Tanais biography

According to Rostovgreek, they called the “eighth river” in the country of Scythians, “which flows into the most remote corner of Lake Meotian Sea and separates Scythia from the land of the Savromats.” In the VIII century. As a result, already in the VI-V centuries. The largest were Olbia-on the banks of the Dnieper-Bug estuary, Tira-at the mouth of the Dniester, Chersonesos-in the area of ​​the modern Sevastopol, the city along both shores of the Kevsky Strait, which later united into the Bosporus with the capital Pantikopopei-on the site of Kerch.

For the first time in Scythia, the Greeks penetrated the VII century. Following the Greek sailors, Greek colonists moved into the lands of the Scythians. For the Greeks, Scythia was a country, covered in many legends, the area that Homer in his Odyssey described as “always covered with wet fog and a hare clouds. The people of radiant Helios never appear there people there ... The night of the non -suffered sparking there surrounds the living.

” Among the last regions mastered by the Greek colonists was the "most distant corner of the Meotian Lake." In the VII century. Subsequently, a large fortified settlement arose here in the area of ​​the modern Horodishche farm, near the village of Elizavetinskaya Azov district. The settlement lasted from the end of the 5th to the 3rd century. To expand and strengthen trade ties with local tribes, Bosporus Greeks in the 3rd century.

Starting from the moment of founding, Tanais over the years has been the main outpost of advancement into the depths of the steppes and the expansion of trade with the Volga and individual tribes. The city serves as a common place for Asian and European nomads and for the lake from Bosporus; The former deliver slaves, skins and various other goods of nomads, while others in return bring dress, wine and other objects inherent in a civilized lifestyle on ships.

In front of the city, at a distance of a hundred stadiums, there is an island of alopecia, having a mixed population; There are other islands near the lake. Tanais is defended from the mouth of Meotid, if you sail right north, two thousand two hundred stadiums, and if you swim along the shore, it will come out a little more. ” Strabo, I century. For the first time, the ruins of this city, located in 35 km of Podno-on-Don, near the Ugligovka farm, on the right bank of the northern sleeve of the Don Delta Donets, were examined by archaeologist Ivan Alekseevich Stempkovsky in the year.

Stampovsky concluded: “The remnants of this city exist to the bottom on the indicated side ten miles from the sea, near the Donskoy village of Reveogovka. Then, on an elevated and steep bank of the river, I found traces of acropolis, or a citadel, very similar to the Olvian, but a little smaller. The strengthening of this is surrounded by a deep moat and in some places in the shaft of the earth and stones showing the foundation of the towers.

The fragments of ancient clay vessels, called amphoras and usually found everywhere where the Greeks had their own settlements are scattered everywhere; And behind the moat, all the surroundings at the distant distance are covered with pits, piles of land and ash, equal to many large and small mounds ... According to all the SIM features, it is impossible not to recognize the ruins with the remnants of the ancient Greek city.

And this city cannot be other than Tanais. ” In the year, an archaeological expedition led by P. Leontyev discovered marble slabs with inscriptions in Greek. The inscriptions mentioned the name of the city of Tanais and its inhabitants Tanaite. In the year, the expedition, led by D. Shelov, as a result of excavations of the ancient Greek Tanais, established the time of formation of the city.

Tanais arose years ago, in the III century. Founded by the Greeks, the city of Tanais consisted of three parts. Here life flowed to the line of our era. Opposite Tanais, the river was probably the coastal district of the harbor. To the east and west of the city, directly outside the defensive structures, a soil burial ground was located, and to the north - the mound.

Between the central and western walls there are residential quarters. The streets are narrow. The masonry of the walls is careless, the stones are not heavily. Inside are coated with clay. According to the layout of the house, they resembled Greek: several living rooms, household premises. Everyone has access to the courtyard, paved with stone. In the yards - wells and household pits for storing supplies.

Utility and furniture were wooden. Greek influence in Tanais was felt in everything in the first one and a half centuries of existence: the general layout of the city, Greek elements in the burial rite of burial in amphoras, burning the bodies of the dead and burial in the urns. The population of Tanais was heterogeneous and during the first century of the city’s existence consisted of two large groups - Hellenes and Scythians.

