Hermonassa
Hermonassa was an ancient coastal city located at the southern tip of the Taman Peninsula, adjacent to the entrance of the Cimmerian Bosphorus, which separates the Euxine (Black) Sea from Crimea. Founded in the early sixth century BC by colonists likely from Miletus in Ionia, Hermonassa flourished particularly around 300 BC. The city benefited from its strategic position near the Taman Gulf and the Kuban River estuary, which facilitated trade and economic growth.
Recent archaeological excavations have unearthed a wealth of structures, including streets, residential buildings, and a necropolis, dating from the early sixth century to the fifth century BC, showcasing shifts in architectural styles over time. Notable findings include a significant public building from the fourth century, featuring an internal colonnaded courtyard. The city was also referenced by ancient historians such as Strabo and Pliny the Elder, and it underwent significant redevelopment in the second century AD. A notable discovery from this later period includes a winery, highlighting ongoing economic activities. It’s important to differentiate this Hermonassa from another town of the same name located on the eastern coast of Pontus.
Hermonassa
(Tamansk)
A coastal city in the Soviet Union, situated at the most southerly part of the Taman peninsula, beside the entrance to the Cimmerian Bosphorus (Strait of Kerch) which separates the east coast of the Euxine (Black) Sea from the Tauric Chersonese (Crimea). Well placed to exploit the early importance of the Taman Gulf (and the estuary of the river Kuban), Hermonassa was founded in the early sixth century BC by colonists who probably came from Miletus in Ionia (western Asia Minor). Its inhabitants reached the height of their prosperity c 300 BC.
Recent excavations, of an exceptionally fruitful character, have uncovered streets and numerous buildings, including extensive remains (together with a necropolis) from the early sixth century down into the fifth—when a change in building layout occurred. An important official edifice of the fourth century, with an internal colonnaded courtyard, has also been revealed; and there is another large public building too. Mentioned by Strabo and Pliny the Elder, the city was again redesigned and largely rebuilt in the second century AD; a winery of the years before and after 300 has come to light. (This Hermonassa is to be distinguished from another town of the same name on the coast of eastern Pontus [northeastern Asia Minor]).