View source for Lazica

{{Short description|Former country}}
{{other uses}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name            = {{lang|ka|ეგრისის სამეფო}}
| conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Lazica
| common_name            = Lazica, Egrisi|
| status                 = [[Monarchy|Kingdom]]
| year_start             = 131 AD
| year_end               = 697 {{Sfn|History of Georgia|2012|p=386}}
| era                    = [[Classical antiquity]]
| event_pre              = 
| date_pre               = 
| event_start            = Established
| date_start             = 
| event1                 = vassal of [[Roman Empire]]
| date_event1            = 2nd to 5th century
| event2                 = [[Lazic War]]
| date_event2            = 541 to 562 AD
| event3                 = annexation of Lazica by Byzantine Empire
| date_event3            = 7th|
| p1                     = Roman Empire
| flag_p1                = Vexilloid of the Roman Empire.svg
| s1                     = Kingdom of Abkhazia
| flag_s1                = 
| image_flag             = 
| flag_type              = 
| image_coat             = 
| coa_size               = 
| symbol                 = 
| symbol_type            = 
| image_map              = Egrisi-4-5 cc.svg
| image_map_caption      = Kingdom of Lazica in IV-V cc.AD
| capital                = [[Archaeopolis]]|
| national_motto         = 
| national_anthem        = 
| common_languages       = [[Zan languages|Zan]]<br>[[Old Georgian]]<br>[[Greek language|Greek]] (religious)
| religion               =[[Georgian mythology|Georgian paganism]]<br>[[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] (pre-Schism)
| currency               = [[Antoninianus]] until IV A.D, later [[Solidus (coin)|Solidus]]{{Sfn|History of Georgia|2012|p=43}}
| title_leader           = [[Kings of Lazica|King]]
| leader1                = [[Malassas]] <small>(first)</small>
| year_leader1           = 131 AD
| leader2                = [[Sergius, Patrician of Lazica|Sergius]] <small>(last)</small>
| year_leader2           = 696/697
| stat_pop3              = 
| footnotes              = 
| today                  = {{Collapsible list |titlestyle=font-weight:normal; background:transparent; text-align:left;|title=Countries today|[[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]|[[Russia]]|[[Turkey]]|}}
}}
{{History of Georgia (country)}}
{{Laz people}}
The '''Kingdom of Lazica''' ({{langx|ka|ეგრისი|Egrisi}}; {{langx|lzz|ლაზიკა|Laziǩa}}; {{langx|grc|Λαζική|Lazikḗ}}), sometimes called '''Lazian Empire''',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Braund |first=David |title=Georgia in Antiquity A History of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia, 550 BC-AD 562 |publication-date=2003 |pages=274, 65}}</ref> was a state in the territory of west [[Georgia in the Roman era|Georgia in the Roman period]], from about the 1st century BC. Created as a result of the collapse of the kingdom of [[Colchis]] and the gaining of independence by the tribal-territorial units included in it in 131 AD.

== Name ==
In the [[Svan language]], the [[Svans]] refer to the [[Mingrelia]] (Samegrelo) region as Lazan, La- is the Svan territorial prefix and Lazan means "the land of the Zans".<ref>W. E. D. Allen - A History of the Georgian People from the Beginning Down to the Russian Conquest in the Nineteenth Century</ref>

== History ==
By the mid-3rd century, Lazica was given partial autonomy within the Roman Empire and developed into a kingdom. Throughout much of its existence, it was mainly a [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] strategic vassal kingdom that briefly came under [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian Persian]] rule during the [[Lazic War]]. The treaty that ended the war abolished the kingdom of Lazica which became a Byzantine territory rules by a patrician.<ref name=braund48>{{Cite book |last=Braund |first=David |title=Georgia in Antiquity A History of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia, 550 BC-AD 562 |publication-date=2003 |pages=47-50}}</ref>

The parts of the '''Lazian Empire''' were '''Suani''', '''Scymni''', '''Western Abasgia''', '''Eastern Abasgia'''('''Apsilia'''), '''Misimiani''' and their rulers would be appointed by the kings of Lazica with the formally upon the approval of the Byzantine emperor.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Braund |first=David |title=Georgia in Antiquity A History of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia, 550 BC-AD 562 |publication-date=2003 |pages=279}}</ref>

== Ecclesiastical history ==
In the early 4th century, the [[Georgian Orthodox Church|Christian]] eparchy (eastern bishopric) of [[Pityus]] was established in this kingdom, and as in neighboring [[Kingdom of Iberia (antiquity)|Iberia]] Christianity was declared as an official religion in AD 319.<ref>E. Glenn Hinson, ''The Church Triumphant: A History of Christianity Up to 1300''. p 223</ref><ref>George Hewitt, ''Georgian Reader''. p. xii</ref> Other ancient episcopal sees in Lazica include [[Rhodopolis]],<ref>''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013, {{ISBN|978-88-209-9070-1}}), p. 959</ref> Saesina,<ref>''Annuario Pontificio 2013'', p. 979</ref> and Zygana.<ref>''Annuario Pontificio 2013'', p. 1013</ref> 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 of Lazica|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.{{Sfn|History of Georgia|2012|p=87}}

== Cities and forts ==
The information about the cities of Lazica were preserved in the works of Byzantine historians.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Berdzenishvili |first=Nikolai |title=Early feudal states of Transcaucasia in the III-VII centuries |publisher=Academy of Sciences of the USSR |year=1958 |pages=278}}</ref> The list of cities mentioned in Byzantine sources were:

