Phanagoria
Phanagoria (Ancient Greek: Φαναγόρεια, romanized: Phanagóreia; Russian: Фанагория, romanized: Fanagoriya) was the largest ancient Greek city on the Taman peninsula, spread over two plateaus along the eastern shore of the Cimmerian Bosporus.
Φαναγόρεια (in Ancient Greek) | |
The remains of Phanagoria | |
Shown within Krasnodar Krai Phanagoria (European Russia) | |
| Location | Sennoy, Krasnodar Krai, Russia |
|---|---|
| Region | Taman Peninsula |
| Coordinates | 45°16′37″N 36°57′58″E |
| Type | Settlement |
| Area | 75 ha (190 acres) |
| History | |
| Builder | Settlers from Teos |
| Founded | Approximately 543 BC |
| Periods | Archaic Greek to Medieval |
| Cultures | Greek, Bulgar, Khazar |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Ruined |
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. It was the eastern capital of the Bosporan Kingdom, with Panticapaeum being the western capital. Strabo described it as a noteworthy city which was renowned for its trade. It was briefly a Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese while a medieval Genoese colony under the name Matrega, it remains a Latin Catholic titular see.
Today the site is located at a short distance to the west of Sennoy in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. Another ancient Greek city, Hermonassa, lies 25 kilometres (16 mi) to the west, on the shoreline of modern Taman.