10 Facts About Levon Shant

Levon Shant was an Armenian playwright, novelist, poet and founder of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society.

Levon Shant was a lifelong member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and is the namesake of the ARF's Shant Student Association.

Levon Shant attended Armenian school at Scutari until 1884 and then went to the Gevorgian seminary at Echmiadzin until 1891.

Levon Shant returned to Constantinople to teach and write; his first literary work was accepted by the daily Hairenik of that city in 1891.

Levon Shant departed to Germany in 1893 for six years to study science, child psychology, education, literature and history in the universities of Leipzig, Jena and Munich.

Levon Shant was one of the vice-presidents of the Armenian Parliament during the Republic and led a delegation to Moscow in April 1920 to negotiate with the communist regime.

Levon Shant left Armenia after its sovietization in 1921, and settled in Paris, Cairo, and eventually in Beirut.

Levon Shant was one of the founders of the Hamazkayin cultural association in Cairo.

Levon Shant is regarded by many as the greatest Armenian playwright.

Levon Shant's plays The Emperor and Ancient Gods remain among the most frequently staged Armenian dramas.