Spaspet (Georgian: სპასპეტი) was a feudal office in Georgia that originated in ancient Iberia.
The institution of spaspet, like its rough equivalent sparapet in neighboring Armenia, was designed under the influence of the Sassanian Persian spahbed, but differed in that it was a non-hereditary rank and included not only military, but also civil functions.
[1] According to the medieval Georgian chronicles, the rank of spaspet was introduced by the first king P’arnavaz in the 3rd century BC.
It seems that this office was in fact occupied by the member of the Iberian royal family or an especially high dignitary next in seniority to the king.
The Roman geographer Strabo (63/4 BC-AD 24) attests that in the royal hierarchy of Iberia "the second in line administers justice and commands the army."