Early Greek Fortifications in the Territory of the Later Bosporan Cities
Journal: Studies in Ancient Art and Civilization
Year: 2015

Scholars have long debated the question how a small state like the Bosporus managed to remain independent for almost a millennium by the side of two nomadic giants, the Scythians and the Sarmathians. One of the reasons of their success were the fortifications that they had started building around their cities in the early stages of the colonization effort. Summing up the current knowledge of early Greek fortifications in the territory of the future Bosporan state, one cannot but note the weaknes