Bosporan Kingdom, Ancient Greco-Scythian kingdom near Black Sea, Russia
The Bosporan Kingdom was a Hellenistic realm on eastern Crimea and the Taman Peninsula that existed from the 5th century BCE until the 4th century CE. Its capital Pantikapaion stood where the Russian city of Kerch now sits, controlling both sides of the strait between the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.
Greek settlers from different colonies formed a united kingdom around 480 BCE under the Spartocid dynasty. The realm later became a client state of Rome in the 1st century BCE and survived until Hun tribes destroyed its cities in the late 4th century.
Rulers named their cities after Greek gods and mythological figures, while native tribes continued their own rituals in the same territories. This dual identity shows today in tombs where you find both Greek pottery and Scythian weapons.
Archaeological sites lie scattered along the Kerch Strait, some on Crimea and others on the Russian mainland opposite. Main remains sit in and around Kerch, where you can visit excavations, kurgan mounds, and museum collections.
Rulers minted coins with Greek gods on one side and their own portraits on the other, reflecting the dual nature of their rule. Some of these coins also show Scythian symbols, displaying the merged traditions of the realm.
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