an academy at Gelati and the scientific and cultural center of feudal Georgia. The academy and the Gelati Monastery were founded in the 12th century by King David the Builder (1089-1125) near the city of Kutaisi. The great thinkers of Georgia worked there, including Ioane Petritsi (11th-12th century), Ioane Shavteli (12th century), and Arsen (13th century). An interest in classical philosophy was characteristic of the Gelati Academy in the period in which it was founded and flourished. Scholars at the academy did translations, wrote commentaries on them, and created original works. Courses taught at the Gelati Academy were geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, philosophy, grammar, rhetoric, and music.