Armenian written literature originated almost sixteen centuries ago with the invention of the Armenian alphabet in A.D. 405. Throughout history, the Armenian people have fought for the retention of their religion and national identity. The Heritage of Armenian Literature is the first anthology of Armenian literature in English translation to take a comprehensive approach to capturing the essence of the literature of the period covered.

Agop J. Hacikyan, Gabriel Basmajian, Edward S. Franchuk, and Nourhan Ouzounian preserve the Armenian literary tradition in this collection of songs, epics, folk tales, poetry, and theological and philosophical works. Beginning with the oral tradition and continuing through the golden age of Armenian literature in the fifth century, the editors place the literature in historical and literary context with introductory essays to each section.