ART OF VANISHED CIVILIZATIONS
Photo:
Map of Cilicia.
Long
before its established boundaries and kingdom perimeter as the Greater
Armenia, Cicilian terrain in the region of Lake Van and Mount Ararat was the
center of culture, art, science for the ancient Near East, Middle East,
Indo-European countries, Anatolia, Syria, Palestine, Iraq and other regions,
countries and inhabitants of Asia who interacted with the people of the
kingdom of Urartu (Ararat or Armenia today) and the kingdom of Cilicia. The
Cilicians were very hospitable, peace loving, and extremely friendly with
their neighbors and the tribes that lived in their surrounding regions.
Around the end of the 7th century B.C., the kingdom
of Urartu (Ararat) went into a deep sleep giving birth to a new nation
called Armenia. It would take this new country several centuries before it
would claim its independence from the Hellenics. Armenia became a free
country, free from the Greek Seleucids and the influence of other foreign
powers and cultures in the 2nd century B.C. At that time, Armenia
became very influential and its trade and commerce rapidly flourished thanks
to its northern trade passage to Asia Minor, the Near and the Middle Eastern
countries.
Photo:
Map of Greater Armenia.
Unfortunately,
Armenian could not protect their territories and preserve their independence.
In the 11th century, the Turkish Seljuk dominated Asia Minor including all
the surrounding countries and neighboring nations. This lead to the absorbance
of Urartu and the Armenian population into the mighty Ottoman empire. The
Byzantines relocated the Armenians in Cilicia. Thus, the Armenians began to
regroup and re-form a new national identity. They
regrouped and settled
in the mountainous areas, prairies, hills and valleys of Cilicia where they
established the last known autonomous Armenian state (Kingdom). The very
first thing they did, was to build ramparts, high walls, fortresses and
habitats for their families and volunteered soldiers. They succeeded in
protecting their kingdom, possessions, castles, arts, heritage and way of
life for almost three hundred years. Cilicia was the region of the lesser
Armenia. Cilicia became a prosperous carrefour for trade and commerce and
cultural exchange. Neighboring inhabitants and people from far lands including
Europe had to pass through the land of Cilicia en route to Palestine and the
regions of the Middle and Near East.
Photo:
Map of Armenia, today.
This
included, Asians, Europeans, Crusaders, Greeks, Muslims, and other ethnic
nationals. Unfortunately, everything in life must come to an end and so did
Cilicia in 1375 when it rendered its independence to the Mamelukes. From the
beginning of time, the Turks (Turkish, Ottoman, Seljuks, Mamelukes, etc.) had
their eyes open on Armenia. Threatened by domestic political differences,
weakened by wars and struggles with greedy neighbors, decimated by foreign
invasions, humiliated and dominated by unmerciful conquerors, the great
kingdom of Cilicia rendered its last breath and vanished from history in 1375,
never again to rise up and equal the majesty and glory of its legendary
Armenian kingdom (s). Thus, the Cilician identity was erased from history but
not from the memory of its people and nations which witnessed its glorious
past. Nevertheless, Cilicia ceased to exist and became a part of the Ottoman
empire for centuries! Cilicia
became part of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. It was
completely absorbed and dissolved in the immensity of the Ottoman empire which
ruled over all the Middle East, the Near East, Asia Minor, and almost one
quarter of Europe! Nobody, no nation, none of the mighty European powers could
or would help the Cilician Armenians. The Ottoman empire seemed too powerful
and invincible. European countries such as Spain, France, Italy and England
would not interfere. The Outhmany (Ottoman) empire was a formidable power, at
least on the surface. No wise man could tell or imagine that the Turkish
empire would easily collapse during the first world war. It did! The Ottoman
empire collapsed but it took with it the lives of millions of Armenians.
Around 1920-1922, the French and the British tried to help the Armenians. But
unfortunately, all their plans and wishful friendly assistance came to a halt.
Once again, the Armenian people had to suffer the consequences. Armenians,
young and old, families and communities were driven to other countries. Many
of them relocated in Syrian cities like Aleppo, Kamishly, Antioch and a
greater number of Armenians settled in Lebanese cities and towns like Anjar,
Al Naher (a suburb of Beyrouth), Kaslik, Antileas and other areas. Armenians
who live today in Syria and Lebanon and a few of them in Cyprus are the direct
descendants of Cilician Armenia. Lord! What a great and an honorable lineage!