“An Armenian Futūḥ Narrative: Łewond’s Eighth-Century History of the Caliphate”
by Dr. Alison Vacca and Dr. Sergio La Porta
Dr. Alison Vacca and Dr. Sergio La Porta will present a talk on their newly translated work, “An Armenian Futūḥ Narrative: Łewond’s Eighth-Century History of the Caliphate” at 7:00PM on Friday, December 5, 2025, in the University Business Center (5245 N. Backer Ave.), Alice Peters Auditorium, on the Fresno State campus.
This talk introduces the authors’ new edition, translation, and commentary of the eighth-century Armenian history attributed to Łewond, selected as the Winner (Best Edition & Translation) of the Mediterranean Seminar Prize for the Best Source Edition, Book Translation, or Essay Collection, 2025. Łewond’s account, a rare narrative produced from within the early Islamic Caliphate, situates Armenia at the intersection of Roman, Khazar, and caliphal spheres of influence and offers an informed perspective on provincial administration, military conflict, and noble politics. Rather than treating Łewond as an unreliable witness, the authors examine his work as a consciously constructed narrative shaped by the concerns of his time.
By comparing Łewond’s text with Arabic futūḥ (conquest) literature, they identify shared narrative patterns and frontier storytelling traditions that help explain his organization, while case studies demonstrate his deliberate shaping of chronology and events. Also discussed is his version of the correspondence between Caliph ʿUmar II and Emperor Leo III, highlighting its significance for understanding the movement of ideas across Armenian, Arabic, Greek, and Latin traditions.
Dr. Alison Vacca is the Gevork M. Avedissian Associate Professor of Armenian History and Civilization at Columbia University. Her book Non-Muslim Provinces under Early Islam: Islamic Rule and Iranian Legitimacy in Armenia and Caucasian Albania, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2017 and received the Central Eurasian Studies Society book award in 2018. Her second book, currently under review, develops an acentric model of medieval history using examples of marriage and matriliny across Eurasia, including in Armenian sources.
Dr. Sergio La Porta is the Interim Dean of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development at California State University, Fresno. He served as the Haig and Isabel Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies at Fresno State from 2009-2023, and as Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities from 2019-2023. His research and publications focus on medieval Armenian intellectual history and cultural interactions with the Islamicate, Byzantine, and Latinate worlds.
The lecture is free and open to the public. Free parking is available in Fresno State Lot P6 or P5, near the University Business Center. Permits are NOT required for Friday night lectures.
The presentation will also be live-streamed on YouTube at: https://bit.ly/armenianstudiesyoutube.
