DWIN

DWIN. – A city also called “Ostan” by Armenian historians, because Khosrow II transferred the court there in the 3rd century. Within its walls, in 478, the seat of the Armenian katholikós was transferred; it remained there until 931. Many synods were held in D., four of which remained famous: the first under the katholikós Nerses II in 554–55, which also established the Armenian era; the second under Moses II, against Cyrus, metropolitan of Georgia; the third under Nerses III; the fourth under John Oztetzi, in 719–20, against the Paulicians and Messalians. D. was destroyed several times by the Arabs; its final complete destruction is attributed to a terrible earthquake in the 13th century.