LAZAREBAD (BAGAMEJK) - EARLY MEDIEVAL CITY OF CAUCASIAN ALBANIA (based on sources data)

Abstract

In connection with the spread of Christianity in Albania, the city of Lazarebad is also mentioned in written sources. Information about this city, as well as its location, is reported by Ganjali Kirakos and Mkhitar Gosh. In Moses Kalankatuklu’s “History of Albania”, there is no information about this city. In the list submitted by Moses Kalankatuklu’s, Lazarus is mentioned by the seventh Catholicos after Elisha who was the first Catholicos and in 56 that laid the foundation of the first church in the Caucasus in Albania. Mkhitar Gosh in the list of leaders - the Catholicos of the Albanian Church mentions and gives brief information about Lazarus. Mkhitar Gosh writes: “Lazarus. He built Lazarebad and the church of St. Pantaleon in Bagamejka. He built it all after a revelation that came to him from God.” Ganjali Kirakos writes that the city of Lazarabad is located in a place called Bagamejk. Bagamejk is the area between Barda and Beylagan with impassable forests and swamps. It should be noted that not a single opinion was put forward in connection with the localization of this city. Researcher M.J.Khalilov writes that it is not yet established what archaeological monument belongs to and when the city of Lazarabad was founded. It can be concluded that and in the 3rd centuries Lazarus was the Catholicos of Albania. It is very likely that the city was founded during this period. It is assumed that Bagamejk and the city of Lazarebad founded there were located on the territory of modern Barda, Aghjabadi or Aghdam regions.