[2] The son of John the Iberian and nephew of the Tornike Eristavi, Euthymius was taken as a political hostage to Constantinople but was later released and became a monk joining the Great Lavra of Athanasios on Mount Athos.

He subsequently became the leader of the Georgian Iviron monastery, which had been founded by his father,[3] and emerged as one of the finest Eastern Christian theologians and scholars of his age.

Among his major works was the translation of sibrdzne balavarisa (Wisdom of Balahvari), which some believe to be a Christianized version of episodes from the life of Gautama Buddha that became very popular in Medieval Europe as the story of Barlaam and Josaphat.

Of equal importance was Euthymius’ work to prepare Georgian translations of various Greek philosophical, ecclesiastical and legal discourses.

He died near Byzantium, when a mule on which he was riding, startled by the approach of a beggar made to bolt and Euthymius fell.