- Caucasian Iberia was a Roman Client Kingdom which is now eastern Georgia.
- It is known as Caucasian Iberia to mark the difference with the Iberian Peninsular and had an eastern border with Caucasian Albania (Azerbaijan).
History of Caucasian Iberia, Colchis and Albania
- In the first century BCE, Iberia and its coastal neighbour, Colchis, were allied to the Kingdom of Pontus.
- In 65 BCE, during the Third Mithridatic War against Mithridates VI of Pontus, the Romans invaded Pontus led by Pompey and Lucullus, and Pontus became a Roman Province.
- Caucasian Albania also became a Roman Client Kingdom along with adjacent Armenia.
- At the same time, Colchis was made into a Roman Province and Iberia became a Roman Client Kingdom.
- Colchis and Iberia were now buffer states between Rome and the Parthian Empire,
- The capital city was originally Armazi, then Mtskheta, between 3rd century BCE and 5th century CE, and Tbilisi from 522-534 CE onwards.
- Between 241-298 CE, Iberia fell under Persian influence.
- From 298 to 363 CE, Iberia returned to Roman influence, and adopted Christianity, before again becoming a Persian vassal state.
Mtskheta, Georgia