Chersonesus

Chersonesus, also known as Chersonesus Taurica, is the site of an ancient Greek city on the western coast of the Tauric Chersonese, the Crimean Peninsula near present-day Sevastopol. The city was founded in the first millennium BCE by Greek settlers and grew into a polis that participated in the broader networks of the Bosporan Kingdom. Over time it came under Roman influence and, in late antiquity, was part of the Byzantine realm. The site preserves a long cultural record of Greek, Roman, and early Christian presence in the region.

The archaeological remains at Chersonesus Taurica include defensive walls, urban streets, public buildings, a theater, baths, and multiple churches, as well as extensive necropolises. Excavations began in the 19th century and have continued in the modern era, yielding evidence of the city’s layout, trade connections, religious life, and daily practices. The site is accessible to visitors and is the focus of ongoing archaeological research and conservation efforts.

Chersonesus is the Greek term for “peninsula,” a name that has influenced the designation of the ancient city and the surrounding Crimean landform. The name is sometimes confused with the modern Ukrainian city of Kherson, which lies far to the south on the Dnieper River delta and is not directly related to the Crimean site beyond the shared linguistic root.

In scholarship, Chersonesus Taurica is regarded as a key locality for understanding Greek colonization in the Black Sea region, as well as the transitions from Hellenistic to Roman and Byzantine control in the Crimea.