Civilizations & archaeology

Origins of Phanagoria

543 BCE

Phanagoria was a Greek colony on the Taman Peninsula, on the Asian shore of the Cimmerian Bosporus, in what is now southern Russia. It was settled by Greeks from Teos in Ionia, who are said to have left their city to escape Persian conquest of western Asia Minor. The town grew rich on the grain, fish and slave trade with the steppe peoples and became the main centre of the Bosporan Kingdom on the Asian side of the strait. It later rebelled against Mithridates VI of Pontus and remained a significant city into late antiquity. Excavations have revealed streets, temples, harbours and a large necropolis, making it one of the best-studied Greek colonial sites on the Black Sea.

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This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 6th century BCE.