78–63 BC: Pompey the Great, the Burning Bridges of Mtskheta, and the End of Iberian Isolation

There are moments in history when a small nation is suddenly thrust onto the world stage. For the Kingdom of Iberia (Georgia), that moment came in 65 BC during the reign of King Artag. Until then, Iberia had been a regional player, fighting local wars with Armenians and Persians. But Artag had the misfortune of ruling when the Roman Republic decided to conquer the East.

The arrival of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great) changed everything. Artag’s story is a dramatic thriller of diplomatic cat-and-mouse, guerrilla warfare in ancient forests, and a desperate fight for survival against the greatest military machine the world had ever seen.

The Roman Juggernaut Arrives

In the 1st Century BC, Rome was locked in the Mithridatic Wars against King Mithridates VI of Pontus. After defeating Mithridates, Pompey turned his eyes toward the Caucasus. He claimed he needed to secure the region, but historians believe he was driven by a desire for glory and the legendary wealth of the Silk Road.

King Artag knew he could not defeat Rome in a pitched battle. He tried diplomacy. He sent envoys to Pompey, offering friendship and submission. But Pompey, a seasoned general, was suspicious. Intelligence reports suggested that Artag was secretly mobilizing a massive army to ambush the Romans. Pompey decided not to wait. In the dead of winter, he marched his legions toward Mtskheta.

The Burning of the Bridge

The Roman advance was swift. They reached the fortress of Harmozica (Armaztsikhe), Artag’s capital. Realizing the Romans were at his doorstep, Artag made a heartbreaking decision. To prevent the capture of his city and his people on the left bank of the Mtkvari River, he set fire to the bridge connecting the fortress to the rest of the country. As the bridge collapsed into the river, Artag retreated into the dense, wild forests of the Aragvi Valley (toward modern-day Kazbegi).

This retreat was strategic. The Iberian army was famous for its ambush tactics. Artag hoped to lure the heavy Roman infantry into the broken terrain where their discipline would be useless.

The Battle in the Woods

The climax of the war took place near the Aragvi River. Ancient Roman historians Plutarch and Cassius Dio describe the scene vividly. Artag commanded a force of 40,000 men (a number likely exaggerated by Romans, but indicative of a mass mobilization). The Georgians fought fiercely, using the trees for cover and raining arrows down on the legions.

However, the Romans were relentless. They cut down the forests to clear lines of sight and advance their phalanxes. The discipline of the legions broke the Iberian lines. According to Plutarch, 9,000 Georgians were killed, and 10,000 were captured. It was a devastating defeat.

The Golden Bed and the Price of Peace

Defeated but not destroyed, Artag sued for peace from his mountain hideout. The terms were harsh but necessary to save his kingdom from total annexation. To show his submission, Artag sent Pompey extravagant gifts made of solid gold: a bed, a table, and a throne.

More painfully, he had to give up his sons as hostages to Rome. This ensured that Iberia would remain a “Friend and Ally of the Roman People”—a polite term for a client state. This moment marked the end of Georgian isolation. From Artag’s reign onward, Georgia became a vital frontier of the Roman world, a buffer zone against Parthia.

Tourism Guide: Tracing Pompey’s Bridge

The legacy of Artag’s war is still visible in Mtskheta:

  1. Pompey’s Bridge: For 2,000 years, a stone bridge stood over the Mtkvari River in Mtskheta, built by Pompey (or rebuilt on the site of Artag’s burnt bridge) to allow his troops to cross. The remains of this bridge were visible until recently when a hydroelectric dam raised the water level. However, when the water level drops, you can still see the ancient stonework of “Pompey’s Bridge”—a direct physical link to Artag’s defeat.
  2. Armazi Fortress: Hike up to the ruins of the Armazi citadel. Standing there, you can look down at the river valley where the Roman legions camped. It is easy to imagine the smoke rising from the burning bridge and the panic of the ancient capital.
  3. The Aragvi Valley: Drive north from Mtskheta toward Ananuri. This beautiful green valley was the battlefield where Artag made his last stand. It is now a peaceful route for tourists heading to the mountains.

Artag’s reign teaches a harsh lesson: sometimes courage is not enough against a superpower. But by bending the knee, he ensured that the Kingdom of Iberia survived to fight another day.