Iveria

Iveria is a historical term sometimes used to refer to the ancient and medieval region and kingdom of Iberia in the eastern Caucasus, roughly corresponding to the area of present-day eastern Georgia. In this usage, Iveria denotes the core political and cultural center that later came to be known as Iberia in classical and medieval sources. The name Iveria is an alternative English rendering derived from early Greek and Latin references; in modern scholarship it appears primarily in historical discussions rather than as an official designation.

Geography and extent are described in antiquity as centering on the eastern Georgian highlands and river valleys, with coastal access along the eastern part of the Black Sea. The region includes fertile valleys along the Kura River and surrounding mountainous terrain, which supported early settlements and the development of a centralized polity.

History and political development span several centuries. Iberia/Iveria is attested in classical sources as an early Georgian kingdom that maintained ties with larger empires, including Persian and Roman/Byzantine realms. By late antiquity and the early medieval period, it played a central role in the formation of a cohesive Georgian state, sometimes in union with neighboring Colchis and under the pressures of regional powers. The Christianization of Iberia in the 4th century and the gradual consolidation into a unified Georgian monarchy are key milestones in its historical trajectory.

Culture and language associated with Iveria include early Georgian Christian practices, the development of Georgian script, and the transmission of Kartvelian linguistic traditions identifiable with the region. Modern references to Iveria are primarily scholarly or literary, and the term is not used as a current political entity.