In the course of the war against Mithridates VI of Pontus, the Romans advanced into the territories in the isthmus between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea in the first century BCE. In the central part of the region, south of the Greater Caucasus, lay the kingdom of Iberia (modern eastern Georgia), which thereafter became a target of attention for both Roman and Persian interests and was involved in the border policies of the two great empires. Frank Schleicher provides an overview of the historical development of Iberia and the entire region, from the first contact with Rome to the Arab conquest in the seventh century, tracing social, cultural, and religious developments. Central to the presentation are the key questions of what role Iberia played in broader political relations between Rome and Persia, how it was culturally shaped by the two great empires, and what scope for action arose for its elites and rulers as a result of its particular geographical location.

Adjunct Prof. Frank Schleicher teaches and carries out research at the University of Jena.