Abstract:
In the I-III centuries A.D, Kartli was included in the geopolitical
sphere of “Pax Romana”. The exception is the mid III century
A.D., when King Amazasp of Kartli, due to the political situation, was
forced to change his state orientation and recognize himself as a
vassal of Shah Shabur I of Iran.
The 3rd century is an important period for Sassanid Iran, which
can be called the era of religious reforms (Kartir and Mani. Zoroastrianism
and Manichaeism). Our area of interest is to find out how
much the religious situation in Sassanid Iran of the 3rd century reflected
on Kartli.
The paper examines and analyzes political and religious issues
between Iberia and Sasanian Iran based on historical sources and
artefacts. The research shows that due to the political situation, Kartli
could not bypass the religious processes taking place in Sasanian
Iran in the 3rd century, but, at the same time, these processes supposedly
had a smaller impact on Kartli. It is noteworthy that Sasanian
engraved gems in Kartli appear mostly after the IV century and
throughout the Sasanian period. The engraved gems a contemporary
historical document on which the depictions of deities, symbols and
ritual scenes shed light on the religious beliefs of this or that period.
