This video is project proposal presentation for Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation, Geor... more This video is project proposal presentation for Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation, Georgia.
Short video of international conference, organized by the Institute of Georgian History, Ivane Ja... more Short video of international conference, organized by the Institute of Georgian History, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia
Report at International Scientific Conference "Thirty Years After Restoration of Independence". N... more Report at International Scientific Conference "Thirty Years After Restoration of Independence". November 23, 2021
Short video of international conference, organized by the Institute of Georgian History, Ivane Ja... more Short video of international conference, organized by the Institute of Georgian History, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Conference - The Past Has a Future. University of Warsaw (Coordinators: A. Bursche and Others). 2... more Conference - The Past Has a Future. University of Warsaw (Coordinators: A. Bursche and Others). 2021. March
Short video of international conference, organized by the Institute of Georgian History, Ivane Ja... more Short video of international conference, organized by the Institute of Georgian History, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
From the sixth century bc onwards, Georgian money issues gradually absorbed all of the types, sty... more From the sixth century bc onwards, Georgian money issues gradually absorbed all of the types, styles, and standards of coins that were popular in surround areas, especially those from the West. Greek deities and their symbols were replaced firstly by Roman types and pagan deities, and later by Christ and the saints from the Byzantine coins. On the other hand, Georgians also continued to include fire temples and fire altars on their coins. Georgia played an important role as a European frontier and a bridge of international commerce with Asia; as such, the Georgian coins are mostly bilingual. Information can be found in further detail on the Online English-Georgian Catalogue of Georgian Numismatics.
Proceedings of the XVI International Numismatic Congress. Vol. IV. Turnhout, Brepols Publishers, 2025
From the sixth century bc onwards, Georgian money issues gradually absorbed all of the types, sty... more From the sixth century bc onwards, Georgian money issues gradually absorbed all of the types, styles, and standards of coins that were popular in surround areas, especially those from the West. Greek deities and their symbols were replaced firstly by Roman types and pagan deities, and later by Christ and the saints from the Byzantine coins. On the other hand, Georgians also continued to include fire temples and fire altars on their coins. Georgia played an important role as a European frontier and a bridge of international commerce with Asia; as such, the Georgian coins are mostly bilingual. Information can be found in further detail on the Online English-Georgian Catalogue of Georgian Numismatics.
Today Georgia serves as a busy commercial bridge to Asia, involved in numerous big projects funde... more Today Georgia serves as a busy commercial bridge to Asia, involved in numerous big projects funded by both European and Asian financial organizations. And this mirrors what took place in the past. For centuries, Georgia, while integrated with Europe through political, economic and cultural links, also had extensive ties with the economies of Asian countries.
International trade has always played an important role in the history of Georgia and the wider C... more International trade has always played an important role in the history of Georgia and the wider Caucasus. Silk roads made it possible to establish close political, cultural and economic relations with neighboring as well as distant countries. This paper provides a short history of silk roads in the Caucasus from ancient to modern period.
As the world recently experienced deep effects (death rate, economic downturn, slowdown of global... more As the world recently experienced deep effects (death rate, economic downturn, slowdown of globalization) of the novel Coronavirus, it is interesting to look at all the pandemics from a historical point of view. Below are several famous epidemics that affected the world and Georgia in Medieval or Modern and Contemporary periods, and which showed the countries making similar coordinated steps to stop them.
Before being totally destroyed, Imperial security system actually had shown three gradual phases ... more Before being totally destroyed, Imperial security system actually had shown three gradual phases of development. Huge number of the Italian colonists with the best technologies, swift and comfortable communications, the most prominent industrial output, Roman citizenship, municipal freedom-that was the Roman gift for the Western provinces in the 1 st-2 nd centuries A. D. Sincere intimacy with the metropolis had been founded as a direct result of complete satisfaction. It paved the way to the Romanization. As for the Greeks, the Romans reserved a quite life and economic stability. Still beyond the Roman Rhine, Danube and Pontus there were others favouring to this concept of Pan-European integration. The happy client kings used to be awarded with the Roman citizenship. And for the Julio-Claudians, these client kingdoms formed the first defense-line of the Imperial territories. A little behind, the whole perimeter had been dotted by solid legionary concentrations, proving the system to be impregnable. No cardinal changes took place in the Antonine era, except of annexation of the client kingdoms and breaking the big concentrations in favour of scattering the legions along the whole frontier. In the both cases, after defeating comparatively weak enemy at the border, the Romans usually attacked their territory. This system of security is called forward defense. Greeks and the Romans were sending more and more hands towards industry, but not to manufacture the means of production. As a result, population was growing, but not amount of industrial goods per capita. Prices rushed high for the Italian produce, demanding damping for provincial food and raw materials, thus weakening the sympathies between the European subjects of the Roman Empire. Some even started to search for a relief beyond Rhine and Danube. Many things had happened that
Материалы по археологии и истории античного и средневекового Причерноморья, 2016
УДК 737.1+94 (395.3) Tedo Dundua, Akaki Chikobava COIN AS A MEANS OF PROPAGANDA (ACCORDING TO THE... more УДК 737.1+94 (395.3) Tedo Dundua, Akaki Chikobava COIN AS A MEANS OF PROPAGANDA (ACCORDING TO THE 12 TH-18 TH CC. GEORGIAN MONEY) 7 th volume of "Materials in Archaeology and History of Ancient and Medieval Crimea" shows article "Coin as a Means of Propaganda (According to Georgian Numismatics)" by Tedo Dundua and Emil Avdaliani. Now the story is prolonged. Everywhere coin facilitated exchange of goods. It was employed also for different propaganda. Georgians did the same as seen in the monetary groups as follows: Georgian credit money (12 th c.-the 20s of 13 th c.), coins of the Georgian kings in the 13 th-14 th cc., Western Georgian money of the 13 th-15 th cc., coins of the Georgian kings in the 18 th c. We outline the results of our study for a scientific discussion.
