Apsilae
Apsilae (different sound Apsils, Apshils) - one of the ancient tribes that lived on the territory of modern Abkhazia and had played a decisive role in the formation of the Abkhazian nation.[1] This is disputed however, and overall highly politicized, as only Abkhazian and Russian scholars support it, while most maintain that they were a division of Colchian tribes, who in turn were part of the Proto-Georgian peoples.
Apsils lived in that part of modern Abkhazia which previously called Apsilia (Tsebelda).[2]
For the first time Apsilae are mentioned in the writings of Pliny of the 1 st century AD,[1] as well as the Flavius Arrianus in the II century are mentioned as "Αψιλαι". From the 2-nd half of the 8th century Apsilae in the documents are not mentioned. Apsilae descended from the coastal part of the ancient tribes Zygii.[3] The high development of the local manufacturing of products and tools of metal archeological artifacts Tsebelda culture.