King Pacorus/Bakur of Lazi

The personality of Pacorus/Bakur the king of Lazi has become the subject of an interesting historiographic discussion in recent years. The discovery of a pitcher in Achmarda with the inscription “Ἐγὼ Πάκουρος βασιλεὺς τοῖς μνοῖς ἒδωκα” played a key role in stimulating discussion of this issue. There is every reason to believe that king Pacorus/Bakur played an active role in the events that occurred on the territory of Georgia in the third quarter of the 3rd century CE. We take into account the information provided in the “Scriptores Historiae Augustae”, on the facts of the discovery of Greek inscriptions on the signet from Zhinvali and on silver vessels from Gagra and Maikop, and also take into account the passage from “Life of Kartli”. There is every reason to believe that Pacorus/Bakur became king of Lazi at the behest of Antoninus Pius. The Lazi managed to unite the whole Western Georgia under their rule after half of a century. Pacorus/Bakur also supposedly participated in the power struggle in Iberia. The very fact of the discovery of a pitcher that attracted our attention suggests that Pacorus/Bakur controlled the area of modern Gagra.