After adoption of Christianity, Eastern Slavonia, with Kiev as the capital, joined the Byzantine ... more After adoption of Christianity, Eastern Slavonia, with Kiev as the capital, joined the Byzantine Commonwealth. That clearly meant enlargement of the Eastern European unity towards Eastern section of Humid Continental Europe, into the direction of the river Volga. Russians were the loyal subjects of the Commonwealth, looking calmly at the decline of Constantinople's hegemony, and the Bulgar and Georgian kings seizing the titles of "Tsar" and "Autocrat". Becoming stronger, Russia vividly protested Ottoman reintegration of what was formerly labelled Byzantium, and Muslim overlordship over the Orthodox World by taking the title of "Tsar" for Grand Prince Ivan in 1547. New centre of East Europe has been shaped, and then long-term war started for hegemony, Russia being victorious. The 18 th c. was marked by revolutionary improvement of the Russian technologies due to strengthening of state industrial segment. Still with its serfdom, Russia became a full-scale European partner. Basic changes took place also in historiography. Thorough study of Graeco-Roman and Byzantine literature had yet another reasonpolitical one. Seeing itself as the East European superpower , thus Russia claimed Byzantine political heritage. For Russians Georgia had to be within the East European Union, and also this country has been acknowledged as a successor state of Colchis and Iberia. If this country back to Orthodox alliance, that could only be compared to the symbolic return of the Golden Fleecehonour, glory and rich is coming back. One must bear on mind this narrative while observing the numismatic piece below. At the beginning of the 19 th c. Kartalino-Kakhetian Kingdom (Eastern Georgia) became a part of the Russian Empire. Administration and courts
Tedo Dundua (Tbilisi) INFLUX OF THE ROMAN COINS IN GEORGIA Georgia is a tiny country but with a b... more Tedo Dundua (Tbilisi) INFLUX OF THE ROMAN COINS IN GEORGIA Georgia is a tiny country but with a big history. Being a suburb of Europe, she has always been glad to accept thoroughly general European fashions, as well as numismatic one. As far back as in the 6 th c. B.C. Themistagoras from Miletus made Phasis in Colchis (East Black Sea Coast) home for himself and his Greek colonists. Thus West Georgia has been involved in the European matter. Actually, the West of Georgia was Colchis, and the East and South-Iberia. Georgia is a synthesis of the West and the East. Greek commercial superiority was substituted by the Roman hegemony over the small coastal strip of Colchis, already called Lazica in the 1 st c. A.D. And that hegemony was based upon well-manned castellum-system from Pitius up to Aphsaros. Lazi client-kings, dwelling in the hinterland, largely enjoyed Roman pax and prosperity, gaining a handsome profit by trading with the gallant Pontic cities, like Sinope, Amisus and Trapezus. The whole Black Sea area might be looked upon as a multicultural region of which the general principles were still based on Hellenism, but that was facilitated mostly by the Roman money and defended by the Roman soldiers. Further towards the East, Iberian kings, sometimes even possessing Roman citizenship, welcomed Graeco-Roman transit from Central Asia and India. Spices, precious wood and stones were brought to Europe via Transcaucasian trade-route (Strabo, XI, 7, 3; Plin., Nat. Hist., VI, 52). 1 Still there did exist some other routes. 2 Soldiers and merchants brought money, rich deposits of which show the picture as follows (fig. 1): 3
Everywhere coin facilitated exchange of goods. It was employed also for different propaganda. Geo... more Everywhere coin facilitated exchange of goods. It was employed also for different propaganda. Georgians did the same as seen in the monetary groups and types as follows: municipal copper coins of Trapezus with the effigy of Mithras, Georgian-Sassanian drachms, Georgian-Byzantine coins, coins of Giorgi III — king with falcon on hand. So, at least some of monetary types issued in Georgia served for propaganda.
