Artoces was a king (mepe) of Iberia (Kartli, eastern Georgia) from 78 to 63 BC.
The medieval Georgian account of his reign is brief and focuses on the devastation of his kingdom at the hands of Iranians while the Classical sources much closer to the period in question contain a detailed description of Artoces's war with Rome on the side of Mithridates VI of Pontus and Tigranes of Armenia.
Artoces, caught by surprise, hastily burnt the bridge over the Cyrus and retreated further in his forested country.
Pompey occupied the fortresses and crossed the river, but met a fierce resistance by the Iberian army.
[3] In the end, the Romans prevailed, and, when Artoces saw the Pelorus river, apparently the modern Aragvi, also crossed by Pompey, he surrendered, and sent his children as hostages.