Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: From ancient times, Georgia has been home to representatives of diverse ethnicities and ethnocultural groups.Periodic migrations of Greeks, Jews, Armenians, Persians, Turkmens, and others, along with centuries-long interactions with them, constitute one of the main trends in the development and building of nation-state of Georgia.The first Greek settlements in Georgia are linked to the intensive colonization of the Black Sea coast by the Greeks (VIII-VI c.BC).Modern Greeks are primarily the so-called Pontian Greeks, who emigrated from the north-eastern regions of the Ottoman Empire.Their first settlements appeared in Georgia from the 18th century onwards (Kurshavishvili, 1959: 281-285, 297; Kaukhchishvili, 1942: 219-239; Pashaeva, Komakhia, (1), 2008: 149-162).Ancient Georgian historiography associates the arrival of Jews in Georgia with the conquest and destruction of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon in 586 BC: "…King Nebuchadnezzar conquered and destroyed Jerusalem and Jews fled to Georgia" (Qartlis ckhovreba, 1955: 15).Subsequent waves of Jewish exiles came to Georgia, including after the siege of Jerusalem by Roman Emperor Vespasian in 70 AD.It appears that a Jewish colony existed in Mtskheta during the Hellenistic period from at least 169 BC (Melikishvili, 1970: 452-453; Davarashvili, Tsagareishvili, 2008: 90-103; Topchishvili, 2015: 183-184).The Armenian population emerged in Georgia from the beginning of II century BC.Armenia and Georgia have had close relations since then.Armenian statehood was brought to an end in XI century, and by XVI-XVII centuries, historical Armenian territories were divided between Persia and the Ottoman Empire, leading many Armenians to seek refuge in Georgia due to national-political or religious persecution (Janiashvili, Komakhia, (1), 2008: 104-127; Topchishvili, 2015: 184-188).After the fall of the Byzantine Empire, Christian communities of the Near East, including Assyrians, considered Georgia their homeland.A small wave of Assyrians, persecuted by Muslims, must have settled in eastern Georgia during that period.In the second half of XVIII century, Assyrians fleeing the Near East were resettled in Kakheti by King Erekle II.Several more waves of Assyrians arrived in Georgia in XIX-XX centuries (Abashidze, Komakhia, 2008: 198-209).After centuries-long relations with Persians, Arabs, and Turks, representatives of these peoples were coming to settle in Georgia.Kurds and Turkmens settled in Georgia during the
Authors: Bezhan Khorava, Dazmir Jojua
Institutions: University of Georgia, Sokhumi State University
Language: English
Subfield: History
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4405407516