Georgians arose from a kingdom.
In Greco-Roman geography , Iberia -LRB- Ancient Greek  : Ιβηρια Hiberia -RRB- was an exonymic name for a Georgian kingdom of Kartli , known after its core province , which during Classical Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages was a significant monarchy in the Caucasus , either as an independent state or as a dependent of larger empires , notably the Sassanid and Roman empires .. Caucasus. Caucasus. Antiquity. Classical Antiquity. Georgian. Georgians. Greco-Roman geography. Greco-Roman geography. Ancient Greek. Ancient Greek. core province. Kartli. Classical Antiquity. Classical Antiquity. Early Middle Ages. Early Middle Ages. monarchy. monarchy. Sassanid. Sasanian Empire. Roman. Roman Empire. Iberia , centered on present-day Eastern Georgia , was bordered by Colchis in the west , Caucasian Albania in the east and Armenia in the south .. Colchis. Colchis. Georgia. Georgia ( country ). Caucasian Albania. Caucasian Albania. Armenia. Kingdom of Armenia ( antiquity ). Its population , the Iberians , formed the nucleus of the Georgians -LRB- Kartvelians -RRB- .. Georgians. Georgians. Iberia , ruled by Pharnavazid , Arsacid and Chosroid royal dynasties , together with Colchis to its west , would form the nucleus of the unified medieval Kingdom of Georgia under Bagrationi dynasty .. Kingdom. Monarchy. Colchis. Colchis. Georgia. Georgia ( country ). Pharnavazid. Pharnavazid dynasty. Arsacid. Arsacid dynasty of Iberia. Chosroid. Chosroid dynasty. royal dynasties. Royal family. unified. Political union. Kingdom of Georgia. Kingdom of Georgia. Bagrationi dynasty. Bagrationi dynasty. In the 4th century , after Christianization of Iberia by Saint Nino during the reign of King Mirian III Christiantity was made the state religion of the kingdom .. Christianization of Iberia. Christianization of Iberia. Mirian III. Mirian III. Saint Nino. Saint Nino. state religion. state religion. Starting in the early 6th century AD , the kingdom 's position as a Sassanian vassal state was changed into effectively direct Persian rule .. Sassanian. Sassanian Empire. vassal state. vassal state. In 580 , king Hormizd IV -LRB- 578-590 -RRB- abolished the monarchy after the death of King Bakur III , and Iberia became a Persian province ruled by a marzpan -LRB- governor -RRB- .. monarchy. monarchy. Hormizd IV. Hormizd IV. Bakur III. Bakur III. Iberia became a Persian province. Sasanian Iberia. marzpan. marzpan. The term `` Caucasian Iberia '' is also being used to distinguish it from the Iberian Peninsula in Western Europe .. Iberian Peninsula. Iberian Peninsula