History of Armenia, by Father Michael Chamich; from B. C. 2247 to ...

XXXviii
PREFACE.
soon chansred the state of thinos.
Treason and disunion
began *iradually to weaken the government of the
Arsacidac; Greece and Persia by cratt and outrage
succeeded in partitioning Armenia between them, permitting
tlie Armenian monarchs to hold only a nominal
power. The Armenian chiefs were the principal instruments
in
overthrowing the kingdom of Armenia by their
factious and ambitious proceedings; for, having preferred
a complaint to the Persian king Viram, against their
lawful king Artaces or Artashir, they caused him to be
deposed from his royal dignity. By his deposition the
Arsacida? lost for ever their power over Armenia, and
the country successively fell a prey to the strongest
invader.
The fourth part embraces a period of 456 years. Armenia
was from this time governed by prefects sent
by the government of Persia, by the caliphs of Bagdad,
and by the Greeks, being oppressed with every kind of
persecution. We see in this part the extraordinary
struggles of Christianity
against idolatry, the memorable
martyrdoms of the Vardanians and Levondians, the
treachery of the Vasakiaos, the heroic bravery of the
Vahanians, and of other faithful Armenian chiefs, who
shed their blood in defending their church from the
profanation of the fire-worshippers, the Persians, and the
infidel caliphs. Armenia was literally rendered a
slaughter-house, churches were converted into temples
for the worship of fire; priests were superseded by the
infidel magi; clergy and laity were doomed to imprisonment
or banishment, and exposed to the tortures of fire