ATTIC HALF MINA FROM DIOSCURIAS. ATHENIAN 0alaGGOKpaTia OVER THE EAST PONTUS 'E<iv 1:t~ x61t't'T)... more ATTIC HALF MINA FROM DIOSCURIAS. ATHENIAN 0alaGGOKpaTia OVER THE EAST PONTUS 'E<iv 1:t~ x61t't'T)t v6µtcr[t,La] &pjuplou !v ,:a~ 1t6[Atat x~l µri X.PTJ'tat voµ[tcrµaatv 'to~ 'A8riva]loov TJ a1:a8µoi~ TJ µ€1:[pm~, &ncx ~tvtxo~ voµtcrµacrt]v xal µ€,:po~ xal cr,:a8µo~, [,:41wpfiaoµat xaft {[rvi,twaw xa,:cx 1:0 1tp61:tpov 4'ficptcrµa o KAfopx.[~ tl1ttv 1-if anyone mints silver coins in the cities and does not use Athenian coins or weights or measures, but foreign coins, weights and measures, I shall pllllish him and fine him according to the previous decree which Klearchos proposed". 2 This is what a secretary of the Athenian Council (Boule) had to add to the Bouleatic oath from the famous Athenian decree enforcing the use of Athenian coins, weights and measures within the Athenian Alliance. The Athenian officials in the cities ('<ipx.o~ 1:wv 'A811vatwv) were responsible to carry out the decree, and the local officials too. 3 The date of this decree is problematic, but still between 450 and 414 B. C. 4 The text was carved on stelai and set up at Athens and the other cities-members of the League. Seven fragments of this text have been already discovered in various places. 5 There are several attempts to interpret the decree. One thing is clear-this decree is imperialistic in tone, and if some of the cities within the Athenian "Empire" were still supposed to issue their own money, Attic weight coins had to be used only. Electrum staters remained popular. 6 Later this decree is parodied in the "Birds" of Aristophanes. 7 The decree seems to be very comfortable for trade and taxation-indeed, Athenians were scrupulous while collecting cp6p~ within the League. Climate determines economics. Hot and less humid environment defines an early advantage of the South over the North-indeed, the Egyptian state and the crafts confront entirely the primitive clansystem which existed in fact everywhere. Then the whole situation was changed. Times after, some technical improvements towards the North created a very comfortable vegetation process, while the th th
Georgia faces enormous challenges as a small country with limited natural resources, and geopolit... more Georgia faces enormous challenges as a small country with limited natural resources, and geopolitical problems. The country is a representative democracy with the Georgian people choosing their leaders. Having the country in a military or economic alliance is regarded as a special geopolitical achievement for big powers. Hence comes the rivalry between the West and Russia over who will dominate the wider Black Sea region and Georgia with it. Indeed, Georgia always has held a prestigious place. The below story is about the 16 th c. Georgia and how despite the existing political and economic crises, the Georgian kings not only guarded the "Christian" frontier, but also held high political prestige. The Ottomans' empire-wide festivities after the capture of the Georgian king Simon attest to that. Fetiyecamii is architectural celebrity of Istanbul, and beloved place for the tourists. The Turkish term seems to be the 16 th c. label for the church of the Virgin Pammacaristos, turned into a mosque by that times (S. Runciman. The Fall of Constantinople 1453. Cambridge. 1965. Reprinted 1996, p. 201). By well-established Ottoman tradition, if a city surrendered of its own will to them, the Christians could retain their churches, otherwise they were to be converted into a mosque (S. Runciman. The Fall of Constantinople 1453, pp. 145, 199).
As Georgia awaits the EU decision on candidate status by the yearend, which would facilitate inte... more As Georgia awaits the EU decision on candidate status by the yearend, which would facilitate integration into the Union, history is replete with attempts of establishing special relationship between Europe and its periphery, namely Georgia.
Since the end of the Soviet Union, Georgia has made vast advances in its democracy building proje... more Since the end of the Soviet Union, Georgia has made vast advances in its democracy building project. Though a bumpy road, the process nevertheless can be regarded as successful especially if seen through a decades-long perspective. As a result, Georgia evolved into a parliamentary representative democratic republic with a multi-party system. The country's Prime Minister and the Government wield executive power, while the president has only formal power. This modern period aside, Georgia's democracy actually has ancient roots when it enclosed small republics. They were bilingual (Graeco-Colchian) Phasis (modern Photi) and Dioscurias (modern Sokhumi) at the East Black Sea coast. Apollo was main deity of Phasis, according to records and numismatics. Lion, symbol of Apollo, is depicted on the local coins. Obverse: Lying hermaphrodite lion to the right/left with a head turned back. Reverse: Kneeling female figure with a bull's head to the right/left in quadratum incusum. http://geonumismatics.tsu.ge/en/catalogue/types/?type=4 This is Colchian (Phasian) didrachm, struck in the 5 th c. B.C. Lion is depicted also on other denominations. Hermaphroditization is a result of Apollo's merge with the local female sun.
The idea of liberty has long been connected with red Phrygian or "liberty" caps (soft felt or woo... more The idea of liberty has long been connected with red Phrygian or "liberty" caps (soft felt or wool conical headdress).
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