Caucasian Iberia: Map & History
In Greco-Roman geography, Iberia was an exonym for the Georgian kingdom of Kartli, known after its core province.
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In Greco-Roman geography, Iberia was an exonym for the Georgian kingdom of Kartli, known after its core province. The kingdom existed during Classical Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, either as an independent state or as a dependent of larger empires, notably the Sassanid and Roman empires. Iberia, centered on present-day eastern Georgia, was bordered by Colchis in the west, Caucasian Albania in the east and Armenia in the south.
Modern Countries Once Part of Caucasian Iberia
At its mapped extent, Caucasian Iberia covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Caucasian Iberia's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Caucasian Iberia in Depth
History
In earliest times, the area of Caucasian Iberia was inhabited by several related tribes stemming from the Kura-Araxes culture.
According to Cyril Toumanoff, the Moschians were an early proto-Georgian tribe that played a leading role in the consolidation of Iberian tribes largely inhabiting eastern and southern Georgia. The Moschians may have moved slowly to the northeast, forming settlements as they traveled. One of these settlements was Mtskheta, the future capital of the Kingdom of Iberia. The Mtskheta tribe was later ruled by a prince locally known as mamasakhlisi ("father of the household" in Georgian).
The written sources for the early periods of Iberia's history are mostly medieval Georgian chronicles, which modern scholarship interprets as semi-legendary narratives.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Kingdom of Iberia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Caucasian Iberia: Key Facts
| Capitals | Armaztsikhe, Tbilisi, Mtskheta |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Old Georgian, Georgian |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Currency | Kolkhuri Tetri |
| Founded | 299 BCE |
| Dissolved | 580 CE |
Succeeded by
- Sasanian Iberia
Facts from Wikidata Q19083 (CC0).
Caucasian Iberia Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Caucasian Iberia appears, with the other states of the time.
Caucasian Iberia Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 35,868 km² in 2 CE.
Caucasian Iberia: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Caucasian Iberia exist?
Caucasian Iberia is dated to 63 BCE – 533 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of Caucasian Iberia?
The capital of Caucasian Iberia was Armazi, Mtskheta, Tbilisi.
How large was Caucasian Iberia at its peak?
At its peak in 2 AD Caucasian Iberia covered about 35,868 km².
How did the map of Caucasian Iberia change over time?
Caucasian Iberia appears on 6 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1 CE to 500 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.