The Kingdom of Egrisi
The Kingdom of Egrisi (Lazica) – an ancient Georgian kingdom located in western Georgia. It emerged after the dissolution of the Kingdom of Colchis, when its independent tribal-territorial formations united (around the 1st century AD). In ancient sources it is referred to as Lazica.
At first, it was a small kingdom, occupying both banks of the Rioni River (approximately from Kobuleti to the Egristskali River). The Roman Empire maintained formal suzerainty over it. In the 30s of the 2nd century, the king of Egrisi, Malasa, was appointed by the Roman Emperor, and a Roman garrison was stationed in the coastal fortress-city of Phasis. In the 250s, the Goths invaded the kingdom, and in the 290s the Sarmatians did the same.
In the 4th century, Egrisi grew stronger and united the whole of western Georgia. To the south, its territory reached the lower course of the Chorokhi River, and to the north it subjugated the principalities of the Apsilae, Abasgians, and Sanigs, as well as the Svans (Misimians) and the inhabitants of Lechkhumi. The relationship of the king of Egrisi to the Roman (Byzantine) emperor became largely formal: the heir of a deceased king, who was to be crowned according to local customs, would receive royal insignia sent by the Byzantine Emperor. The only duty of the Egrisians was to guard the northern borders of their country to prevent nomads from invading imperial lands. Byzantine garrisons no longer stood in Egrisi’s coastal settlements. The king of Egrisi had vassals in the form of the rulers of the Abasgians, Sanigs, Svans, and other tribes. The process of feudalization of the country strengthened.
In the first half of the 4th century, Christianity was declared the state religion in Egrisi, and ecclesiastically it became subordinate to the Patriarch of Constantinople. From the 6th to the 9th centuries, Egrisi had its own metropolitan bishop (who resided in Phasis), who presided over four bishops – of Petra (Tsikhisdziri), Gudakva (Ziganevi), Tsaishi, and Vardtsikhe (Rhodopolis).
In the mid-5th century, King Gubaz I attempted to free himself completely from dependence on Byzantium but failed. The Svans and Sanigs took advantage of the conflict with Byzantium and won independence in the 470s. At the beginning of the 6th century, Egrisi temporarily became a vassal of Iran. In 523, however, King Tsate I received his crown from the Byzantine emperor.
In the 6th century, Egrisi became a constant battlefield between Byzantium and Iran. After Iran firmly established itself in eastern South Caucasia (Iberia, Albania, Persarmenia), Egrisi gained exceptional strategic importance. In 528, the Iranian army occupied the fortress-cities of Shorapani and Skandi in western Georgia. The king of Egrisi received support from Byzantine troops, who defeated the Iranians, and in 532 a “Perpetual Peace” was signed, restoring the pre-war situation. Emperor Justinian I strengthened Byzantine authority in Egrisi (founded the fortress-city of Petra, established a trade monopoly, and stationed his troops in Egrisi’s strongholds). This provoked a rebellion in 541 under King Gubaz. In 542, the Iranian army entered Egrisi, beginning a 20-year war between Byzantium and Iran (the Great War of Egrisi, 542–562). In 562, a 50-year peace treaty was signed: Iran renounced Egrisi, which remained a Byzantine vassal kingdom.
In the 620s, Egrisians, together with the Abasgians, participated in Emperor Heraclius’ campaigns against Iran. By the end of the 7th century, Egrisi became a Byzantine province, and its ruler was no longer called “King of Lazica” but referred to with the title “Patrikios.” Abkhazia separated from Egrisi and came directly under Byzantine rule. In 697, the patrikios of Egrisi, Sergius, tried to free the country with Arab support but failed.
In 736–738, the Arab commander Marwan II (in Georgian sources referred to as Marwan the Deaf) invaded Egrisi, ravaged the land, plundered the capital Tsikhegoji, as well as Tskhumi (modern Sokhumi), and advanced to Anakopia, but failed to capture it. His invasion significantly hindered the country’s development. By the end of the 8th century, the authority of the last kings – Ioane and Juansher – was completely shaken, and the initiative for unifying western Georgia passed into the hands of the Abkhazian principality.
Egrisi was economically developed: agriculture, viticulture, and animal husbandry thrived; flax, wax, and shipbuilding timber were processed here. It maintained trade relations with both western and eastern countries, Byzantine Asia Minor and other provinces, and Pontic coastal cities, as well as with Armenia (and, through it, with Iran and Central Asia). A significant amount of imported goods entered Egrisi (fine ceramics, glassware, luxury items, and jewelry). Byzantine and Eastern coins were in circulation.
From the 3rd century onwards, urban life flourished: coastal towns such as Phasis, Sebastopolis, and Bichvinta became major trade and artisan centers; new towns emerged (Shorapani, Vardtsikhe, Mokhirisi, etc.) and older cities gained a new life. The capital Tsikhegoji (Archaeopolis) was large and powerful.
Culturally, Egrisi continued the rich local traditions inherited from the ancient Colchian world while assimilating elements of Hellenistic and Roman culture. Foreign influences were visible in western Georgian architecture, visual arts, elite lifestyles, and clothing, though these influences were superficial and did not define the overall development of local culture. An important cultural center of this era was Colchis’ higher rhetorical school (3rd–4th centuries).
Sources: აგათია სქოლასტიკოსი, წგ.: გეორგიკა, ს. ყაუხჩიშვილის გამოც., ტ. 3, თბ., 1936; პრისკე პანიონელი, გუთების ისტორია, იქვე, ტ. 1, თბ., 1961; პროკოპი კესარიელი, იქვე, ტ. 2, თბ., 1965; ფლავიუს არიანე, მოგზაურობა შავი ზღვის გარშემო, ნ. კეჭაღმაძის გამოც., თბ., 1961.
Literature: ლ ო მ ო უ რ ი ნ., ეგრისის სამეფოს ისტორია, თბ., 1968; ჯ ა ვ ა ხ ი შ ვ ი ლ ი ივ., ქართველი ერის ისტორია, წგ. 1, თბ., 1979 (თხზ. თორმეტ ტომად, ტ. 1); ჯ ა ნ ა შ ი ა ს., ფეოდალური რევოლუცია საქართველოში, შრომები, ტ. 1, თბ., 1949; მ ი ს ი ვ ე, ეგრისის სამეფოს წარმოშობა, შრომები, ტ. 2, თბ., 1952.
