Bolnisi inscriptions

Inscription 1

Translation: Jesus Christ, have mercy on David the Bishop and those who built this church for your worship.

Inscription 2

Translation: With the mercy of Trinity, 20 years of reigning King Peroz when founded this church and 15 years thereafter it was completed. God have mercy who show reverence herein, and the builder of this church David the Bishop, and who pray for you, o God have mercy, Amen.

This second inscription yields a reference to Peroz I, the Shahanshah ("King of Kings") of the Sasanian Empire. Following the Treaty of Acilisene, the Eastern Roman Empire admitted the loss of the Kingdom of Iberia (where Bolnisi was located) to the Sasanians. Sassanian rulers were the official suzerains of the area at that time, hence Peroz's reign being used to date the building. The situation, however, was fluid and King Vakhtang I was locked in intermittent conflict with the Persians. Georgians' ally, Byzantium, was not able to assist, as it was entirely preoccupied with fighting the Ostrogoths in the west. After Peroz's death, Georgians also refused to join his son Kavad I in military campaigns against Byzantium, resulting in Iberian provinces getting "torched" by Persians.