*** Welcome to piglix ***

Chersonesus Taurica

Chersonesus
Χερσόνησος
Херсонес
Chersonesos ruins.jpg
St. Vladimir's Cathedral overlooks the extensive excavations of Chersonesus.
Chersonesus is located in Sevastopol
Chersonesus
Shown within Sevastopol
Alternate name Chersonese, Chersonesos, Cherson
Location Gagarin Raion, Sevastopol
Region Taurica
Coordinates 44°36′42″N 33°29′36″E / 44.61167°N 33.49333°E / 44.61167; 33.49333Coordinates: 44°36′42″N 33°29′36″E / 44.61167°N 33.49333°E / 44.61167; 33.49333
Type Settlement
Part of National Preserve "Khersones Tavriysky"
Area 30 ha (74 acres)
History
Builder Settlers from Heraclea Pontica
Founded 6th century BC
Abandoned Around 1400 AD
Periods Classical Greece to Late Middle Ages
Cultures Greek, Roman, Hunnic, Byzantine
Site notes
Excavation dates 1827
Management The National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos
Website www.chersonesos.org
Official name Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora
Type Cultural
Criteria ii, v
Designated 2013 (137th session)
Reference no. 1411
Region Europe and North America

Chersonesus (Ancient Greek: Χερσόνησος Khersonēsos; Latin: Chersonesus; modern Russian/Ukrainian: Херсонес, Khersones; also rendered as Chersonese, Chersonesos), in medieval Greek contracted to Cherson (Χερσών; Old East Slavic: Корсунь, Korsun) is an ancient Greek colony founded approximately 2,500 years ago in the southwestern part of the Crimean Peninsula. The colony was established in the 6th century BC by settlers from Heraclea Pontica.

The ancient city is located on the shore of the Black Sea at the outskirts of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula, where it is referred to as Khersones. It has been nicknamed the "Ukrainian Pompeii". The site is now part of the National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos. The name "Chersonesos" in Greek means "peninsula", and aptly describes the site on which the colony was established. It should not be confused with the Tauric Chersonese, the name often applied to the whole of the southern Crimea.

During much of the classical period Chersonesus was a democracy ruled by a group of elected archons and a council called the Demiurgi. As time passed the government grew more oligarchic, with power concentrated in the hands of the archons. A form of oath sworn by all the citizens since the 3rd century BC has survived to the present day. In 2013, Chersonesus was listed as a World Heritage Site.


...
Wikipedia

...