Ancient gorgippia. The ancient city of Gorgippia

Nowadays, Anapa looks such a stylish and modern resort that tourists who are not particularly keen on history do not even suspect that the ancient Greek city of Gorgippia, one of the richest cities of the Bosporus kingdom, was located here earlier. It was erected in the second half of the 6th century BC. and successfully prospered for about ten centuries, until during one of the raids the enemies burned it to the ground, and life in it slowly faded away.

Gorgippia is located in Anapa on the northeastern coast of the Black Sea in the center of one of the most famous resorts in Russia in the west of the Krasnodar Territory.

At first, the settlement was called differently - the Sindskaya harbor (at first representatives of the Sindi tribe lived here, and only then the Greeks settled) and it existed as an independent city-state with well-established ties with the nearby settlements - Panticapaeum, Bata, Hermonass, Phanagoria.

There is nothing surprising in the fact that some time later, in the IV Art. BC, the Greek colonies located along the northern coast of the Black Sea, decided to unite into one state - the Bosporan Kingdom. As a result, the Sindh harbor was renamed in honor of the king's brother Gorgippus, who was appointed governor here.

Gorgippia turned out to be not just a trade and craft center, which it was until now, but also a border fortress, and soon became one of the most important and richest cities in the region (the city was so successful that it even had the right to mint its own coins - silver drachmas ).

Museum city

The remains of this settlement can now be seen in the Anapa Museum, which covers an area of ​​about 2 hectares. First of all, these are the foundations of the ancient quarters, dated to the II-III centuries. AD, highway, wells, winery, remains of defensive fortifications. Here you can see fragments of facing materials of sanctuaries and columns of the settlement, sarcophagi and tombstones.

There is also an indoor museum, in the exhibition halls of which found figurines, marble sculptures, painted dishes, amphorae, coins, weapons are kept.

City exterior

Despite the fact that at present only basements remain from the residential buildings of the city, scientists and historians still managed to more or less establish what Gorgippia looked like several millennia ago. The work of archaeologists turned out to be difficult, since Anapa is very densely built up, and excavations can only be carried out where construction is underway or in the courtyards of modern houses.

Gorgippia was small - its area was 38 hectares (0.38 km. Sq.), And the width of the main street was about eight meters. The main highway of the city stretched along the coast, came close to the city gates, and outside Gorgippia led to a wide trade route that united the Crimea with the Caucasus Pass.

The first six centuries of its existence, the streets of Gorgippia were paved with cobblestones and fragments of clay jugs (traces of passing carts have been preserved on the found pavements of this type).

Roads of a later period, belonging to the I-III Art. AD were laid out of huge flat stones, laid on a layer of clay and rubble. This coating turned out to be so strong that dump trucks loaded with earth that drove along it during excavations did not cause him the slightest harm.

Residents built houses mainly along the coast. The houses of ordinary residents of the city were built of clay. The richer inhabitants used stone, baked bricks and tiles to build their homes. The windows of the houses were covered with bull bubbles.

The houses of the nobility were located in the center of the city, in the main square. Gorgippia contained small buildings. The buildings were low, had no more than two floors and consisted of three or four rooms. On the first floors, there were most likely shops or craft workshops.

It is interesting that the ancient architects, when building Gorgippia, provided for a system of water pipes and drains - one of these canals was discovered during excavations: it walked along one of the streets, approached a settling well, in which water was filtered, as a result of which garbage remained at the bottom, and the purified water was discharged into the sea.

Gorgippia was divided into quarters, in each of which a certain category of the population lived - the potters' quarters are the best preserved: during the excavations, numerous amphorae, dishes, and figurines were found.

A number of industrial complexes were also discovered in the city (almost all found items can be seen on the territory of the museum equipped here):

• cisterns in which fish were salted;
• premises with pressing platforms, in which wine was made, and in them - barrels with a capacity of about 6 tons;
• pottery kilns;
• traces of metallurgical production were even found.

Crypts

In the seventies of the last century, during construction in Anapa, a unique monument of Hellenic culture was found - a painted tomb of Greek aristocrats, which researchers called the "Crypt of Hercules". It was cut down in rocky ground and was located a meter from the earth's surface (while the height of the walls was more than three meters).

The walls of the tomb were made of monochromatic stone blocks, and the vault was designed so that it could easily withstand the heavy ceiling. It was possible to get into the tomb through the well (the sarcophagi were lowered down through it). After that, the entrance to the stone well was securely closed and covered with pebbles (unfortunately, this did not stop the robbers, who were able to get into the crypt, pull out and rob the deceased, and also take out everything valuable from the tomb).

The only thing that they could not take with them was the unique wall frescoes made with natural colors. Most of them are now in Moscow for restoration, but the sarcophagi are kept in the Anapa Museum.

