The Caspian Gates

[Marcus Minucius Audens]

Exporing the most famous mountain valley in the ancient world. The ‘Gates’ at Dariali Gorge, set amid the spectacular mountain scenery of modern Georgia was a place of legend, Within this space of a steep-sided gorge can be found features of both medieval and ancient sources of history that rival any other mountain pass in history. Unfortunately, this area has been largely ignored by the scientific world for far too long.

This wild pass in the northern region of the Cacasian Mountains has been known through the ages by many names and titles some of which are; Caspian Gates, Caucasian Gates, Gates of Iberia (eastern Georgia), Gates of the Sarmatians, and Gates of the Alans (the name Dar-i-ali means “Door of the Alans). Included in the article is a painting by Pierre Blanchard in 1857. There is a river which pounds through the rocky sides of the gorge. This is the River Terek which flows past the steep vertical cliffs, as it transits around the base of Mount Kazbek, some 165 km north of the city of Tbilisi. It was these same cliffs which inspired ancient peoples to believe that it was here that Prometheus was chained to the rocks to have his liver eaten again and again by an eagle.

The Emperor Nero was responsible for sending a legion ( The XIVth Legio) into the region. However, the Emeror’s death in AD 68 put an end to the campaign. This strategic mountain pass was featured in many ancient works as the main route across the Central Caucasius Mountains. Documentw retrieved by Tacitus, Suetonius, Statius, and Ptolemy all speak of its fame which even spread as far as the heartlands of Persia in the AD 260’s.

“Next, there are the Caucasian Gates, called in great error by many the Caspian (Gates), an enormous natural monument wgere there is an abrupt break in the mountains, and where gates, of iron-covered timbers, have been installed. Centrally underneath them flows a rapid river of horrible smell, whilst on the defenders’ side there is a small fort on a rock, called ‘Cumania,’ fortified to hold backinnumerable tribes from crossing (the mountains). Here, lying opposite notably the Iberian town of Hermastus, the world is divided by gates.” (Pliny the Elder, Natural History 6.30)

Article Pictures:

>> Dariali Fort seen across the terrifying waters of the River Tergi;
>> Sulphur Springs;
>> Early Fort;
>> Dariali Fort over the river.

Fourteen other color pictures and two maps.

>>> Reference:

>> Authors, Eberhard Sauer, Univ. of Edinburgh, Lana Chologaun, and Davit Naskidashvili, both of Tbilisi State Univ., “The Caspian Gates,” World Archaeolgy Magazine #80 (Dec. 2016/ Jan. 2017), Pages 18-24.

Respectfully Submitted;
Marcus Audens