Realm · approximate borders · 550–777

Abasgia

The Abasgians of the north-western Black Sea coast, between the Zygii to the north and the Apsilae around Sebastopolis (Sukhumi), were ruled by their own princes under Lazic and Byzantine suzerainty; Justinian had them converted and built Pityus and Sebastopolis during the Lazic War (Procopius). Their princes at Anacopia (New Athos) grew stronger as Byzantium weakened, and Leon II took the royal title around 778 with Khazar backing, founding the Kingdom of Abkhazia.

Sources describe it as a distinct principality from the Justinianic period. Extent (coast from Gagra to the Kodori, inland to the Caucasus crest) is approximate. Sources: Wikipedia 'Abasgia', 'Kingdom of Abkhazia'.

See Abasgia on the map in 550

On the map: 550–777
Capital: Anacopia

Rulers named in the sources

Opsit mid-6th century
Skeparna mid-6th century
Finictios c. 680s
Leon I c. 735–767
Leon II 767–828 (king from c. 778)

Eastern European states, 82 BC – 1952

States of central-eastern and south-eastern Europe, the Baltic and the north-western Caucasus: Burebista's and Decebalus' Dacia, the principality of Abasgia, Rus' Tmutarakan, Circassia until the Russian conquest of 1864, the Emirate of Bari, the Albanian principalities of Arbanon and the Thopia and Skanderbeg's League of Lezhë, Zeta under the Balšići and Crnojevići, Lombard Negroponte, Acciaioli Athens, the Livonian prince-bishoprics of Riga and Ösel–Wiek, the prince-bishops of Montenegro, the wartime Slovak Republic and post-war Poland before 1953. Few of these frontiers were ever surveyed.