Varsken Pitiakhsh

Varsken Pitiakhsh, son of Arshusha, was the governor of Lower Kartli in the 460s–480s (5th century). He was politically opposed to the central authority of Kartli and became one of the leaders of the rising (opposing) feudal forces. He also attempted to use outside power to his advantage. For this purpose, he adopted Zoroastrianism (Mazdaism), the state religion of Iran.

Because of this collaboration, King Vakhtang I Gorgasali began his rebellion against Iran by having Varsken executed in 482.

Varsken Pitiakhsh is one of the main characters in Iakob Tsurtaveli’s The Martyrdom of Shushanik.

Sources and Literature: საქართველოს ისტორიის ნარკვევები, ტ. 2, თბ., 1973; ჯ ა ნ ა შ ი ა  ლ.-ნ., ლაზარ ფარპეცის ცნობები საქართველოს შესახებ, თბ., 1962.

L.-N. Janashia