The Apsilae were an ancient tribe inhabiting the territory of Apsilia, in modern

Abkhazia Abkhazia, ka, აფხაზეთი, tr, , xmf, აბჟუა, abzhua, or ( or ), officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, recognised by most countries as part of Georgia, which vi ...

Location

The tribal territory was located on the Black Sea coast of the northwest

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...

, between present day town of

New Athos New Athos or Akhali Atoni ( ka, ახალი ათონი, ''Akhali Atoni''; ab, Афон Ҿыц, ''Afon Ch'yts''; russian: Новый Афон; ''Novy Afon'', gr, Νέος Άθως, ''Neos Athos'') is a town in the Gudauta ''raion'' of ...

and the village of Tsebelda slightly east of modern day

Sukhumi Sukhumi (russian: Суху́м(и), ) or Sokhumi ( ka, სოხუმი, ), also known by its Abkhaz name Aqwa ( ab, Аҟәа, ''Aqwa''), is a city in a wide bay on the Black Sea's eastern coast. It is both the capital and largest city of ...

. It consisted of two historical regions - Gumae and

Abzhywa Abzhywa ( ab , Abzhuaa - "middle people" – Абжьыуа, ''Abƶywa''; also transliterates as Abzhua from Russian: Абжуа, Абжива; ka, აბჟუა) is one of the seven historical regions in Abkhazia, and accordingly one of t ...

. The most important cities were: Tusuml,

Tzibile Tsebelda fortress is a Late Antique/Early Medieval fortification near the village of Tsebelda, in the eponymous valley, in Abkhazia, Georgia. History The Tsebelda fortress is an architectural complex consisting of ruined towers, Christian chapel ...

, Pustae, Zkibin, Skotar,

Mokva , ka, მოქვი , other_name = , settlement_type = Village , image_skyline = Mokva_cathedral.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Mokvi Cathedral , image_map = , map_caption ...

. The capital was Sebastopolis.

Identity

The Apsilae descended from the coastal part of the ancient

Zygii The Zygii ( grc-gre, Ζυγοί, ''Zygoí'') or Zygians were described by Strabo as a nation to the north of Colchis. He wrote: ''And on the sea lies the Asiatic side of the Bosporus, or the Syndic territory. After this latter, one comes to the ...

tribes, most notably the Trakhea, Tsibil and Tsakhar.George Hewitt, "The Abkhazians: Handbook", p. 1 The name ''Apsilae'' suggests that they may have been the ancestors of the

Abkhaz people Abkhazians (russian: Абхазы), or Abkhazs ( ab, Аԥсуаа, Aṕswaа, ), are a Northwest Caucasian ethnic group, mainly living in Abkhazia, a disputed region on the northeastern coast of the Black Sea. A large Abkhaz diaspora population ...

(in Abkhaz Аҧсуаа ''Apswa'') ref.

Armenian language Armenian ( classical: , reformed: , , ) is an Indo-European language and an independent branch of that family of languages. It is the official language of Armenia. Historically spoken in the Armenian Highlands, today Armenian is widely spoken t ...

"Psinoun". Their culture is known as the

Tsebelda culture Tsebelda culture is a late antiquity to early medieval archaeological culturePliny Pliny may refer to: People * Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE), ancient Roman nobleman, scientist, historian, and author of ''Naturalis Historia'' (''Pliny's Natural History'') * Pliny the Younger (died 113), ancient Roman statesman, orator, w ...

of the 1st century AD, as well as of

Flavius Arrianus Arrian of Nicomedia (; Greek: ''Arrianos''; la, Lucius Flavius Arrianus; ) was a Greek historian, public servant, military commander and philosopher of the Roman period. ''The Anabasis of Alexander'' by Arrian is considered the best ...

in the 2nd century ( gr, Αψιλαι). Under King Julian (Julianus) of Apsilia rules and customs were first codified. The territory became an official division of the Roman Empire under

Trajan Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presi ...

(98-117). It was absorbed by the surrounding, more powerful principality of the

Abasgoi The Abasgoi or Abasgians ( grc, Αβασγοί, Abasgoi, and grc, Ἁβασκοί, Abaskoi; la, Abasci, Abasgi; ka, აბაზგები, Abazgebi; compare Abkhaz ''Абазаа'' "the Abaza people") were one of the ancient tribes inhabit ...

, in approximately 730 AD, and the Apsilae are no longer recorded after the second half of the 8th century. Later, and after the inclusion of other territories and people including Misiminia, it became the

Kingdom of Abkhazia The Kingdom of Abkhazia ( ka, აფხაზთა სამეფო, tr; lit. "Kingdom of the Abkhazians"), also known as Abasgia or Egrisi-Abkhazia, was a Middle Ages, medieval feudalism, feudal state in the Caucasus which was established i ...

References

{{Historical regions of Georgia * Historical ethnic groups of Russia Ancient peoples of Georgia (country) History of Abkhazia Ancient history of the Caucasus