BOUNDARIES OF RELIGIOUS LIFE: GONIO-APSAROS AS A MEETING PLACE OF CULTURES

Abstract

The Gonio-Apsaros fortress is located in the southwestern region of Georgia, an area where an independent Colchian Bronze Age culture first emerged. Subsequently, this territory became a significant point of convergence for various cultures. Recent archaeological research confirms that the first settlements within the fortress appeared in the 8th–7th centuries BCE. Intensive habitation continued throughout the Classical (5th–4th centuries BCE) and Hellenistic (4th–1st centuries BCE) periods. The construction of the Gonio-Apsaros fortress itself, however, is attributed to the Romans.

According to Flavius Arrian, among the Roman fortresses of the eastern Black Sea coast, Apsaros appeared particularly impressive. He also reports that five cohorts of the Roman army were stationed there. Even more remarkable are the archaeological findings—primarily epigraphic—which confirm that the garrison at Apsaros included two cohorts named after Claudius (Cohors II Claudiana), a specialized unit of archers (Sagitarii), and a cohort named after Emperor Aurelius (Cohors Aurelia). The presence of such a substantial military force at Apsaros was determined by its geostrategic location: it directly bordered the territory of the Didrites and served as a key outpost against Iberia.

Decades of archaeological work at the Gonio-Apsaros fortress have uncovered the remains of numerous monumental structures and a diverse array of material culture, corroborating historical sources that describe Gonio-Apsaros as an important strategic and, arguably, cultural center. Among the discoveries, the following are particularly noteworthy: the principia, praetorium, barracks, baths, industrial and craft quarters, water supply systems, and, most importantly, various material artifacts.

Among the various archaeological finds, those related to the beliefs and religious practices of the Roman army are especially significant. It appears that soldiers recruited from the region of Asia Minor to the Gonio-Apsaros fortress venerated the cults of Serapis and Jupiter Dolichenus, both of which reached the zenith of their development—particularly Jupiter Dolichenus—during the Roman period. Furthermore, the study of archaeological evidence allows us to hypothesize that these imperial deities exerted a tangible influence on the local pagan pantheon.

Keywords: Gonio-Apsaros; Roman Empire; Roman syncretic deities; Serapis; Jupiter Dolichenus; Colchis.