Lazica

Kingdom of Lazica
ეგრისის სამეფო
Kingdom of Lazica ეგრისის სამეფო
131 AD–697 AD
	The kingdom of Lazica in Late Antiquity
Status	Kingdom
Capital	Archaeopolis
Common languages	Zan language, and other Kartvelian Languages
Religion	Eastern Orthodox Church
King
• 131 AD	(first)
• 696/697	Sergius (last)
Historical era	Classical antiquity
• Established	131 AD
• vassal of Roman Empire	3rd to 5th century
• Lazic War	541 to 562 AD
• annexation of Lazica by Byzantine Empire	7th
• Disestablished	697 AD
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Roman Empire
Kingdom of Abkhazia
Today part of	show Countries today

Lazica (Georgian: ეგრისი, Egrisi; Laz: ლაზიკა, Laziǩa; Greek: Λαζική, Lazikí; Persian: لازستان‎, Lâzestân; Armenian: Եգեր, Yeger) was the Latin name given to the territory of Colchis during the Roman/Byzantine period, from about the 1st century BC.

History[]

By the mid-3rd century, Lazica was given partial autonomy within the Roman Empire and developed into kingdom. Throughout much of its existence, it was mainly a Byzantine strategic vassal kingdom that briefly came under Sasanian Persian rule during the Lazic War. The kingdom fell to the Muslim conquest in the 7th century. Lazica in the 8th century successfully repelled the Arab occupation and formed part of the Kingdom of Abkhazia from c. 780, one of the early medieval polities which would converge into the unified kingdom of Georgia in the 11th century.

Ecclesiastical history[]

In the early 4th century, the Christian eparchy (eastern bishopric) of Pityus was established in this kingdom, and as in neighboring Iberia Christianity was declared as an official religion in AD 319.^[1]^[2] Other ancient episcopal sees in Lazica include Rhodopolis,^[3] Saesina,^[4] and Zygana.^[5] Bishop Stratophilus of Pityus was among the participants of the First Council of Nicaea in 325. The first Christian king of Lazica was Gubazes I; in the 5th century, Christianity was made the official religion of Lazica. Later, the nobility and clergy of Lazica switched from the Hellenic ecclesiastic tradition to the Georgian, and Georgian became the language of culture and education. The Bichvinta Cathedral is one of oldest monuments of Georgian Christian architecture. It was constructed by King Bagrat III of Georgia (978-1014, an Orthodox saint).^[6]

Rulers[]

Ruler	Reign	Notes
1. Malassas	mentioned by Arrian in 131	vassal of the Roman Emperor Hadrian.
2. Pacorus	a contemporary of the Antoninus Pius (r. 138–161)	his name is found on a coin issued by him.
3. Gubazes I	attested c. 456 – 466
4. Damnazes	?–521/522
5. Tzath I	attested 521/522 – 527/528
6. Opsites	dates of reign unknown, likely some time before 541
7. Gubazes II	c. 541 – 555
8. Tzath II	556–?
9. Lebarnicius	c. 662	mentioned as "patricius of Lazica" in the Hypomnensticum of Theodosius and Theodore of Gangra
10. Grigor	670 – c. 675
11. Sergius	c. 696/697

References[]

^ E. Glenn Hinson, The Church Triumphant: A History of Christianity Up to 1300. p 223
^ George Hewitt, Georgian Reader. p. xii
^ Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013, ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 959
^ Annuario Pontificio 2013, p. 979
^ Annuario Pontificio 2013, p. 1013
^ W.E.D. Allen, A history of the Georgian people (1932), p. 276.

[1] E. Glenn Hinson, The Church Triumphant: A History of Christianity Up to 1300. p 223

[2] George Hewitt, Georgian Reader. p. xii

[3] Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013, ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 959

[4] Annuario Pontificio 2013, p. 979

[5] Annuario Pontificio 2013, p. 1013

[W.E.D._Allen_1932_p._276-6] W.E.D. Allen, A history of the Georgian people (1932), p. 276.

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

Lazica

Contents

History[]

Ecclesiastical history[]

Rulers[]

See also[]

References[]

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Achaea Aegyptus Africa proconsularis Alpes Cottiae Alpes Maritimae Alpes Graiae et Poeninae Arabia Petraea Armenia Asia Assyria Bithynia and Pontus Britannia Cappadocia Cilicia Corsica and Sardinia Crete and Cyrenaica Cyprus Dacia Dalmatia Epirus Galatia Gallia Aquitania Gallia Belgica Gallia Lugdunensis Gallia Narbonensis Germania Inferior Germania Superior Hispania Baetica Hispania Lusitania Hispania Tarraconensis Italia ^† Iudaea Lycia et Pamphylia Macedonia Mauretania Caesariensis Mauretania Tingitana Mesopotamia Moesia Inferior Moesia Superior Noricum Pannonia Inferior Pannonia Superior Raetia Sicilia Syria Thracia
^† Italy was never constituted as a province, instead retaining a special juridical status until Diocletian's reforms.

show v t Provinces of the Sasanian Empire
Abarshahr Adurbadagan Albania Arbayistan Armenia Asoristan Balasagan Dihistan Egypt* Eran-Khwarrah-Yazdegerd* Garamig ud Nodardashiragan Garmekan Gurgan Harev Hind Iberia Kadagistan* Khuzistan Kirman Kushanshahr Khwarazm Lazica* Machelonia Makuran Marw Mazun Media Meshan Nodardashiragan Paradan Padishkhwargar Pars Sakastan Sogdia Spahan Suristan Turan Yemen
* indicates short living provinces

Laz people

show Place of distribution Lazistan Georgia Turkey Germany
show Religion Sunni Islam Christianity Eparchy of Batumi and Lazeti The Seven Brothers of Lazia Laz Martyrs Churches: Jibistasi, Noghedi, Pironity
show Culture Laz language Laz grammar Barchkhali Dance Cuisine Agani Murutsxi (Newspaper)
show History Colchian culture ancient Colchian tribes Colchis Satrapy of Persia Greek colonisation Pontus Roman rule Kingdom of Lazica Christianization Byzantine rule Trebizond Empire Kingdom of Imereti Ottoman rule
show Related peoples Mingrelians Svans other groups of Georgians

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