The walls above the floor around the entire perimeter of the tomb were surrounded by a red stripe, and above the entrance were painted various vegetation, colorful circles and hunting scenes. Above, there is another stripe with large red ovals or zigzags. Columns with decorated capitals were drawn between the ovals. Above this strip hung a drapery fabric with fringes and tassels, and above the fabric were painted pictures telling about the 12 exploits of Hercules, from which the crypt got its name.

Next to the stories about the life of a Greek demigod is a drawing depicting a meal: a bearded man was sitting at the table, on either side of him were two women in bedspreads and two young men. Also in the tomb there was another drawing depicting a woman and a man seated, near which a young man stands. Around these figures are trees, peacocks, turtles, and above the heads of the couple, you can see a circle with a snake. A circle with an ornamental border is drawn on the ceiling of the tomb, in the center of which there is a multi-colored six-petal rosette.

It is interesting that this tomb was not the only one: next to the "Tomb of Hercules", researchers found another tomb with two sarcophagi (the robbers did not know about it, and therefore did not rob). In the first sarcophagus, a noble Gorgippian was buried, and in the second - two girls (gold jewelry and other decorative burial objects found here testified to their social status).

Crash

Written evidence has not reached us about who destroyed Gorgippia, Hermonass and other cities of the Bosporus kingdom. In the second century, after fierce battles, the city for some time fell under the rule of the Roman Empire, then at the beginning of the third century the Goths invaded here, and the city itself was almost completely burned down in a fire after 238.

Despite the fact that the local residents, who survived the disaster, were able to restore the destroyed dwellings, they could not build the destroyed defensive walls: after numerous raids, they did not have money and energy for construction work. A hundred years later, the Huns came to this territory, and the story of the life and prosperity of the cities of the Bosporus Kingdom was completed.

More than 2000 years ago there was a southeastern outpost of the Bosporus kingdom, which united the lands of the Kerch and Taman peninsulas with the adjacent territories. The Greek city got its name from the name of the son of King Satyr I - Gorgippus, who annexed these lands belonging to the Sindi tribe to the Bosporus state.

The city of Gorgippia was not only a trade and craft center, but also a border fortress and one of the largest ports in the kingdom. Currently, the ancient settlement together with the necropolis is located under the central part of the Anapa resort. Numerous archaeological finds document the existence of a Hellenic city at this site from the 5th century BC. e. until from the III century A.D. e. - when Gorgippia died as a result of an enemy invasion and this ended the antique stage of her history.

At the beginning of VI in trf BC. On the territory of the Northern Black Sea coast, the Greek city-states of Panticapaeum, Nympheus, Hermonassa, Kepa, Sindskaya Harbor or Gorgippia arose. At the end of the 5th century BC. e. on the Black Sea coast in the area of ​​the modern resort of Anapa, the ancient Sindi tribes settled who founded the city of Sind (Sindik, Sindskaya Harbor). Archaeological excavations have shown that in the Sindh harbor they minted their own with the image of a horse's head and the inscription "ΣΙΝΔΟΝ".

In the 4th century BC. e. the Greek city-states of the Northern Black Sea region were united under the rule of the Archeanaktids dynasty, reigning in Panticapaeum, the powerful Sindh Harbor was created, and was also annexed to the Bosporus kingdom.
In the 430s BC. in the Bosporus kingdom, the Spartokid dynasty ascended to the throne. King Gorgippus, the son of Satyr I, brother of King Leukon I, from the Spartokid dynasty, became the ruler of Sindh. The new ruler took care of the development of the city, a new layout, the construction of houses and the flourishing of trade with Heraclea, Chios, Sinopa, Lesvos, and many other Greek provinces.

During the reign of King Gorgippus, roofing tiles with a round brand "ΓΟΡΓΙΠΠΟΥ" were produced in the Sindskaya harbor. Soon the city of Sindh was renamed Gorgippia in honor of the ruler.

Greek colonists were engaged in viticulture and winemaking, wines from Gorgippia were exported to different countries of the world. Archaeologists have discovered in Gorgippia remains in honor of the Greek gods, especially Hermes and Artemis.

In the middle of the 3rd century BC. e. the city of Gorgippius was completely destroyed during a strong fire. In the second half of the 3rd century BC. e. Gorgippius suffers losses in the field of trade, as many Mediterranean countries refuse grain and bread from the Bosporus, and begin to buy grain from Egypt.
At the end of the 2nd century BC. Gorgippia minted silver drachmas, and in the 1st century BC. the city of Gorgippia is part of which is ruled by Mithridates 6 Eupator.

