The Battle of Bagrevand, 371

In 371 the Armenian army under the command of sparapet Mushegh Mamikonian, together with its Roman allies, defeated the Persians in the valley of Bagrevand. Despite the Persians’ numerical superiority, the Armenians routed their forces and inflicted a heavy defeat on their allies. The victory opened the way to a seven-year truce with Sasanian Persia, strengthened Armenia’s place in Rome’s sphere of influence and showed the decisive role of the Armenian army in the fate of the region.

The image is a manuscript page with lines of Armenian writing at the top. Below, two groups of horsemen with spears are drawn in colour. On the left, a crowned rider sits on a black horse with a banner bearing a cross behind him; on the right is a moustached rider holding a sword. The warriors’ helmets bear crosses.