BOSPORUS CIMMBRIUS, the ancient name for the Straits of Kerch or Yenikale, connecting the Black sea and the Sea of Azov (see CIMMERII). The straits are about 25m. long and 22m. broad at the narrowest, and are formed by an eastern extension of the Crimea and the peninsula of Taman, a continua tion of the Caucasus. This in ancient times seems to have formed a group of islands. The whole district was dotted with Greek cities; on the west side, Panticapaeum (Kerch, q.v.), often called Bosporus, and Nymphaeum (Eltegen) ; on the east Phanagoria (Sennaja), Cepi, Hermonassa, Portus Sindicus, Gorgippia (Anapa). These were mostly settled by Milesians, but Phana goria was a colony of Teos, and Nymphaeum had some connection with Athens. The towns have left hardly any architectural or sculptural remains, but the numerous barrows in their neighbour hood have yielded gold work, vases from Athens, textiles and specimens of carpentry and marquetry. The numerous terra cottas are rather rude in style.
The locality was governed from 48o to 438 B.0 by the Arch aeanactidae, who gave place to a tyrant Spartocus (438-431 B.e. ), a Thracian. He founded a dynasty which endured until c. 110 B.C. The Spartocids have left many inscriptions which tell us that the earlier members of the house ruled as archons of the Greek cities and kings of various native tribes, notably the Sindi of the island district. Satyrus (431-387) established his rule over the whole district, adding Nymphaeum to his dominions and laying siege to Theodosia, a commercial rival by reason of its ice-free port and direct proximity to the cornfields of the eastern Crimea. It was reserved for his son Leucon (387-347) to take this city. He was succeeded by his two sons, Spartocus II. and Paerisades; succeeding princes repeated the family names, but we cannot as sign them any certain order. The last of them, a Paerisades, called in the help of Diophantus, general of Mithridates VI. (the Great) of Pontus, against the power of the natives, promising to hand over his kingdom to that prince. He was slain by a Scythian Saumacus who led a rebellion against him. The house of Sparto cus was well known as a line of enlightened and wise princes, they maintained close relations with Athens, their best customers for the Bosporan corn export; we have many references to this in the Attic orators. The Athenians granted Leucon Athenian citi zenship and set up decrees in honour of him and his sons. Mith ridates the Great entrusted the Bosporus Cimmerius to his son Machares, who, however, deserted to the Romans. But even when driven out of his own kingdom by Pompey, Mithridates was strong enough to regain the Bosporus Cimmerius. After the death of Mithridates (63 B.c.), Pharnaces (63-47) made his submission to Pompey, but tried to regain his dominion during the civil war. He was defeated by Caesar at Zela, and was slain by Asander who ruled as archon, and later as king, until 16 B.C. In 8 B.C. Aspurgus, son of Asander, founded a line of kings which endured until A.D. Their kingdom covered the eastern half of the Crimea and the Taman peninsula, and extended along the east coast of the Sea of Azov to Tanais at the mouth of the Don, a great mart for trade with the interior. They carried on a perpetual war with the native tribes, and in this were supported by their Roman suze rains, who lent the assistance of garrison and fleet. In A.D. 255 the Goths and Borani were enabled to seize Bosporan shipping and raid the shores of Asia Minor. The kingdom succumbed to the Huns. In later times it was revived under Byzantine protection, and Byzantine officers built fortresses and exercised authority at Bosporus, which was constituted an archbishopric.
The Bosporan kingdom is interesting as the first Hellenistic State, the first, that is to say, in which a mixed population adopted the Greek language and civilization. It depended for its prosper ity upon the export of wheat, fish and slaves, and this commerce supported a class whose wealth and vulgarity are exemplified by the contents of the numerous tombs.
We possess a large series of coins of Panticapaeum and other cities from the 5th century B.C. The gold staters of Panticapaeum bearing Pan's head and a griffin are specially remarkable for their weight and fine workmanship.