Bosporan Kingdom facts for kids
The Bosporan Kingdom (often called Kingdom of the Cimmerian Bosporus) was an ancient empire, covering the Crimea and a lot of the north coast of the Black Sea. It is regarded as the first real 'Hellenistic' country also speaking Greek.
Overview
The Bosporan Kingdom was the longest surviving known Roman client kingdom (allied state). It was a Roman Province between 63 and 68, under Roman Emperor Nero. In the 1st century and 2nd century AD was a period of a new 'golden age' of the Bosporan Kingdom when it was famous for its jewellery. In the end of the 2nd century the King Sauromates II inflicted a critical defeat to the Scythians (a nomadic tribe) and included all the territories of the Crimea in the structure of his state.
The Bosporan Kingdom became rich from selling wheat, fish and slaves to rest of Europe. This means that there are a lot of amazing and very rich finds from the Kingdom, especially found in burial barrows (known as kurgans). Today, there are lots of architectural and sculptural remains from the Bosporan Kingdoms and many finds can be seen in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. These include gold work and vases imported from Ancient Athens and the rest of Ancient Greece.
It was finally destroyed by the Goths (barbarian tribes) at the end of the 4th century AD
Images for kids
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Sindian warrior typical of the levy troops found in both armies
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Pottery vessel in the shape of Aphrodite inside a shell; from Attica, Classical Greece, discovered in the Phanagoria cemetery, Taman Peninsula (Bosporan Kingdom, southern Russia), 1st quarter of 4th century BC, Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg.
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Bosporan Phiale (top view), 4th century BC
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The northern Black sea shores of the Pontic Kingdom (actual Crimea and Kerch peninsula) shown as part of the empire of Mithridates VI of Pontus.
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The stele of Staphhilos from Panticapaeum, depicting a soldier with the traditional Bosporan long hair and beard.
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Stele with two Hellenistic soldiers of the Bosporan Kingdom; from Taman peninsula (Yubileynoe), southern Russia, 3rd quarter of the 4th century BC; marble, Pushkin Museum
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Bronze coin of Sauromates II, c. 172–211 AD
See also
In Spanish: Reino del Bósforo para niños
