The Scythians ruling here for many centuries played a key role in the life of the Black Sea and Asia Minor . Inhabited in this territory from the 7th century BC. e. to the 3rd century AD e., they left behind a large number of historical monuments, including Naples Scythian.
The history of the Scythians
Tribes that are in the first millennium BC. occupied a vast territory from Altai to the Danube, in the 7th century BC. e. migrated to the Northern Black Sea coast and the steppes of Crimea, where Naples is Scythian. The ancient Greeks called this people Scythians.
Disputes about who the Scythians are are still ongoing. According to some scholars, they are the indigenous inhabitants of the Black Sea region, while others express the theory that these tribes came here from the territories of modern Iran.
Among the many legends about the origin of this people recorded by Herodotus during a visit to Scythia in the 5th century BC. e., only one he treated with confidence. It says that the nomadic Scythians, fleeing the war with the Massagets, left Asia and retired to Cimmerian land.
However, from other legends, despite their fantastic nature, one can also learn a lot of interesting things. The bulls, horses, plow and yoke mentioned in them indicate that the main occupations of the Scythians were cattle breeding and agriculture. This is confirmed by numerous archaeological finds.
During the formation of the first Scythian state association, the capital, which was located on the Dnieper, was moved to Naples Scythian. Crimea, due to its location, was more convenient both militarily and commercially.
The capital of the Scythians
Founded in the 3rd century BC. e., Naples Scythian is located in the eastern part of present Simferopol, at the intersection of all trade routes, thus uniting all the settlements of the Scythian state. The city was considered the capital of the late Scythians, was a commercial and cultural center. Based on the study of this historical monument, scientists came to the conclusion that the late Scythians had their own political system and culture, influenced by the Greeks and Sarmatians.
During the reign of King Skilur in the 2nd century BC. e. the state has reached its highest peak. Despite numerous wars with the Greek colonial cities, Naples of Scythia remained the main city of the state for six centuries. The first failure befell him in 110-109 BC. e., during the reign of the son of Skilur, who went down in history as an unsuccessful commander. The city was completely destroyed and burned by Diophantus, but over time it was restored.
Naples was finally destroyed during the Goths attack in the 3rd century AD. e. However, in the era of campaigns by Svyatoslav of Kiev (10th century), the city was populated.
Structural features
Naples Scythian was located so that defensive lines had to be erected exclusively from the south, since on the other sides the city was reliably protected by natural barriers. In the northeast, high cliffs rose, a deep beam enclosed the capital from the west.
Located on 20 hectares of land, the city had a large trading area in the center, where transactions were made. There were three gates for entry: western, eastern and central (for the triumph of kings). Along the perimeter were six defensive towers, which towered over the buildings by 8 meters. The city was populated taking into account the class affiliation: the military lived in the east, the noble settled in the west, and simple brands on the outskirts.
Burials in the settlement also took place according to the principle mentioned above. The nobility was buried in rich crypts, sometimes even with servants and household items. The poor were given a burial place on the outskirts.
Archaeological excavations
After Crimea was annexed to Russia in the 18th century, the construction of Simferopol began. People for the construction of houses took material from the walls of an ancient building.
Due to the fact that once a local resident, who discovered plates with ancient Greek inscriptions, turned to the director of the Kerch Museum Blaramberg, excavations began. Among other things, during these excavations, a relief was discovered depicting King Skilur and his son.
Archaeological research continued until the revolution. It was discovered several crypts, the remains of dwellings with household pits, a large amount of inventory.
At the end of the 40s of the 20th century, thanks to large-scale excavations by historians, the Skilur Mausoleum, the burial place of Scythian nobles, was discovered. Priceless artifacts were found here, which replenished the museums of Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Scythian Naples today
Despite its historical value and uniqueness, Naples Scythian, for a long time without receiving due attention, was ... a local dump. Only in 2011, it became a historical reserve and was protected by law from illegal excavations and buildings.
Unfortunately, today there is little left of this settlement. The ruins of the southern wall, the foundations of the buildings and the mausoleum of Skilur are available for inspection. Only thanks to the guide you can imagine how life went on in this ancient city.
Fortunately, the excavation continues. To date, only the twentieth part has been studied, so a large string of discoveries is yet to come. Going on an excursion to Naples Scythian, you can participate in the search for treasures in the reserve.
How to get there
Naples Scythian (photo presented in the article) is located at: Simferopol, st. Archaeological, 1. You can get here one of the many routes of public transport. Upon reaching Tarabukin Street, you will only have to walk to the Archaeological Site in just a few minutes.
You can also go from the city bus station along Vorovsky street to Naples. There, not far from the river, a path is laid along which you can climb a plateau. It is from here that the best view is on the main city of the late Scythians, and on the modern capital of Crimea.