From the Ancient Geography of Lycaonia to the Works of Khorenatsi and Shirakatsi

Abstract

For the first time in historiography, we have made an attempt to consider the historical geography of the region of Lycaonia, which was located on the territory of the modern peninsula of Asia Minor. This area can be called the “forgotten territory” since this important part of Asia Minor has not been researched (except for articles in encyclopedias). Despite the fact that Lycaonia had never had its own statehood, it had played a significant role in the relations between the great powers of the ancient world for a long time. Comparing the data of “Ancient Armenian Geography” (“Ashkharatsuyts”), first of all, with the data of Strabo and Ptolemy, the paper reveals how the boundaries of this region changed with regard to neighboring states. Consideration of the issue of the territory of Lycaonia is possible on the basis of identifying and studying the orography and hydrography of this region. At the same time, the description of Lycaonia in “Ashkharatsuyts” should be compared with its description by Strabo and Ptolemy, and also, in part, with those by Pliny and by other ancient authors (in particular, Herodotus and Xenophon). The article examines the issues of urbanization extensively presented by the historian-geographer Claudius Ptolemy. The study of this text requires a hermeneutic approach. It is necessary to analyze literally every word of the text in order to obtain the desired result, which is done within the framework of this article.