Azo

Azo, Azon is a legendary character.

 He is mentioned in ancient Georgian sources. According to Moktsevai Kartlisai (Conversion of Kartli), he was one of the commanders of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), who put him in Mtskheta as a ruler. Azo was Georgian and a son of the King of Aryan Kartli. From the original homeland of Georgians, i.e. his father’s kingdom, Azo brought numerous houses (families) and settled in Mtskheta and a nearby area. From Aryan Kartli, Azo also brought with him idols of two deities – Gatsi and Gaim. Thus, the first Kingdom of Kartli was created with Azo as its king. In this folk tale, we find similarities with various legends, namely, the name of Azo is probably a variation of Jason, the hero of the myth of Argonauts.

 According to Kartlis Tskhovreba (the Georgian Chronicles), Alexander the Great, assigned his commander as a ruler of Mtskheta and gave him “one hundred thousand Roman” (Greeks) soldiers. Along with Kartli, Azo conquered Hereti and West Georgia and made northern Caucasian tribes pay tribute to him. Parnavaz, whose paternal uncle was Samara, Mamasakhlisi (father of the house) of Mtskheta, started fighting against Azo. Parnavaz made an alliance with Kuji, ruler of Egrisi (Colchis). They were helped by northern Caucasian tribes and one thousand select warriors from Azo’s army. Together, they defeated Azo, who died in battle.

 

Literature: მ ე ლ ი ქ ი შ ვ ი ლ ი  გ., ქართლი (იბერია) ძვ. წ. VI–IV საუკუნეებში. ქართლის სამეფოს წარმოქმნა, წგ.: საქართველოს ისტორიის ნარკვევები, ტ. 1, თბ., 1970.; ქ ა ვ თ ა რ ი ა  გ., აზონი, თბ., 2000.

G. Melikishvili