The Knight in the Panther Skin is an epic poem written in the 12th century (though the earliest surviving copy dates to the 16th century) by Shota Rustaveli, who is assumed by some historians to be a prince of Georgia. The Knight in the Panther Skin is often seen as Georgia's national epic.
In the poem, Rustaveli sings about humanistic ideals: feelings of love, friendship, courage and fortitude. The heroes of the poem are brave, philanthropic, and generous. The heroes of the poem are not restricted to Georgian nationality. The regions of Arabia, China, and India all figure in the poem.
