List of Armenian writers

This is a list of Armenian authors, arranged chronologically.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Hovhannes Tumanyan is considered to be the national poet of Armenia.

Classical

Classical Armenian is the literary language of Armenia written during the 5th to 18th centuries.

5th century

Movses Khorenatsi depicted in a 14th-century Armenian manuscript

• Mesrop Mashtots — theologian, inventor of the Armenian alphabet
• Koryun — historian
• Yeznik of Kolb — theologian
• Agathangelos — historian
• Faustus of Byzantium — historian
• Movses Khorenatsi — historian (dated to later centuries by some scholars)
• Elishe — historian
• Ghazar Parpetsi — historian

6th century

• David Anhaght — philosopher, Neo-Platonist (originally wrote in Greek; works survive in Armenian translation)

7th century

• Anania Shirakatsi — mathematician, philosopher, geographer
• Sebeos — historian
• John Mamikonean — author of treatise
• Davtak Kertogh — poet
• Komitas Aghtsetsi — author of religious poetry

8th century

• Sahakdukht — hymnographer and poet^[1][2]
• Khosrovidukht — hymnographer and poet^[3][4]
• Ghevond — historian

9th century

Armenian manuscript, 887

• Tovma Artsruni — historian
• Esayi Abu-Muse — hymnographer

10th century

• Hovhanes Draskhanakertsi — historian
• Ukhtanes — historian
• Movses Kaghankatvatsi — historian
• Anania Mokatsi — author of letters

11th century

Grigor Narekatsi (12th century Armenian manuscript)

• Grigor Narekatsi — poet
• Stepanos Taronatsi — historian
• Aristakes Lastivertsi — historian
• Mateos Urhaetsi — historian
• Grigor Magistros — author

12th century

• Samuel Anetsi — historian
• Arysdaghes — author
• Mkhitar Gosh — historian, author, legal scholar
• Khachatur of Taron — poet
• Nerses Lambronatsi — poet
• Nerses Shnorhali — poet

13th century

• Kirakos Gandzaketsi — historian
• Stepanos Orbelyan — historian
• Smbat Sparapet — historian
• Vardan Areveltsi — historian, author
• Frik — poet
• Vardan Aigektsi — writer of fables
• Hovhannes Erznkatsi — poet
• Hayton / Hethum — historian
• Grigor Aknertsi — historian

14th century

Grigor Tatevatsi (15th century Armenian manuscript)

• Grigor Tatevatsi — philosopher and theologian
• Nerses Balients — historian

15th century

• Tovma Metsopetsi — historian
• Hovhannes Tlkurantsi — poet
• Mkrtich Naghash — poet

16th century

• Nahapet Kuchak — poet

17th century

• Martiros of Crimea — writer, poet, historian
• Arakel Davrijetsi — historian
• Naghash Hovnatan — poet
• Yovanisik Caretsi — writer
• Eremia Chelebi — writer

18th century

• Sayat-Nova — poet
• Mikayel Chamchian — historian
• Abraham Yerevantsi — historian
• Abraham Kretatsi — historian
• Baghdasar Dpir — poet

Modern

Bedros Tourian was a prominent Western Armenian lyric poet.

Ghevont Alishan was a prominent poet and scholar who wrote in Western and Classical Armenian.

Louise Aslanian was a well-known French-Armenian writer and poet. She was killed in a Nazi concentration camp.

Western Armenian

• Nahapet Rusinian (1819–1876)
• Iskander Abcarius (1826–1885)
• Mkrtich Beshiktashlian (1828–1868)
• Yuhanna Abcarius (1832–1886)
• Mkrtich Achemian (1838–1917)
• Ghevont Alishan (1820–1901)
• Yervant Aghaton (1860–1935)
• Hagop Baronian (1843–1891)
• Nshan Beshiktashlian (1898–1972)
• Reteos Berberian (1848–1907)
• Mari Beyleryan (1877–1915)
• Vasile Conta (1845–1882)
• Smpad Piurad (1862–1915)
• Erukhan (1870–1915)
• Melkon Giurdjian (1859–1915)
• Hamastegh (1895–1966)
• Ardashes Harutunian (1873–1915)
• Hovhannes Hintliyan (1866–1955)
• Hovhannes Hisarian (1826–1917)
• Diran Kelekian (1862–1915)
• Zaruhi Kalemkaryan (1871–1971)
• Voskan Martikian (1867–1947)
• Vahan Malezian (1871–1966)
• Arpiar Arpiarian (1851–1908)
• Misak Metsarents (1886–1908)
• Hrand Nazariantz (1886–1962)
• Krikor Odian (1834–1887)
• Yervant Odian (1869–1926)
• Hagop Oshagan (1883–1948)
• Kegham Parseghian (1883–1915)
• Levon Pashalian (1868–1943)
• Ruben Sevak (1885–1915)
• Levon Shant (1869–1951)
• Siamanto (1878–1915)
• Harutiun Svadjian (1831–1874)
• Vahan Tekeyan (1878–1945)
• Teotig (1873–1928)
• Tovmas Terzian (1840–1909)
• Bedros Tourian (1851–1872)
• Karapet Utudjian (1803–1904)
• Hovhannes Vahanian (1832–1891)
• Daniel Varujan (1884–1915)
• Zabel Yesayan (1878–1943)
• Zahrad (1924–2007)
• Tlgadintsi (1860–1915)
• Armen Dorian (1892–1915)
• Rupen Zartarian (1874–1915)
• Yervant Gobelyan (1923–2010)