At the beginning of the 1st century AD, a king from the Savromates dynasty ascends to the throne of Gorgippia. Thanks to the successful trade with the Roman provinces, the heyday of Gorgippia began. Tsar Savromat restored the destroyed fortress walls of Gorgippia, built places of worship for the Greek gods and the Bosporan kings.

At the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. e. hostile nomadic tribes of the Sarmatians, Alans, and Goths invaded the territory of the Bosporus kingdom. After one of the raids of the nomads of the Alans, Gorgippia fell, the city walls were destroyed, the city was burned, the surviving inhabitants left it, and there was no one to rebuild the policy.

Tourists who come to hotels and hotels in Anapa, in the very center of the modern resort city, can visit the archaeological open-air museum, where the remains of the Gorgippia fortress walls, cobbled streets, the remains of the foundations of ancient dwellings, craft workshops, religious buildings, and the ruins of wineries are presented , with amphorae for wine and pottery. In the temples of Gorgippia, they prayed for healing, arranged terraces for sunbathing. Residents of the city threw the image of a diseased organ into the healing spring of the temple in the hope of a cure.
On the territory of the open-air archaeological museum, marble slabs from tombstones with perfectly preserved inscriptions are kept.

In 1975, during construction work in Anapa, an ancient Greek ancient crypt with the remains of a noble resident of Gorgippia was accidentally discovered. According to archaeologists, the unique monument of antiquity dates back to the II-III centuries of our era. A bas-relief of Hercules was found in the crypt, so archaeologists named the find “The Crypt of Hercules”. The crypt turned out to be intact, there were no traces of looting, gold jewelry was found in the burial, which is now kept in the Krasnodar Museum.

Anapa is a resort town on the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory. Most tourists come here on summer holidays, dreaming of swimming in the sea, sunbathing and visiting the water park. But if the described vacation option seems too boring for you, you can always go on excursions. One of the most unusual and interesting places to visit in Anapa is the archaeological museum "Gorgippia".

A resort town with a rich history

Uneducated tourists are dismissive of the Krasnodar Territory when it comes to historical sights. In Greece and Spain, you can see ancient ruins literally at every step, and what can the Russian south boast of? In fact, the Krasnodar Territory has no less interesting history, the full version of which, perhaps, we only have to find out.

On the site of modern Anapa, there was once the ancient Greek city of Sindskaya harbor. Thanks to archaeological finds, it was possible to establish that it was founded no later than the 6th century BC. e. In the 4th century BC. e. the settlement passes into the subordination of the Bosporus kingdom and receives a new name - Gorgippia in honor of the ancient ruler Gorgippus. The city is developing rapidly and is famous as a craft and trade center. On the territory of Gorgippia there was a large quarter of master potters. In the second century BC. e. the city received the right to issue its own coins.

In the 2nd century AD. e. Gorgippia is thriving - streets are adorned with elaborate statues and obelisks, pompous temples are being built, wealthy citizens do not spare money to create artsy tombs and necropolises.

What happened to the rich ancient city? Why today only the archaeological museum "Gorgippia" remains from it? In the 3rd century AD. e. the city began to be constantly exposed to raids by barbarians. The once flourishing settlement ends its history in the 4th century AD. After another invasion of the Huns, Gorgippia disappeared from the world maps forever.

Museum expositions

They were started back in the 19th century. In their course, it was possible to establish that the ancient city occupied more than 40 hectares and is located under modern Anapa, at a level of only about 1 meter.

Today the archaeological museum-reserve "Gorgippia" is located in the center of the resort town and covers an area of ​​1.6 hectares. Excavations and research activities are still ongoing here. For tourists, an area of ​​0.7 hectares is open, fully explored and representing an open-air museum.

The Archaeological Museum "Gorgippia" invites everyone to take a walk around this ancient city. During the tour, you will see with your own eyes: foundations and basements of residential buildings, streets, defensive buildings, wine-making complexes, gutters, wells and a necropolis. Today it is the only archaeological museum in Russia, inviting everyone to the excavation sites. There is also a pavilion on the territory of the reserve, where the most valuable and interesting exhibits are exhibited.

Pearls of the collection

The museum exhibits an interesting collection of ceramics. During the excursion, tourists will have to find out how the pithos differed from amphorae, and what other forms of vessels were most often used by our distant ancestors. In addition to household utensils, the archaeological museum "Gorgippia" pleases guests with a collection of women's jewelry and bijouterie. The real gem of the exposition is the ancient loom. Statues and fragments of marble slabs with inscriptions in ancient Greek are no less interesting for inspection. Also in the collection of the museum there are samples of weapons, tools and details of complex mechanisms.

Many unique and valuable exhibits are constantly exhibited in the largest museums in Russia - in Moscow and St. Petersburg. But, despite this fact, the permanent exhibition in the "Gorgippia" itself is very interesting and informative.

