ART OF VANISHED CIVILIZATIONS By Maximillien de Lafayette

THE CILICIAN KINGDOM

Photos from L to R: #1: Crusaders’ Shoback Castle in Jordan. Its architecture was influenced by the Cilician architecture. Its two  front round shaped towers are clearly the product and direct influence of Armenian architecture.#2. Cilician minted coins.

The kingdom of Cilicia  is considered by eminent historians, archaeologists and anthropologists as one of the greatest ancient empires of all times. It did not last very long  in the history of human kind but, most certainly, it made an immense mark on the European civilization, its way of life, its trade and commerce, its arts and laws, its architecture and above all, it left an extra-ordinary impact on Early Christianity edifices, castles, palaces, cathedrals and churches, as well as on  the Crusaders who learned from the Armenians how to build circular- round-shaped castles and towers. Back then, the Crusaders in Europe knew only how to build square-shaped towers and castles. They did not know how to build fully circular  towers and round castles until they learned the trade  from their teachers the Armenian architects and castles and towers builders in Armenia! Europe began to erect really  fabulous castles in the 10^th century, while Armenia by the 9^th century has already demonstrated to the world its superior architecture mastery in building elegant and prestigious castles, palaces and fortresses, long long time before Europe! One of the most predominant effects of Cicilian art  and direct impact on Europe was obviously  the Armenian architecture. More precisely, the architecture of churches, cathedrals, religious buildings and monasteries.

 The Cilician kingdom architects invented the church pentacle domes and the cross-shape lay-out of early European churches and cathedrals including those of Venice, Florence, Rome, Constantinople, Moscow, Leningrad, Nantes, Reims, Orleans, Paris, Maronite Lebanon, Coptic Egypt, Syriac-Aramaic Syria, Assyrian (Ashourian) Iraq, Orthodox Greece and Cyprus, Nestorian, Gnostic, Agnostic, Reformed, Orthodox and Medieval Christian Turkiye,  the Near East, the Middle East and wherever there is a Christian church  or an iron bell on the face of the earth. Among the greatest architects of ancient and medieval centuries, the world witnessed and recognized the Babylonians, Assyrians, Hittites,  Egyptians, Ionians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Armenians.

Photos from L to R: #1. One of the gates of Soback castle built in 1115 by the Crusaders in Jordan. The wide door with its curved architectural lines is typical of the early-Cilician-Crusaders architectural design. #2. Drawing rawing/illustration of an early Armenian church with its noticeable altar dome. Armenian altars and domes style later were frequently copied, used and shaped after in European architecture for and in churches, cathedrals, royal palaces, universities, immense libraries and governmental edifices.

Cilician Armenia gained knowledge and experience in many human endeavors  throughout  many centuries beginning with  the majestic reigns, epochs and times of the Armenian kingdoms of Mitanni and Ararat (2^nd  millennium B.C.), when Armenian architecture has already  reached a level of almost perfection and was in those days considered as the most advanced architecture in the known world. The early Armenians of Ararat were already master-builders and accomplished architects. They were among the first architects of the nations of the ancient world to design and build multi-story edifices and buildings, including domestic houses, residences and centers of learning. Some of the Cilician palaces, temples, theistic and  pre-theistic foundations were recently  found in excavations and were acknowledged to be as the world’s first multi-story architecturally designed edifices. The gigantic palaces and  castles of  enormous proportions of Ararat were the source of inspiration, data, collection of know-how and information for the forthcoming castles and buildings of Bagratouni (Bagratid), Arshakouni (Arsacid)  Yervandouni, Artashesian (Artaxiad) and the  Roubinian, Hetoumian and Lusignan periods. The Cilician architects and master-builders taught  architects, fortresses  and castles builders of ancient and medieval countries, the art, the science and the strategic lay-out, design and sites  selection of castles , towers and fortresses. Many of the remaining ramparts, walls, towers, arcades and ruins of the Crusade castles in Syria, Palestine and Lebanon are living examples and witnesses  of the Armenian ancient and medieval architectural genius and original creativity that shaped and influenced the  architecture of the Crusaders, ancient and medieval Europe and the Middle East, including the Ottoman (Turkish) Sarails (Sarayat) , castles, sultanic palaces and cities fortresses.

 

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 7^th 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 2^nd 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!