Persians in Georgia

      Christianity or Mazdeanism

Parthia wanted to conquer the kingdom of Kartli but could not manage it because Kartli had a strong ally in Rome. In the III century AD. turmoil began in Rome. The German tribes were attacking the Roman Empire continuously. Persia had risen on the territory of Parthia and Georgia was threatened by it. Persians wished to expend their border till the Black Sea and to spread their religion - Mazdeanism - among Georgians. In that period Georgia became the scene of confrontation between the two great countries - Mazdeanic Persia and Christian Rome. The Georgian nation had to make a choice which would save it from degeneration. Then the right choice was done - to adopt Christianity. It was the beginning of the IV c., the period of triumph of Christianity.

The Persia revenge

Persia disliked Georgia becoming Christian country. Persian empire gathered troops and in the IV c. conquered Eastern Georgia. Georgian soldiers were taken in Iran to serve in their army. Persians wanted to make Georgians Mazdeans. Georgian people believed that if they forgot Christianity they would loose language, traditions and would never fight again for independence. At that time a famous Georgian story was written, describing the life of one noble and his wife. The noble became Mazdean and took money from Persians. The man also decided to mazdeanize his wife and children. Wife disobeyed him, she refused to leave Christianity and ran away from the house. With this act she publicly dishonored her husband who didn't forgive her wife and tormented her. She peacefully met the murder and didn't leave Christianity. She was taken to the jail were after six years she died. Her act was an example to others. Church gave her holiness. After that many Georgians met death for love of Christ but Georgia remained a Christian country.

King Vakhtang Gorgasali (the II part of V c)

Vakhtang Gorgasali was a famous Georgian King. When he became a King, he was only fifteen years old. He was goliath. He also was brave warrior and clever leader of the country. He had a helmet on which was represented the image of wolf. That was why Persians called him Gorg-aslan or wolf-headed.

Foundation of Tbilisi

A thick forest was in the place where now Tbilisi is situated. Once Vakhtang Gorgasali was hunting there. Hunting was a common tradition of Georgian Kings and it also meant good military training. During hunting, suddenly pheasant flew near the King. He sent his favorite hawk to catch the bird. He waited hawk's return but he was not coming... The King kept seeking them until he found both boiled in a hot water. The King liked the area and decided to build there a city named Tbilisi, which in Georgian means warm water place. Hot water streams remained in Tbilisi till our days. Vakhtang Gorgasali died before he could see Tbilisi as a capital city. But his son Dachi fulfilled the law of the father and moved the capital from Mtskheta to Tbilisi.