Basiani

Basiani (Georgian: ბასიანი), also known as Phasiane, was a region in historical southwestern Georgia. The name is derived from ancient Colchis tribes called Phasians (Phazians). The name of this tribe seems to have survived in latter-day regional toponyms – Georgian Basiani, Greek Phasiane, Armenian Basean, and Turkish Pasin.

Map showing the historical Georgian region of Basiani

Georgian Kingdom of Tao-Klarjeti, 10th century

In the 8th and 7th centuries B.C. the province was part of Urartu, then after formation of the Armenian Kingdom in the 2nd century B.C., Basiani became part of Greater Armenia. In 384, it was a battlefield between Rome and Persia; at the end the province was conquered by Persians. In the 7th and 8th century, the province was conquered by an Arab Caliphate. After Arab weakening, it was conquered by the Georgian princedoms of Tao-Klarjeti. In the 10th century, the border between the Byzantine Empire and Tao-Klarjeti went along the Aras river, therefore part of northern Basiani became a domain of the Georgian Bagratids. In 1001, after the death of David Kuropalates, Hither Tao and Basiani were inherited by Byzantine Emperor Basil II, who organized them into the theme of Iberia with the capital at Theodosiopolis. However, after formation of the Georgian Kingdom, Bagrat’s son George I inherited a longstanding claim to David’s succession. While Basil was preoccupied with his Bulgarian campaigns, George gained momentum to invade Tao and Basiani in 1014, which caused unsuccessful Byzantine-Georgian wars. Despite the territorial losses to Basil II, many of the territories ceded to the empire were conquered by the Seljuk Turks in the 1070s-1080s, but were then retaken by the Georgian King David IV. In the 13th century, at Battle of Basian, Georgians defeated the army of the Rum Sultanate. The province was part of the united Kingdom of Georgia as an ordinary duchy till 1545, when Basiani was conquered by the Ottoman Empire. In the 17th century, it became a sanjak of Erzurum Vilayet.

See also

• Byzantine-Georgian wars
• Battle of Basian 1203

Further reading

• D. Muskhelishvili, Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia, Tbilisi, 1977

Historical regions of Georgia
	Abasgia Abkhazia Abotsi Adjara Apsilia Argveti Artaani Basiani Chaneti Dvaleti Ertso-Tianeti Erusheti Guria Hereti Imereti Javakheti Kakheti Kartli Khevi Khevsureti Klarjeti Kola Kukheti Lechkhumi Livana Lore Machakheli Meskheti Mtiuleti Parkhali Pshavi Racha Samachablo Samegrelo Sanigia Shavsheti Speri Svaneti Tao Tashiri Tori Tortomi Trialeti Tusheti