Glossary
Names and terms from the poem with brief explanations.
- FirmamentSee in poem
- The heavens or sky; in medieval cosmology the firmament was understood as the dome-like expanse created by God. Rustaveli opens with a cosmological invocation typical of both Christian and Islamic literary tradition.
- RostevanSee in poem
- King of the Arabians in Rustaveli's poem, an aging monarch who decides to crown his daughter Tinatin. His character allegorically represents the aging King George III of Georgia.
- The Knight in the Panther's SkinSee in poem
- The mysterious weeping knight is Tariel, prince of India, who wears a panther's (or tiger's) skin as he grieves for his lost beloved Nestan-Daredjan. His appearance launches the epic's central quest.
- TinatinSee in poem
- Rostevan's daughter, whom he crowns as his successor. She is widely understood as an allegorical representation of Queen Tamar of Georgia (r. 1184–1213), one of the most celebrated monarchs in Georgian history.
- ViziersSee in poem
- High-ranking advisors and ministers in the royal court. Rustaveli uses the Persian-Arabic term, reflecting the poem's deliberate cosmopolitan setting blending Arabian, Indian, and Persian cultures.