Opening hours and prices

The Anapa Archaeological Museum-Reserve "Gorgippia" is open from Tuesday to Sunday inclusive. You can visit the exposition from 09:00 to 18:00. The cost of an adult ticket is 120 rubles, for children and beneficiaries the entrance costs 80 rubles. The following categories of citizens have the right to inspect the museum's collection at a reduced price: students, pensioners, disabled people, war veterans, military personnel of urgent contract service, orphans. To receive a discount when purchasing a ticket, you must present the appropriate document confirming the privileged category.

How to get there? Address and directions

The exact address where the archaeological museum "Gorgippia" is located: Anapa, Naberezhnaya street, house 4. This is the very center of the resort town. The nearest public transport stop is called "Astrakhanskaya". Travel by buses and fixed-route taxis №№ 1, 2, 6, 16 and 18. The exact coordinates of the museum-reserve for motorists: 44.896262; 37.310507.

Coins of that time

At the beginning of the 4th century BC, the lands of modern Anapa, which at that time were inhabited by the Sindi tribes, are part of the Bosporus kingdom. On the site of Anapa, a city emerges, named in honor of the governor of the Bosporus kingdom, Gorgippus. It is from this moment that the history of the city begins, which is several centuries long. During its existence, Gorgippia went through several periods of prosperity and decline.

Gorgippia was inhabited mainly by Greek colonists, Greece was for modern Anapa, a distant ancestral home, and today the descendants of those ancient Greeks make up a large part of the suburban village of Vityazevo (nowadays, perhaps the most famous resort village in Russia).
Judging by the archaeological excavations in the city, houses of up to 100 square meters were built, with basements cut through the rock or laid out of tightly fitted stones. The walls of houses were erected from raw bricks (analogous to adobe), plastered (smeared) with clay. The roofs of houses, for the most part, were covered with tiles, which were made on the spot in local workshops. If we compare these houses with the houses of the southern settlements of Russia in the middle of the last century, we can see that the construction technology has changed little since then. The central streets of Gorgippia were paved with shards, and the sanctuary of the goddess of fertility, Demeter, was built in the city. Gorgippia is becoming a prosperous city, fertile lands and various workshops, coupled with a lively sea trade, bring considerable income to the city. Gorgippia, along with Phanagoria and Panticapaeum, entering the Bosporan kingdom with her, receives the right to issue its own silver coin.

Something like this looked like Gorgippia during the period of its prosperity.

The wars of Mithridates of Pontic in the 1st century BC with Rome for domination of the sea, had a heavy impact on the economy of Gorgippia. The inhabitants of the city were imposed with large taxes, most of the male population was called up for military service, and various workshops, instead of goods in demand, were forced to make weapons. Most of the treasures discovered during excavations in Anapa date back to that period. So people tried to somehow save their property. Trouble does not come alone, and in 63 BC the Black Sea coast was shaken by a strong earthquake (according to scientists up to 8 points), and a few years later the city was engulfed in a powerful fire, after which only ruins remained from the city. However, this time Gorgippia was able to be reborn as a phoenix from the ashes. The withdrawal from the Pontic state and the wise rule of the king of the Bosporus - Aspurga allowed the city to recover and strengthen its economic position.

Remains of the ancient streets of Gorgippia

The stable situation in the Black Sea region at the turn of the 1-2 century contributed to the rapid development of Gorgippia, and large construction began in the city. Under Tsar Sauromates I, the borders of Gorgippia were expanded, the city fortifications were rebuilt, the townspeople erected magnificent temples to their gods - Aphrodite and Poseidon. Monuments to the kings of the Bosporus and their governors were erected on the main squares. For themselves, the well-to-do townspeople by that time built large houses with huge basements of an entire floor. The streets of the city were improved. The number of wineries and craft workshops grew very quickly, in which all kinds of tools and military weapons were made from imported metal. At the beginning of the 3rd century, its own glass production began in Gorgippia. There is an active sea trade with all the cities of the Bosporus kingdom.
But as you know, it can't be good for a long time, and at the moment of its greatest prosperity, Gorgipia is attacked by barbarian tribes of the Goths that came from the shores of the Baltic. Having united and led an alliance with the Sarmatian and Alanian tribes, the Goths attacked the cities of the Bosporus kingdom. Gorgippia turned out to be one of the first cities on their way. The city was burnt down by the Goths in 238, judging by the excavations, the inhabitants did not expect an attack and left their homes in a great hurry, leaving all their property behind. But this did not help much, most of the townspeople were captured by the Goths.
After some time, life in the city began to gradually revive, but Gorgippia was no longer able to become even a shadow of its former greatness, and in 70 AD of the 4th century, the city finally perishes under the blows of the nomadic tribes of the Huns.
Further emergence