Amazasp I () was a king (mepe) of Iberia (Kartli, modern eastern Georgia) whose reign is placed by the early medieval Georgian historical compendia in the 2nd century. Professor Cyril Toumanoff suggests 106âÂÂ116 as the years of his reign, and considers him to be the son and successor of Mithridates I of Iberia who is known from epigraphic material as a Roman ally. Toumanoff also identifies him with the Amazaspus of the Stele of Vespasian and Xepharnuges of the Stele of Serapit.
The name Amazasp derives from Middle Persian *HamazÃÂsp, ultimately from Old Persian HamÃÂzÃÂspa. Although the precise etymology of *HamazÃÂsp/HamÃÂzÃÂspa remains unresolved, it may be explained through Avestan *hamÃÂza-, "colliding/clashing" + aspa-, "horse" i.e. "one who possessed war steeds".
The Georgian chronicles report Amazasp's joint ten-year rule with Derok (Deruk) and record Armazi as his seat (whereas Derok's residence was at Mtskheta). Many modern scholars, however, consider the Iberian dyarchy a pure legend and argue that Amazasp was king in his own right.