* [[Petra, Lazica|Petra]] (modern [[Tsikhisdziri, Kobuleti Municipality|Tsikhisdziri]])
* [[Nokalakevi|Archeopolis]] (Nokalakevi)
* Nesos (Isula)
* Telefis (Tolebi)
* [[Vartsikhe|Rhodopolis]] (Vartsikhe)
* [[Skande|Skanda]]
* [[Shorapani|Sarapanis]] (Shorpani)
* [[Phasis (town)|Phasis]] (Poti)
* [[Pitsunda|Pitius]]
* [[Kutaisi|Kotayon]] (Kutaisi)
* [[Onoguris]]
The most significant fertile and rich area of Lazica was the [[Rioni]] river valley. A densely populated part of the territory of Colchis, where most of the Laz cities were located.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Melikishvili |first=G |title=Essays on the history of Georgia : In eight volumes : Volume I |last2=Lortkipanidze |first2=O |publisher=Tbilisi: Metsniereba |year=1989 |isbn=978-5-520-00498-1 |pages=213}}</ref> In the IV-V centuries AD large cities appeared in Lazica such as: Archeopolis, Rhodopolis and Kotayon, and the population of the coastal areas increased, mainly in the areas of Phasis.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Braund |first=David |title=Georgia in antiquity : a history of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia, 550 BC-AD 562 |publisher=Oxford: Clarendon Press |year=1994 |isbn=0-19-814473-3 |pages=278}}</ref>

The architecture of the fortresses of Lazica, located at the key points of the main trade and military routes from the shores of the Black Sea to Iran, show the influence of [[Byzantine architecture]]<ref name=":0" />

== Economy ==
Maritime trade played a significant role in the country's economy, the center of which was the port of 
[[Phasis (town)|Phasis]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kudryavtsev |first=O.V. |title=Lazika in the III - IV centuries. // World History: In ten volumes |publisher=M.: Politizdat |year=1956 |edition=S. L. Utchenko (executive editor), D. P. Kallistov , A. I. Pavlovskaya , V. V. Struve . |pages=774–775}}</ref>{{Sfn|History of Georgia|2012|p=42}} Trade was carried out mainly with [[Pontus (region)|Pontus]] and [[Bosporan Kingdom|Bosporus]] (Crimea), which were under Roman control at the time. [[Leather]], [[fur]] and other raw materials, as well as [[Slavery|slaves]], were exported from the country in large quantities. In exchange, they imported [[salt]], [[bread]], [[wine]], expensive fabrics and [[weapon]]s.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |author1=Berdzenishvili N. A |author2=Javakhishvili I. A |author3=Janashia S. N. |title=History of Georgia: from ancient times to the beginning of the 19th century: Part I |publisher=State. publishing house |year=1946 |location=Georgian SSR |pages=101, 118}}</ref> It is believed that the destruction of free trade and the introduction of a monopoly by the Romans in Lazica was one of the reasons for the Lazic war.<ref name=":1" />

The primary currency used in Lazica for trade was the Roman [[Antoninianus]] until the 4th century. Afterwards it was replaced by the Byzantine [[Solidus (coin)|Solidus]].{{Sfn|History of Georgia|2012|p=43}}

== Rulers ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Ruler
!Reign
!Notes
|- style="background:#fff;"
|1. {{ill|Malassas|tr|Malasa}}
|mentioned by [[Arrian]] in 131
|vassal of the Roman Emperor [[Hadrian]].
|-
|2. [[Pacorus of the Lazi|Pacorus]]
|a contemporary of the [[Antoninus Pius]] (r. 138–161)
|his name is found on a coin issued by him.
|- style="background:#fff;"
|3. [[Gubazes I of Lazica|Gubazes I]]
|attested c. 456 – 466
|
|-
|4. [[Damnazes]]
|?–521/522
|
|- style="background:#fff;"
|5. [[Tzath I of Lazica|Tzath I]]
|attested 521/522 – 527/528
|
|-
|6. [[Opsites of Lazica|Opsites]]
|dates of reign unknown, likely some time before 541
|
|-
|7. [[Gubazes II of Lazica|Gubazes II]] 
|c. 541 – 555
|
|-
|8. [[Tzath II of Lazica|Tzath II]]
|556–?
|
|-
|9. {{ill|Lebarnicius|tr|Lebarnicius
}}
|c. 662
|mentioned as "patricius of Lazica" in the ''Hypomnensticum'' of Theodosius and Theodore of Gangra
|-
|10. Grigor
|670 – c. 675
|
|-
|11. [[Sergius, Patrician of Lazica|Sergius]]
|c. 696/697
|
|}

== See also ==
*[[Georgia in the Roman era|Roman Georgia]]
* [[Laz people]]
* [[Lazistan Sanjak]]
* [[Lazistan]]

==Sources==
* {{Cite book |last1=Lortkipanidze |first1=Mariam |url=https://dspace.nplg.gov.ge/handle/1234/71346
|title=History of Georgia in four volumes, vol. II - History of Georgia from the 4th century to the 13th century |last2=Japaridze |first2=Otar |last3=Muskhelishvili |first3=David |last4=Metreveli |first4=Roin |year=2012 |isbn=978-9941-19-585-3 |location=Tbilisi |publisher=National Academy of Sciences of Georgia |ref={{sfnref|History of Georgia|2012}} }}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Lazika}}
{{Historical regions of Georgia}}
{{Historical states of Georgia |state=collapsed}}{{Roman provinces AD 117}}{{Sassanid Provinces}}
{{Georgia (country) topics}}

[[Category:Lazica| ]]
[[Category:Ancient history of Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Provinces of the Sasanian Empire]]
[[Category:Roman client kingdoms]]
[[Category:Historical regions]]