Yes, that's true. The ancient Greeks did not just rule over Crimea; they were one of the first peoples to create a highly developed civilization here, and their presence left a profound mark on the history of the peninsula.

Greek Colonization of Crimea

The Greeks began actively settling the Crimean coast in the VII–VI centuries BC during the Great Greek colonization. They founded many city-states (polises) here, which later united into a powerful Bosporan Kingdom (around 480 BC). It lasted for over a thousand years and became one of the longest-lived states in the ancient world.

• Major city-states: Panтикапей (located where modern Kerch is, the capital of the Bosporan Kingdom), Chersonesus Tauricus (in the area of Sevastopol), and Feodosia (the only city in Crimea that has retained its name from ancient times).
• Area and influence: Greek polises controlled the eastern and southwest parts of Crimea, as well as the Taman Peninsula. Their cultural and economic influence extended far into the peninsula.
• Contribution to the development of Crimea: It was the Greeks who brought viticulture and winemaking, the construction of stone houses and cities, developed crafts and trade to Crimea. In essence, they laid the foundation for settled civilization in the region.

Boundaries of Influence

It is important to note that Greek colonization was coastal. The main Greek settlements were located on the coast, while the internal, steppe regions of Crimea remained under the control of nomadic peoples — the Scythians, and later the Sarmatians. Nevertheless, for many centuries, Greek culture, language, and political influence were determinative for a significant part of Crimea.

Later Fate of the Greeks in Crimea

In the medieval period, Greek population (along with other peoples) remained in Crimea, becoming the basis for the Orthodox principality of Feodosia, which fell only in 1475 under the pressure of the Ottomans. Greeks lived in Crimea during the Crimean Khanate, and then a significant part of them were resettled in the Azov region in 1778. So, the \"Greek trace\" in Crimea is not a myth, but a fundamental historical reality.

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