History of Georgia - Struggle for Domination in Georgia
Until the 1 st century AD the territory of modern Georgia passed from one great empire to another including Alexander the Great Empire. After its disintegration it was a part of Selevkid state. In 189 BC Romans freed the Caucasus from Selevkid domination having made the lands vassal. In the 4 th century AD Christianity came to Kartli. In the 5 th – 6 th centuries the territory of Georgia was the apple of discord between Sasanid Iran and Byzantium ( Eastern Roman Empire ). As a result of long wars Byzantium established its domination in Eastern Georgia – Kartli. But the joy of the victory was brief. In the 7 th century Arabian conquerors stepped in on the historical arena. In the beginning of the 8 th century Arabs subordinated Western and Eastern Georgia. But it the end of the century their influence was weakened under the pressure of civil uprisings. It was the time of independent princedoms formation in Georgia: in the east it was Kakhetian princedom and Ereti princedom, in the west - Abkhazian kingdom, in the south - Tao-Klardzhetian princedom and Tbilisi emirate in the central part.