In the II-I centuries. Trade was the main occupation of the population. In the 3rd-I centuries. Most of the money discovered in the city layers already belong to the 1st century. Until the first centuries. Wine, butter, dishes, craft and jewelry were imported into Tanais, agricultural and cattle breeding, slaves were exported. In addition to trade, residents were engaged in fishing, which in the early period of the city’s existence was the main sector of the economy; agriculture, cattle breeding.

Craft production was developed.Using remoteness from the Bosporus kingdom, Tanais strove for independence and complete independence and did not want to obey the Bosporus rulers. As a result, at the turn of our era, the city was destroyed by the Bosporus king Polemon for disobedience. In the 30s.

Zhebelev drew attention to the fact that the word that was translated in the testimony of Strabo how to “destroy” has another meaning in Greek - “plunder”. After the work of the Nizhne-Don expedition, the point of view of Zhebelev was confirmed. The poleamp was plundered by a rich trading city to intimidate and pacify its inhabitants. The history of Tanais of the first centuries of our era did not find an echo in the ancient literary tradition, therefore, scientists owe information about the life of Tanais to archaeological excavations or random finds in the Nelogi settlement.

These are archaeological monuments itself: ruins of residential, economic, cult, defensive structures, grave complexes, ceramics, metal utensils; numismatic material; Dozens of lapidar inscriptions. In the first centuries of our era, life in Tanais focused on the eastern plot with an area of ​​about five hectares, turned into a fortress of almost square shape. Around the city, defensive walls with towers were erected, a deep moat was built.

During the excavations, city gates were discovered in the middle of the northern defensive line; The corner towers of the fortress. Near defensive walls were houses that included residential and household premises. The houses were built of stone. The premises were adobe floors and foci; The walls are covered with clay coating. During excavations, many fragments of ceramics were found: fragments of bright -melon amphoras with double -barreled pens, KOSS and Rhodes amphoras, stucco dishes, red -headed ceramics.

Household items, Aernov, terracotta lights, sinkers from the nets, coins of the III century were found. In II and per. III centuries. Archaeological materials give us an idea of ​​different aspects of the economic life of the city. Agriculture was one of the noticeable sectors of the Tanais economy. Entire grain processing complexes were found. The grain was stored either in thick amphoras made of red and pink clay or in pifos.

The most common grain culture was barley, wheat played a more modest role. A noticeable place in the grain economy was occupied by Polba Pshenitsa-Duzernyanka and Proso. Of the agricultural guns in Tanais, only iron sickles and hoes were found. Grain processing was carried out by means of stone grain and millstones. During the excavation of some premises, archaeologists discovered significant flouric enterprises that used at the same time mills of different types.

In the same rooms where grain was made, baking bread was also carried out. In the houses, stoves for baking bread, amphoras with flour, millet, barley, wheat, and an rye were found. Excavations indicate that residents were engaged in cattle breeding. Cattle were bred: cows, oxen, bulls. From small cattle - sheep and goats. Of great importance in the economic life of Tanaisans was of fish fishing.

Bones and scales of commercial fish: catfish, carp, bream, pike perch are found in the cultural layer and in garbage dumps of the I-III centuries. The residents of the city led to, both in the Sea of ​​Azov and in the ducts of the river delta. Developed in the city and crafts. The most significant area of ​​use of non -earth labor was a construction and stone business. The construction of residential buildings and defensive structures, the paving of streets and yards, the creation of tanks, wells, drains, the construction of industrial and household premises, the design of funeral monuments - all this required a large volume of the work of the masons.

Often, the inhabitants of Tanais built their homes themselves. Basically, coarse and primitive stone processing technique was used. But the city also worked in the city of stone processing and stone cutters, creating products in the traditions of ancient art, such as a marble relief with the image of an armed rider of Tryphon. In the rapid movement of the horse, a fluttering cloak, the details of clothing and weapons, the features of the artistic ancient tradition are preserved.

Along with masons, carpenters and joiners played an important role in the construction business. Girls and rafters, supporting roofs, doorbells of doors and gates were made from wood. In the construction of Tanais, poplar, aspen, oak, ash, pine were used. The tree was used to make furniture, many household items, boats.