Tanais
Tanais is an ancient site located near Taganrog, in southern Russia, submerged in the waters of Lake Maeotis (Sea of Azov). Archaeological findings, including Greek pottery dating back to the seventh century BC, suggest that Tanais may have originally been a market town or fishing settlement, possibly established by colonists from Miletus in Ionia around 625-600 BC. An alternative theory posits that the name Tanais refers to a nearby island settlement known as Alopecia, where extensive trade interactions between Greeks and Scythians occurred between the fifth and third centuries BC.
Around 300-275 BC, a new city of Tanais was founded by the Cimmerian Bosphorus kings near Nedvigovka, establishing it as a vibrant cosmopolitan market town. This location served as a trading hub for nomadic groups and merchants navigating the region, exchanging goods such as slaves, hides, clothing, and wine. Tanais experienced periods of autonomy and prosperity but faced destruction in 9 BC and again around 240-250 AD, likely due to invasions. Despite these challenges, the city saw a brief revival before ultimately ceasing to exist. The archaeological remnants, including walls, potters’ kilns, and burial sites, reveal insights into the cultural and commercial life of this once-thriving settlement.
Subject Terms
Tanais
A site now under water near Taganrog (in the province of Rostov, southern Russia), on the gulf of that name in the northern part of Lake Maeotis (the Sea of Azov) west of the mouth of the river Tanais (Don), has yielded Greek pottery from the seventh century BC and later
These discoveries have suggested to some (though the conclusion is disputed) that this was the site of an archaic market town or fishing settlement that was known as Tanais and was perhaps colonized from Miletus in Ionia (western Asia Minor) c 625–600. It has alternatively been suggested, however, that the name Tanais should rather be applied to the island settlement of Alopecia (?) (Elisavetovskaya), beside the main southern branch of the Don delta, where excavations have cast abundant light on commercial interchanges between Greeks and Scythians between the fifth and third centures BC.
At all events, c 300/275 a new city of Tanais was founded by the kings of the Cimmerian (Crimean) Bosphorus (the ancient name of the Straits of Kerch)—perhaps with the participation of other Bosphoran cities, notably Phanagoria (Fanagori)—near Nedvigovka on the right (north) bank of the Mertvy Donets, the northernmost branch of the Don delta. This foundation became, as Strabo describes, a major cosmopolitan market town, the `common emporium, partly of the Asiatic and the European nomads, and partly of those who navigated the lake from the Bosphorus, the former bringing slaves, hides and such other things as nomads possess, and the latter giving in exchange clothing, wine and the other things that belonged to civilized life.’
After maintaining its autonomy under the Bosphoran kings Pharnaces II (63–47) and Asander (47/44–16), this market city was destroyed by Polemo I of Pontus c 9 BC during his attempt, with Roman assistance, to take over the kingdom of the Bosphorus. Subsequently, however, Tanais recovered, and was flourishing by the end of the first century AD. After further destruction c 240/250, probably at the hands of the Goths, it again experienced a partial revival from c 350 to c 400: but thereafter the place ceased to exist.
The town of Tanais was encircled by two walls, one of earth and one of stone. Potters' kilns and traces of local glass production have been uncovered. A cemetery outside the wall comprised inhumation burials and a few cremations, and contained numerous Greek objects.