of [[Sassanid Empire|Sassanid]] appointed ''[[marzpan]]s'' (governors), Byzantine ''[[kouropalates]]'' and later [[Umayyad]]- and [[Abbasid]]-appointed ''ostikans'' (governors). Under Arsacid rule, Dvin prospered as one of the most populous and wealthiest cities east of [[Constantinople]]. Its prosperity continued even after the [[Peace of Acilisene|partition of Armenia]] between Romans and Sassanid PersiansSasanids, when it became the provincial capital of [[Persian Armenia]],{{sfn|Canepa|2009|p=24}} and eventually it became a target during the height of the [[Early Muslim conquests]]. The palace at Dvin contained a Zoroastrian fire-temple.{{sfn|Russell|1987|p=488}} According to [[Sebeos]] and Catholicos [[John V the Historian]], Dvin was captured by the [[Arabs]] in 640 during the reign of [[Constans II]] and Catholicos Ezra. During the [[Arab 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.<ref>{{sfn|Walker, C. ''Armenia-The Survival of a Nation'', 2nd Ed., Routledge, London, ç1990, |1990|p. =28</ref>}} Dvin became the center of the Muslim province of [[Arminiya]], the Arabs called the city Dabil.

Although Armenia was a [[Arab–Byzantine wars|battleground 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 major [[893 Dvin earthquake|earthquake in 893]], the city was destroyed, along with most of its 70,000 inhabitants.<ref name="Nick">{{cite book sfn|last1=Ambraseys |first1=N.N. |last2=Melville |first2=C.P. |title=A History of Persian Earthquakes |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1JkfKub5vakC&q=893+Dvin+earthquake&pg=PA175 |series=Cambridge Earth Science Series |year=2005 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-02187-6 |pagep=38 |access-date=2020-10-31 |archive-date=2023-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228035555/https://books.google.com/books?id=1JkfKub5vakC&q=893+Dvin+earthquake&pg=PA175#v=snippet&q=893%20Dvin%20earthquake&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following a devastating [[Buyid]] raid in 1021, which sacked the city, Dvin was captured by the [[Kurds|Kurdish]] [[Shaddadids]] of [[Ganja, Azerbaijan|Ganja]], and ruled by [[Abu'l-Aswar Shavur ibn Fadl]],{{sfn|Ter-Ghewondyan|1976|p=120}} who successfully defended it against three [[Byzantine]] attacks in the latter half of the 1040s.{{sfn|Ter-Ghewondyan|1976|p=122}}{{sfn|Minorsky|1977|pp=53–56, 59–64}} In the 1045 attack ('''Battle of Dvin'''), Byzantine forces were under [[Constantine IX Monomachos]]. The Byzantines[[Byzantine]]s assembled a large force under the command of [[Michael Iasites]] and [[Constantine the Alan]] and allied with the [[Armenians]] under the command of Vahram PahlawuniPahlavuni and Liparit Orbelean. To defend the city, the [[Shaddadid]] 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 the [[Kurds]], and Vahram was killed.

In 1064, the [[SeljuksSeljuk Turks]] occupied the city. The [[Shaddadids]] continued to rule the city as Seljuk vassals until the Georgian King [[George III of Georgia|George III]] conquered the city in 1173. In 1201–1203, during the reign of [[Tamar of Georgia|Queen Tamar]], the city was again under Georgian rule. It was captured by [[Jalal al-Din Mangburni]] in 1225.<ref>{{sfn|Büyükçınar, Ayşe Beyza; The First Phase Of Georgia And Mongolia Relationship: 1220-1247, Journal Of Institute of Black Sea Studies, Vol. 4, No. 6, page |2018|p=272, 2018 Gürcü-Moğol İlişkilerinin İlk Evresi: 1220-1247 (Turkish article)</ref>}} Rule of [[Khwarezmian Empire]] lasted till [[Battle of Yassıçemen]] in 1230. After the battle, Georgians regained it. In 1236, the city was conquered and completely destroyed by [[Mongols]].<ref>{{cite book sfn|last=Adalian |first=Rouben Paul |title=Historical Dictionary of Armenia |year=2010 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |location=Lanham, Maryland |isbn=978-0-8108-7450-3 |author-link=Rouben Paul Adalian |pagep=288}}</ref>

Dvin was the birthplace of [[Najm ad-Din Ayyub]] and [[Asad ad-Din Shirkuh bin Shadhi]], [[Kurds|Kurdish]] generals in the service of the [[SeljuksSeljuk dynasty|Seljuk]] [[Zengids]];<ref>{{sfn|Lyons, Malcolm Cameron and David Edward Pritchett |Jackson, ''Saladin: The Politics of the Holy War'', (Cambridge University Press, |1982), |p=2.</ref>}} Najm ad-Din Ayyub's son, [[Saladin]], was the founder of the [[Ayyubid dynasty]]. Saladin was born in [[Tikrit]], 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 of [[Gregory the Illuminator|Saint Grigor]]. It was originally constructed in the 3rd century as a triple-[[nave]] pagan temple with seven pairs of interior structural supports. The temple was rebuilt in the 4th century as a Christian church, with a pentahedral [[apse]] that protruded sharply on its eastern side. In the middle of the 5th century, 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.<ref name="edwards">{{cite bookencyclopedia |last1last=Edwards |first1first=Robert W., "|title=Duin" |titlepage=446 |encyclopedia=The Eerdmans Encyclopedia of Early Christian Art and Archaeology, ed., Paul|year=2017 |editor-last=Corby Finney |dateeditor-first=2016Paul |publisher=[[William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company|William B. Eerdmans Publishing]] |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |isbn=978-0-8028-9016-09780802890160 |page=446}}</ref>

[[File:DvinCross.jpg|thumb|100px|A 2-meter long Armenian cross excavated from the site of Dvin]]

===SourcesBibliography===

* {{cite book |last=HarutyunyanAdalian |first=V.Rouben Paul |titleauthor-link=ArchitecturalRouben landmarksPaul of DvinAdalian |publishertitle=AcademyHistorical Dictionary of SciencesArmenia of|year=2010 |edition=2nd |publisher=[[ArmenianScarecrow SSRPress]] |yearlocation=Lanham, Maryland |isbn=19479780810874503}}