Pharnavaz I

Pharnavaz I
King of Iberia and Colchis[1]
Relief of King Pharnavaz[where?]
King of Iberia
Reign302–237 BC[b]
299–234 BC[c]
284–219 BC[d]
PredecessorAzo of Iberia
(office created)
SuccessorSauromaces I
Born329, 326[2] or 311 BC
Mtskheta, Kartli
Died237, 234 or 219 BC (aged 92)
Mtskheta, Kingdom of Iberia
Burial
Armazi, Kingdom of Iberia (undisclosed)
SpouseDurdzuk woman
IssueSauromaces I
DynastyPharnavazid
FatherGeorgian prince[3]
MotherPersian woman[4]
ReligionGeorgian paganism (God Armazi) (Self-deification)

Pharnavaz I[a] (/fɑːrnɑːvɑːz/; Georgian: ფარნავაზ I, romanized: parnavaz I Georgian pronunciation: [pʰaɾnavaz]) was a king (mepe) of Kartli, an ancient Georgian kingdom known as Iberia in classical antiquity. The Georgian Chronicles credits him with being the first monarch founding the kingship of Kartli and the Pharnavazid dynasty, while other independent chronicles, such as The Conversion of Kartli make him the second Georgian monarch. Based on the medieval evidence, most scholars locate Pharnavaz's rule in the 3rd century BC: 302–237 BC according to Prince Vakhushti of Kartli, 299–234 BC according to Cyril Toumanoff and 284–219 BC according to Pavle Ingoroqva.[5] Pharnavaz's rise, advent and imperial expansion of the Iberian monarchy was directly tied to the victory of Alexander the Great over the Achaemenid Empire.[6][7] Pharnavaz ruled under the suzerainty of the Seleucid Empire.[8]

  1. ^ Georgian royal annals, page of edition 24, line of edition 6–7
  2. ^ Toumanoff, p. 9
  3. ^ Georgian royal annals, page of edition 20, line of edition 17
  4. ^ Georgian royal annals, page of edition 20, line of edition 18
  5. ^ Rapp, p. 274.
  6. ^ Rapp (2014), p. 203
  7. ^ Rayfield (2013), p. 23
  8. ^ Rayfield (2013), pp. 22-23