tornike served a very successful military and court career (specifically he was "eristavi", a georgian equivalent to "strategos") under the georgian bagratid dynasty and also gained the byzantine title of "patrikios". he resigned his position as a general of the georgian prince david iii of tao in c. 963 and, under the name of ioane (ioannis, or john), retired to athanasius’ lavra on mount athos. he was joined, in the early 970s, by another retired georgian officer ioane and his son ek'vt'ime.