Opsites of Lazica

[1] In one passage, Procopius remarks parenthetically that Opsites was an uncle of Gubazes II of Lazica and at one time king of the Lazi: "[This Persian general]...captured Theodora, the consort of Opsites (he was uncle of Gobazes and king of the Lazi), finding her among the Apsilii, and carried her off to the land of the Persians.

[3] At the time of the Lazic revolt against Rome, Theodora, while living among the Apsilii, was captured, by chance, by the Persian commander Nabedes and carried off to Persia.

[3] Later in Procopius's work, Opsites appears as ruler of the eastern part of Abasgia, a land north of Lazica (the west was under Sceparnas).

[5] Opsites led the Abasgians against the Romans under John Guzes and Uligagus, who defeated the rebels and captured their fort of Trachea.

Professor Cyril Toumanoff assumes that, in both cases, Procopius refers to the same person, a member of the Lazic royal family, who became an Abasgian leader.