Spain so called by the ancients, from the river Iberus. Iberes the people, from the nominative Iber. See Hispania.

Iberia was also the name of an inland country of Asia, having Colchis to the west, with a part of Pontus; to the north Mount Caucasus; on the east Albania; and on the south Armenia Magna: Now the western part of Georgia (see GEORGIA). Iberia, according to Josephus, was first peopled by Tubal, the brother of Gomer and Magog. His opinion is confirmed by the Septuagint; for Meshech and Tubal are by these interpreters rendered Moschi and Iberians. We know little of the history of the country till the reign of Mithridates, when their king, named Artoris, siding with that prince against Locullus, and afterwards against Pompey, was defeated by the latter with great slaughter; but afterwards obtained a peace, upon delivering up his sons as hostages. Little notice is taken of the succeeding kings by the ancient historians. They were probably tributary to the Romans till that empire was overturned, when this, with the other countries in Asia bordering on it, fell successively under the power of the Saracens and Turks.