Armazi

Armazi was an ancient fortified city located near Mtskheta in Georgia, serving as the original capital of the early Georgian kingdom of Kartli (Iberia). Founded in the 3rd century BCE by King Pharnavaz I, Armazi was strategically significant due to its proximity to the Daryal Pass, a vital route through the Greater Caucasus. The city featured impressive defensive structures, including stone walls and towers, and was culturally rich, as evidenced by its multiple archaeological layers. These layers reveal a city with a mix of domestic and religious structures, advanced urban planning with terraced land, and a role as a center of Iberian paganism. Armazi experienced its peak under Roman influence, marked by fortifications ordered by Emperor Vespasian in the 1st century CE. The city gradually declined after the capital moved to Tbilisi and was destroyed in the 8th century by Arab forces, never to be revived. Today, it serves as a testament to the rich cultural and historical heritage of ancient Georgia.