On the issue of the time of creation of united Egrisi (Lazica) kingdom
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52340/isj.2022.25.16Abstract
In the beginning of II century A.D. political situation was sharply changed in the Eastern Black sea area. On the territory of historical Colchis, appeared separate political unions –“kingdoms” of Macron-Heniokhes’, Lazs’, Absils’, Abazgs’ and Sanigs’, which after the immediate leaving of provincial rule of Rome, were setting some political relations with Empire and were getting formal independence. At a certain period, the kingdom of Lazica subjugated the rest of the unions and united all of Western Georgia. When did the hegemony of the Laz in Western Georgia to be established? The present paper is an attempt to find answer to the question. From the beginning of 2nd Century A.D. Laz Kingdom presented as “friend and ally” of Rome. During the reign of Antonius Pius (138-161) the interests of Laz kingdom and Rome became even closer. Pacorum, King of Lazica, was contemporary person of Antonius Pius. He, had been using benevolence of the Romans, expanded the borders of the Laz kingdom to Northwestern, including the contemporary Gagra-Pitsunda sector which was evidenced by a Greek inscription on a silver cup found in the village Achmarda in the Gagra district. The territorial expansion of the Laz kingdom in this direction was supported by Romans and therefore a Roman garrison was introduced to Pitsunda during the reign of Antonius Pius. Thus, in the middle of the second century during the reign of king Pakor, the Lazes, with the consent of the Romans, joined the Unions of the Absiles, Abazges and Saniges and extended the boarders of the kingdom of the Lazes to the north-west to the Akheunt river (modern Shakhe river).
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