Simon Simonian near his "Sevan" publishing house in Beirut

Diaspora

• Arshag Chobanian (1872–1954)
• Louise Aslanian (1906–1945)
• Shahan Shahnour (1903–1974)
• Missak Manouchian (1906–1944)
• Simon Simonian (1914–1986)
• Antranig Dzarugian (1913–1989)
• Vahe Vahian (1908–1998)
• Tovmas Terzian (1840–1909)
• Gostan Zarian (1885–1969)
• Nigoghos Sarafian (1905–1973)
• Harut Sassounian (born 1950)
• Zareh Vorpuni (1902–1980)
• Moushegh Ishkhan (1913–1990)
• Vahé Oshagan (1922–2000)
• Rober Haddeciyan (born 1926)
• Kevork Ajemian (1932–1998)
• Bedros Hadjian (1933–2012)
• Marie Rose Abousefian (born 1944)
• Krikor Beledian (born 1945)
• Varand (born 1954)
• Avedis Yapoudjian (1931-2017)
• Tatev Chakhian (born 1992)

Khachatur Abovian is considered to be the founder of Modern Armenian literature.

Eastern Armenian

Tsarist era

• Harutyun Alamdaryan (1795–1834)
• Mesrop Taghiadian (1803–1858) (wrote mainly in Classical Armenian)
• Khachatur Abovian (1809–1848)
• Gabriel Sundukian (1825–1912)
• Ghazaros Aghayan (1840–1911)
• Leo (Arakel Babakhanian) (1860–1932)
• Muratsan (1854–1908)
• Mikael Nalbandian (1829–1866)
• Nar-Dos (1867–1933)
• Raphael Patkanian (1830–1892)
• Pertch Proshian (1837–1907)
• Raffi (1835–1888)
• Alexander Shirvanzade (1858–1935)
• Alexander Tsaturyan (1865–1917)
• Tserents (1822–1888)
• Hovhannes Hovhannisyan (1864–1929)
• Hovhannes Tumanyan (1869–1923)
• Vahan Terian (1885–1920)

Yeghishe Charents fell victim to the Great Purge in 1937.

Hovhannes Shiraz was one of the most notable Armenian writers of the late Soviet period.

Soviet era

• Gevorg Abajian (1920–2002)
• Vahram Alazan (1903–1966)
• Levon Ananyan (1946–2013)
• Vakhtang Ananyan (1905–1980)
• Zhirayr Ananyan (1934–2004)
• Axel Bakunts (1899–1937)
• Zori Balayan (born 1935)
• Gurgen Boryan (1915–1971)
• Arpenik Charents (1932–2008)
• Yeghishe Charents (1897–1937)
• Khachik Dashtents (1910–1974)
• Razmik Davoyan (1940–2022)
• Vahagn Davtyan (1922–1996)
• Derenik Demirchian (1877–1956)
• Henrik Edoyan (born 1940)
• Gevorg Emin (1918–1998)
• Zhora Harutyunyan (1928–2002)
• Artashes Kalantarian (1931–1991)
• Silva Kaputikyan (1919–2006)
• Ler Kamsar (1888–1965)
• Hakob Karapents (1925–1994)
• Zorayr Khalapyan (1933–2008)
• Sero Khanzadyan (1916–1998)
• Avetik Isahakyan (1875–1957)
• Gurgen Mahari (1903–1969)
• Metakse (1926–2014)
• David Mouradian (born 1951)
• Vardges Petrosyan (1932–1994)
• Hamo Sahyan (1914–1993)
• Anahit Sahinyan (1917–2010)
• Ashot Sahratyan (1936–2015)
• Paruyr Sevak (1924–1971)
• Hovhannes Shiraz (1915–1984)
• Vano Siradeghyan (1946–2021)
• Hmayak Siras (1902–1983)
• Vahan Totovents (1889–1937)
• Seda Vermisheva (1932–2020)
• Hovik Vardoumian (born 1940)
• Alvard Petrossyan (1946–2022)
• Stepan Zoryan (1889–1967)
• Hrant Matevosyan (1935–2002)
• Ruben Hovsepyan (1939–2016)
• Hayrapet Hayrapetyan (1874–1962)
• Nairi Zarian (1900–1969)

Sipan Shiraz

Independence era

• Levon Khechoyan (1955–2014)
• Sipan Shiraz (1967–1997)
• Hovik Vardoumian (born 1940)
• Artem Harutyunyan (born 1945)
• Ruben Hakhverdyan (born 1950)
• Armen Shekoyan (1953–2021)
• Vahram Martirosyan (born 1959)
• Marine Petrossian (born 1960)
• Vahram Sahakian (born 1964)
• Anush Aslibekyan (born 1981)
• Aram Pachyan (born 1983)

See also

• Armenian literature