The Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia

The Edge of Empires examines Georgia's 3,000-year history from its ancient origins through the modern era. Rayfield chronicles the nation's development at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, where multiple civilizations and empires intersected. The book focuses on Georgia's interactions with major powers including Rome, Persia, the Byzantine Empire, Russia, and the Soviet Union. Key historical figures and ruling dynasties are presented alongside accounts of Georgia's cultural achievements in literature, art, and architecture. The text incorporates archaeological findings, medieval chronicles, and contemporary historical documents to reconstruct Georgia's past. Rayfield examines both the periods of Georgian unity and strength, as well as times of division and foreign domination. This comprehensive history reveals recurring patterns in Georgia's position between competing powers and empires. The narrative demonstrates how geography and geopolitics have shaped the nation's development and its ongoing role in regional politics.

Readers describe this as a comprehensive but dense academic history of Georgia. Positives: - Detailed coverage of Georgian history from ancient times through 2011 - Strong research and documentation - Clear explanations of complex political relationships - Inclusion of cultural and literary history alongside political events Negatives: - Writing style can be dry and difficult to follow - Too many names and details for casual readers - Limited maps and visual aids - Some readers note confusing chronological jumps From a Goodreads reviewer: "Exhaustive but exhausting. The detail is impressive but it's not for beginners." Amazon reviewer notes: "You need prior knowledge of Georgian history to fully appreciate this book." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (43 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 ratings) Many readers recommend it as a reference text rather than a cover-to-cover read, noting its value for academic research but challenging accessibility for general audiences.

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🔹 Georgia was home to the first Europeans outside of Africa - archaeological evidence shows human remains in Dmanisi dating back 1.8 million years 🔹 Author Donald Rayfield is a professor emeritus of Russian and Georgian at Queen Mary University of London and has translated numerous Georgian literary works into English 🔹 The Georgian language is one of the oldest continuously spoken languages in the world and has its own unique alphabet, one of only 14 independent alphabets in existence 🔹 Georgia's name for itself is "Sakartvelo," while "Georgia" likely comes from the Persian-Arabic word "gurj" rather than any connection to England's St. George 🔹 The book covers Georgia's complex history from ancient times through its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, including its role as one of the earliest Christian nations (converting in 337 CE)