Zaroui Pogossian - Vardanank, The Battle of Avarayr in 451 AD | Ep 518, Feb 24, 2026
Chapters
Episode Summary
In the inaugural Groong Deep History episode, historian Prof. Zaroui Pogossian joins the show to unpack the Vardanank wars and the Battle of Avarayr (451 AD). The conversation sets the longer political and religious context behind the conflict, explains what we can and cannot know from the main Armenian sources, and revisits the standard “moral victory” story through modern source criticism. Pogossian also discusses her work on medieval Armenia and previews an upcoming scholarly volume on Medieval Yeghegis, then uses a critical reading by Hayk Hakobyan to question common assumptions about Avarayr’s scale, geography, and strategy.
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Vardanank Wars and Battle of Avarayr
- Armenian Sources, Yeghishe and Parpetsi
- Politics, Christianity, Nakharar Power Dynamics
Episode 518 | Recorded: February 22, 2026
#GroongDeepHistory #Vardanank #BattleOfAvarayr #ArmenianHistory #ZarouiPogossian
