Amazasp II of Iberia

Who was Amazasp II of Iberia?

Amazasp II was a king of Iberia and the last in the P’arnavaziani line according to the medieval Georgian chronicles. A son and successor of P’arsman III, he is assumed to have ruled in the latter quarter of the 2nd century, from 185 to 189 according to Cyril Toumanoff.

The Georgian chronicles describe, in detail, Amazasp’s victory over the invading Alans and his reciprocal raid into the Alan lands. His four-year long reign is reported to have terminated in a revolt of his nobles supported by Armenia and the Alans. Amazasp was killed in battle and succeeded by his rebel nephew, Rev I.

In 1996, an incomplete Greek inscription mentioning "Amazaspos, great king of the Iberians" was discovered at Bagineti in Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Iberia. According to Tinatin Kaukhchishvili's reconstruction of the damaged text, Amazasp appears to have been married to the daughter of Vologases, king of Armenia. This can be either Amazasp II or the earlier Iberian king Amazasp I, while Vologases is Vologases I or Vologases II.