Azo from Iberia

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Azo of Iberia (also: Azoy , Azon , Georgian აზო; აზოჲ; აზონი ) was an ancient ruler in Iberia , later Kartlien . Medieval Georgian annals claim that it was installed by Alexander the Great .

Medieval tradition

The medieval Georgian chronicles offer different information. While the conversion of Kartlis (მოქცევაჲ ქართლისაჲ, mɔkʰtsɛvɑj kʰɑrtʰlɪsɑj ) knows him under the name Azo (y) and makes him the offspring of an old dynasty in Arian-Kartli (არიან-ქართლი), the Georgian chronicle Das Leben Kartlis (ქართლის ცხოვრება) describes him. as Azon and as a Macedonian outsider. Both names undoubtedly denote the same person and both sources link his seizure of power with the mythical expedition of Alexander into inner Georgia.

According to the Mochtsevai Kartlisai , Azo was the son of a nameless king of Arian-Kartli, who, along with his followers , was brought to Kartli by Alexander after the conquest of the city of Mtskheta and was installed as the first king ( mep'e , მეფე). At the same time he brought the worship of Gatsi and Gaim (გაცი გაიმ) to Kartli.

Kartlis Zchowreba says nothing about such a tradition. On the contrary, Azon describes it as a son of Iaredos , neither a king nor a "Georgian". It reports that he conquered Mtskheta with 100,000 Macedonians ("Romans"), and Alexander ordered Azon to worship the seven celestial bodies (sun, moon and five "stars" = planets ) and the "invisible god, the creator of the universe ". This version describes Azon as a tyrant , who is then deposed and killed by Parnawas I. Parnawas is portrayed as a member of the ruling clan of the Parnawasids , whose father and uncle had been killed by Azon.

Modern interpretations

The identification of azo / azon is one of the most difficult puzzles in early Georgian history. His reign was from the Georgian scholar Sergi Gorgaje to 330-272 BC. BC, but this chronology lacks precision.

Despite the differences, the similarities between the two medieval traditions confirm that a kingship arose in Mtskheta in the early Hellenistic period , which is also attested by non-Georgian sources. The legendary campaign of Alexander to Iberia has also been preserved in the Armenian historical tradition, especially in the history of Armenia (Պատմություն Հայոց, Patmut'yun Hayots) by Moses von Choren (approx. 5th century). Moses describes a "Mithridates, Satrap of Darius ", who can be identified with Mithridates I (Pontus) , and who was installed by Alexander to rule over the Georgians. Giorgi Melikishvili (გიორგი მელიქიშვილი) has drawn various parallels between the stories of Azon in the Georgian chronicles and the Mithridates of the Armenian tradition.

Several modern scholars believe that the history of Azo indirectly indicates that the early Georgian tribes migrated to the northwest and intermingled with the Anatolian elements and tribes that resided in the actual Kartli. On the other hand, the version of Kartlis Zchowreba , which Azon's entourage anachronistically calls "Romans", could just as well have references to the Roman campaigns in Iberia, especially to the campaigns of the Flavians (69–96 AD), which, surprisingly, were carried out by the Georgian annals are completely concealed.

Some modern historians have also tried to associate Azon with Jason of the Argonaut saga . According to the Roman historian Tacitus , the Iberians claimed Thessalian origin, which dates back to the time when Jason, after he had fled with Medea and her children, returned to the noble palace of Aietes and the kings-free Kolchians .

literature

  • Stephen H. Rapp: Studies In Medieval Georgian Historiography: Early Texts And Eurasian Contexts . Peeters Bvba 2003. ISBN 90-429-1318-5 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Rapp: 270.
  2. ↑ Rapp: 269.
  3. ↑ a b Rapp: 273.
  4. ^ A b Giorgi L. Kavtaradze: Georgian Chronicles and the raison d'étre of the Iberian Kingdom (Caucasica II). Orbis Terrarum, Journal of Historical Geography of the Ancient World 6, 2000: 177-237.
  5. ^ Cyril Toumanoff : Studies in Christian Caucasian History. Georgetown University Press 1963: 89.
  6. ^ Constantine B. Lerner: The 'River of Paradise' and the Legend about the City of Tbilisi: A Literary Source of the Legend . In: Folklore . tape 16 , 2001, ISSN  1406-0957 , pp. 76 , doi : 10.7592 / FEJF2001.16.tbilisi (English, PDF ).
  7. ↑ Rapp: 269-270.
  8. ↑ Michael Grant: The Annals of Imperial Rome. Penguin Classics 1973: 217. ISBN 0-14-044060-7
personal data
SURNAME Azo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES აზო; აზოჲ; აზონი (Georgian); Азон (Russian); Azo from Iberia
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Ruler of Kartlien
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 4th century BC Chr.