Speri (historical region)

Sper, also known as Speri (Armenian: Սպեր Sber or Sper, Georgian: სპერი Speri), is an historical region now part of the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. It was centered in the upper reaches of the valley of the Çoruh River, its probable capital was the town of İspir, and it originally extended as far west as the town of Bayburt and the Bayburt plains.

A native tribe named Saspers as repeatedly mentioned in the History of Herodotus, Later, Sappers were mentioned by Greco-Roman and Byzantine authors. The name Speri is thought by some to be derived from Saspers. According to the most widespread theory, they are a Kartvelian tribe. according to Ivane Javakhishvili's theory, the ethnic designation of the word Iberia is derived from the name of proto-Georgian tribes Saspers >Speri >Hberi>Iberi. however, their origins have also been attributed to Scythian people. Their approximate homeland was located between the Çoruh River and the sources of rivers Tigris and Euphrates. According to Georgian sources, the Çoruh River was called the "Speri River", and the Black Sea was called the "Speri Sea".

in 12–8th century BC region was part of newly formed tribal confederacy of Dieuchi, in 760s BC it was annexed by Colchians. By 720 BC, the Cimmerian incursions from the north destroyed Colchis and significantly affected local society and culture. In the subsequent century, new tribal confederations were established, the most important of them was Speri (Sasperi). in VI–V century, after expansions of Achaemenid Empire, Matienians, Saspires and Alarodians were incorporated into the 18th Satrapy of Persia, according to Herodotus Alarodians and Saspires carried the same arms as the Colchians.

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