The richness of native literary texts and translations produced by the Armenians in the fifth century CE prompted the Mekhitarist fathers to characterize that century as the “Golden Age” of Armenian literature. This lecture explores the portrayal of women in the most influential texts from this period, evaluating how they present women’s roles within the context of the church and society, reflecting cultural, theological, and social attitudes of the time. A critical examination of these narratives will extend beyond historical analysis, drawing connections to contemporary discussions of gender roles in Armenia. Ultimately, the presentation seeks to highlight the enduring implications of the misinterpretations of these early portrayals and how they have shaped views on women’s roles today.

Dr. David Zakarian is the Haig and Isabel Berberian Endowed Chair of Armenian Studies at California State University, Fresno. He holds a BA and MA in English Language and Literature from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a Master of Studies in Classical Armenian and a DPhil in Oriental Studies from the University of Oxford. His doctoral thesis focused on the representation of women in early Christian Armenian texts. From 2017 to 2019, he was a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at Oxford, researching Christian–Muslim interactions in Armenian colophons. He later taught Classical and Modern Armenian at Oxford from 2020 to 2024. Dr. Zakarian is the author of Women, Too, Were Blessed: The Portrayal of Women in Early Christian Armenian Texts and co-editor of Armenia through the Lens of Time. He has also published extensively on Armenian manuscripts and early Christian literature.