Phanagoria (; ) was the largest
ancient Greek
Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...
city on the
Taman peninsula, spread over two plateaus along the eastern shore of the
Cimmerian Bosporus.
The city was a large
emporium for all the traffic between the coast of the
Maeotian marshes and the countries on the southern side of the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...
. It was the eastern capital of the
Bosporan Kingdom, with
Panticapaeum being the western capital.
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...
described it as a noteworthy city which was renowned for its trade. It was briefly a
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
Metropolitan Archdiocese while a medieval
Genoese colony under the name Matrega, it remains a Latin Catholic
titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbi ...
.
Today the site is located at a short distance to the west of
Sennoy in
Krasnodar Krai,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. Another ancient Greek city,
Hermonassa, lies to the west, on the shoreline of modern
Taman.
History
Antiquity
Phanagoria was founded ca. 543 BC by the
Teian colonists who had to flee
Asia Minor in consequence of their conflict with the Persian king
Cyrus the Great
Cyrus II of Persia ( ; 530 BC), commonly known as Cyrus the Great, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Achaemenid dynasty (i. The clan and dynasty) Hailing from Persis, he brought the Achaemenid dynasty to power by defeating the Media ...
. The city took its name after one of these colonists, Phanagoras. "The unusual nature of the Taman peninsula near Phanagoria, with its ravines, crevices, hills, and low cones of active volcanoes, must have impressed the ancient colonists even more than it impresses us today", historian
Yulia Ustinova has observed.
In the 5th century BC, the town thrived on the trade with the
Scythians
The Scythians ( or ) or Scyths (, but note Scytho- () in composition) and sometimes also referred to as the Pontic Scythians, were an Ancient Iranian peoples, ancient Eastern Iranian languages, Eastern Iranian peoples, Iranian Eurasian noma ...
and
Sindi. Located on an island in the ancient archipelago of Corocondamitis, between the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
and the
Palus Maeotis, Phanagoria covered an area of of which one third has been submerged by the sea. In the early 4th century BC the burgeoning
Bosporan Kingdom subjugated much of
Sindica, including the independent polis of Phanagoria. The town's importance increased with the decline of the old capital,
Panticapaeum, situated on the opposite shore of the
Crimean strait, or
Cimmerian Bosporus. By the first centuries AD, Phanagoria had emerged as the main centre of the kingdom.
During the
Mithridatic Wars, the town allied with the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
and withstood a siege by the army of
Pharnaces II of Pontus. It was at Phanagoria that the insurrection broke out against
Mithridates VI of Pontus, shortly before his death; and his sons, who held the citadel, were obliged to surrender to the insurgents. An inscription found during excavations testifies that Queen
Dynamis honored
Augustus
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
as "the emperor,
Caesar,
son of a god, the god Augustus, the overseer of every land and sea". The loyalty to Rome allowed Phanagoria to maintain a dominant position in the region until the 4th century, when it was sacked and destroyed by the invading
Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was par ...
.
Middle Ages
By the 7th century, the town had recovered from a century of invasions from the steppe peoples. It served as the capital of
Old Great Bulgaria between 632 and 665 under
Kubrat.
Afterwards Phanagoria became (at least nominally) a
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
dependency. A
Khazar tudun
A tudun was a governor resident in a town or other settlement in the ancient Bulgar, Avar or Gokturk empires, particularly those of the Bulgars and the Khazars. The tudun was the personal representative of the imperial government and could ...
was nonetheless present in the town and ''de facto'' control probably rested in Khazar hands until the defeat of
Georgius Tzul in 1016. In 704, the deposed
Byzantine emperor
The foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, which Fall of Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as legitimate rulers and exercised s ...
Justinian II settled in Phanagoria (then governed by the Khazar tudun
Balgatzin) with his wife
Theodora, a sister of the Khazar
Khagan
Khagan or Qaghan (Middle Mongol:; or ''Khagan''; ) or zh, c=大汗, p=Dàhán; ''Khāqān'', alternatively spelled Kağan, Kagan, Khaghan, Kaghan, Khakan, Khakhan, Khaqan, Xagahn, Qaghan, Chagan, Қан, or Kha'an is a title of empire, im ...
Busir Glavan, before returning to
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
by way of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
.
In the 10th century, the town seems to have faced an invasion, supposedly by the
Rus. After that, Phanagoria could not compete in significance with neighboring
Tmutarakan.
In the late
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
the town of Matrega was built on its ruins; the site was part of a network of
Genoese possessions along the northern
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
coast. During the 15th century, it was the center of
de Ghisolfi dominions. Henceforth there has been no permanent settlement on the site.
Ecclesiastical history
The Genoese colony was canonically established on 1349.02.21 as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Matriga. It was suppressed around 1400 AD.
* Recorded incumbent : Giovanni di Zechia,
Friars Minor
The Order of Friars Minor (commonly called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi. The order adheres to the t ...
(O.F.M.) (1349.02.22 – 1363?)
Titular see
The diocese was nominally restored as a Latin Catholic
titular bishopric
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...
in 1928 under the name Matriga, which was changed in 1929 already to Matrega.
