Persians and Armenians

[The Persian Cataphract]

Another simple question which demands a very complicated answer if accuracy is desired. I neither have time nor the desire to go though all of it again. However, if you do want to know what I think about the whole event, check the following debate:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=143229

The following entries should neatly encapsulate my assessment of the ordeal, and its macro-historical importance:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showp...6&postcount=20
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showp...6&postcount=25
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showp...6&postcount=27
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showp...3&postcount=38

There is more over at Wikipedia discussion page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Sa...e#Civilization

It's no more than heated words. Needless to say, the invasion lead to an enormous cultural loss. Books were burned, and if no fire could be made they would be cast into water for spoilage. The Pahlavîg script and the Middle-Persian language was outlawed, a decree which lasted for more than two centuries. Zoroastrian temple lords, entire contingents of scribes, and sages were murdered, leading to not only loss of scripture, but also a great deal of oral traditions and religious codes. Two very well-attested events, the sack of Ctesiphon by Sa'ad Ibn Abi-Vaghas and the tyranny of Qutaibah-Ibn Muslim, and his associate, Hajjaj Ibn-Yussuf in Chorasmia paints for us a spectrum of destruction that spanned within the entire area (Sa'ad had followed the "Righteous Caliph" Umar Ibn Al-Khattab's decree). Monuments, and precious regalia were destroyed or desecrated. The banner of Kâvêh "The Great Blacksmith", was captured and sold as if it was a cheap trinket, the great carpet of Bahârîstân was torn to pieces and divided between the soldiers as booty of war, temples were destroyed, and the invaders had almost come close to destroying Pasargadae, had not crafty locals persuaded them that the monuments were erected by Solomon, a trick which quickly spread word as far as Azerbaijan, where the same trick was used to protect Shîz, nowadays known as Takht-î Sôleymân (Lit. "Solomon's Throne") and spare it from ruin.

For a more complete outlook of the entire event, you may refer to Zarrinqub's acclaimed "Two Centuries of Silence". It is a corner-stone in Iranology, and getting a version (Non-edited) published before the Islamic Revolution, a rare edition, would be the best bet.