Pharnavaz I of Iberia

Parnawas I, also Parnaos I. (Georgian: ფარნავაზ, ფარნაოზ ) was the first king of Iberia, an ancient Georgian state in the Caucasus, which is named in Georgian sources as Kartli. He was the founder of the dynasty of Parnawasiden. In traditional Georgian literature King Parnawas is associated with the creation of the Georgian alphabet.

Life

Parnawas was the end of the 4th century BC as the son of the ruling family of Iberia, which existed BC since the 6th century. When, after the conquest of the Persian Empire by Alexander the Great, a military leader named Ason the area south of the Caucasus conquered Parnawas fled as the last surviving member of the ruling family. In alliance with Kudschi, ruler of the neighboring Colchis, the Alans and peoples of Dagestan Parnawas Ason defeated. He founded Iberia new, with Mtskheta as the capital, and conquered more territories.

The realm of Parnawas was similar to the Persian Empire, divided into administrative districts, which presided Eristawis. Parnawas divided the state into eight parts, of which seven Saeristawo ( საერისთავო ) and a Saspaspeto ( სასპასპეტო ). His government included the whole of East and South Georgia and large parts of western Georgia. Colchis was friendly terms with him. He laid the foundation for the emergence of the Georgian people and a common state. Through marriage policy, he strengthened the connections to the Ossetians and Durdsuken, his sister gave it to the king Colchian Kudschi wife. There were taken during his time many neighboring areas under Iberian control, especially in the North Caucasus and Albania. With the Seleucid Empire Iberia became close friends.

The culture was promoted and disseminated the Georgian language. The Georgian script was created according to some sources of Parnawas, but probably only reworked and unified. Parnawas let Mtskheta fix it with a new city wall and rebuild all the destroyed Ason castles. He also started the installation of the residence of the Iberian kings, Armas Ziche. At the height of Mtskheta before he erected a large statue of the deity Armazi. Under this he was after 65 years reign also buried.