It is vacant, having had the following incumbents, all of the lowest (episcopal) rank :
* Titular Bishop
Teofilius Matulionis (1928.12.08 – 1943.01.09), as
Auxiliary Bishop
An auxiliary bishop is a bishop assigned to assist the diocesan bishop in meeting the pastoral and administrative needs of the diocese. Auxiliary bishops can also be titular bishops of sees that no longer exist as territorial jurisdictions.
...
of
Mohilev (
Belarus
Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
) (1928.12.08 – 1943.01.09); later Bishop of
Kaišiadorys (
Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
) (1943.01.09 – 1962.08.20) and on emeritate created
Archbishop ad personam
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archd ...
(1962.02.09 – death 1962.08.20)
* Titular Bishop Rafael González Estrada (1944.05.16 – death 1994.03.07), first as
Auxiliary Bishop
An auxiliary bishop is a bishop assigned to assist the diocesan bishop in meeting the pastoral and administrative needs of the diocese. Auxiliary bishops can also be titular bishops of sees that no longer exist as territorial jurisdictions.
...
of
Quetzaltenango, Los Altos (
Guatemala
Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
) (1944.05.16 – 1955), then Auxiliary Bishop of
Guatemala
Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
(Guatemala) (1955 – emeritate 1984.05.29).
Excavations
The location of Phanagoria was determined in the 18th century, when marble statue bases with dedications to
Aphrodite
Aphrodite (, ) is an Greek mythology, ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, procreation, and as her syncretism, syncretised Roman counterpart , desire, Sexual intercourse, sex, fertility, prosperity, and ...
were discovered there.
Hecataeus and
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...
mention a local sanctuary of Aphrodite as the largest in the Pontic region. Archaeological exploration of the site started in 1822, when "soldiers dug into a large barrow, making rich discoveries of gold and silver objects, many unique, which they divided up between themselves".
Apart from the ancient city itself, archaeologists have been interested in a vast
necropolis, which spreads on three sides around Phanagoria. There are thousands of burials, many with cypress or marble sarcophagi — an indication of the well-being of the ancient Phanagorians. Excavations conducted in the 19th century were for the most part amateurish; as many as twelve
kurgans would be razed each season. Some of the most intriguing finds were unearthed in the 1860s at the Bolshaya Bliznitsa tumulus, classed by
Michael Rostovtzeff as a feminine necropolis with three vaults.
One of the royal kurgans near Phanagoria "has a stone stairway leading down to a rectangular passageway, the entrance to the burial chamber (3.70 × 3.75 × 4.70 m). These two areas are covered by an arch showing remains of painted decoration. The wall frescos imitate encrusted marble. On either side of the entrance to the tomb long stone boxes contain four horse burials along with rich grave gifts; saddlery and harnesses of gold and gilded bronze."
Vladimir Blavatsky resumed excavations of Phanagoria in 1936. Among the recent finds is an inscription indicating that a
synagogue
A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
existed in Phanagoria as early as 51 AD. Underwater investigation of the site has revealed multiple fragments of architectural structures.
In 2009 was discovered the palace of Mithridates VI.
In 2021, archaeologists discovered coins in the broken neck of an
amphora
An amphora (; ; English ) is a type of container with a pointed bottom and characteristic shape and size which fit tightly (and therefore safely) against each other in storage rooms and packages, tied together with rope and delivered by land ...
. They are thought to have been minted in the late
3rd or early
4th century and circulated through the
6th century. The coins are thought to have been hidden before an attack by the
Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was par ...
or the Turks, who burned and destroyed large parts of the city. Most probably an early Christian basilica stood on the site where the coins were found.
Jewish synagogue and quarter
In 2023, archaeologists announced "the discovery of one of the world’s oldest
synagogues and, according to analysis of fragments found at the site, it likely stood for over half a millennium after being constructed around the beginning of the first century BCE." The remains of the
Second Temple-era synagogue included "several
menorahs,
altars, and marble stele fragments," making it one of the earliest, if not the earliest synagogue ever uncovered outside of
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
. Over the past year, archaeologists have concluded that the synagogue was part of a Jewish quarter located in an area intersected by major streets and surrounded by residential homes and structures such as a vineyard, a garden, and a water network. Other discoveries include tombstones bearing symbols like menorahs and
shofars, and an amphora featuring a Hebrew inscription.
Honours
Phanagoria Island in
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...
is named after Phanagoria.
Notable people
* Sosicrates () of Phanagoria, ancient Greek poet.
* Castor () of Phanagoria, the leader of the city revolt against the King
Pharnaces II of Pontus.
Appian, Mithridatic Wars, §17.114
/ref>
See also
* List of ancient Greek cities
This is an incomplete list of ancient Greek cities, including colonies outside Greece, and including settlements that were not sovereign '' poleis''.
Many colonies outside Greece were soon assimilated to some other language but a city is included h ...
* Colonies in antiquity
Colonies in antiquity were post-Iron Age city-states founded from a mother-city or metropolis rather than from a territory-at-large. Bonds between a colony and its metropolis often remained close, and took specific forms during the period of clas ...
References
Further reading
*
*
*
External links
GigaCatholic with incumbent biography links
*
*
in site Odessa Numismatics Museum
Golden Treasures of Phanagoria
{{Pontic colonies
Bosporan Kingdom
Bulgars
Greek colonies on the Black Sea coast
Milesian Pontic colonies
Underwater ruins
Former populated places in Russia
Articles containing video clips
Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Krasnodar Krai
Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Russia
History of Krasnodar Krai