TAUNUS. [Pavane.) TAU'llICA CHERSONE'SUS was the ancient name of the penin sula which jute out southward from European Samaria, between the Pontus Euxinns (Black Sea) and the Palm 31sootis (Sea of Azof). It is now called the CRIMEA, under which bead its form and physical features are described. The isthmus which counects it with tho mainland was called Taphror, or Taphrte, and there appears to kayo been a town called Taphroa upon the isthmus; and both most probably took their name from the ditch (Tdippor) which crossed the isthmus and was fortified. (Strabo, vii. p. 309 ; Pliny, iv. 26; Mela, il. 1.) On the west of this isthmus was the Sinus Carcinitca, now the Gulf of Perekop; and on the east the shallow waters of the Putrid Sea (Pains Putria), now called the Ssiwash. The south-western point of the peninsula was the promontory Parthenion, which is either the modern Cape Kherson or Cape St. George. The southern promontory was Ceta-Yetopen. sow Ala-Wren. or Cape Ale (1200 feet high); and either the south-eastern or the modem poiot was called Korea. Oa the east the peplum'e is dirlded from the mast of Asia by the Clonneerian Bosporus. now the Strait of Kart& or Yestikale. In the seetkewomem angle of the Crimea is a small peninsula terminated by Cape Khan", and inclosed on the north by the Gulf of Achtlar. we the ancient Portal Kitties : and on the Routh Ly the Gulf of IleLikes, the asmient foetus Sembolorune. On this penin gala. at the distance of 100 stadia from the promontory Parthenlon, stood the city of Cher...animus, which was a colony of Ilansclea in Peatem and therefore distioresheil is the Ilerseleiotio Chersoneens. The peninsula itself %Ira* called the Small Chersonems. and the Cheese- mu. Teurica the Great Chersooems, for the sake of die isocaten. The other important towns were, on the Isthmus, Teehros, now !'e eber; on the west coast Eapateria, now Karlor, built by U ithri dates Earator ; on the east mast Theedaria, now tiefo, Laid, or hostenet, a colony of the Ildasians and near the eastern extremity of the peninsula. on the 1leeporus4Paratesspomesi now Kerteit- There
were several towns In the interior, of which one was named OM merion.
The earliest inhabitant. of the peninsula appear to have been the Cluonerians. (114eor1.. iv. 1. 11, 12.) Clear traces of this people remain is the names of Cimmerian' i the Cimmerian Bosporus, the Cimmerian Chersonesus (ii the penhsnla was sometimes called), and Is Ito modern names of Crimea and Critn-Tartary. A Scythian or Slavic horde memo to have early mixed with or partially expelled the CuasseriL In the esrliest notices of the Chersonesua, by Greek writers, we find the mount/doom. region of the south end routh-east inhabited by • piratical people, called Tauri, from whom the Cher 1101111•114 was called Taut-ice, and whose name remains in that of the modern Ittteden province of Tanrids, In which the Crimea is Included. 1 larodotn. (iv. VP) says that the Tauri were a different people from the Scythian*. It seems probable that the Tauri were a remnant of the old Cimmerian luhabitanta, who had maintained themselves in the mount/ism, and that they got the-name of Tauri from this very cir consatance—' tan ' being an old root, meaning a mountain. The Twirl were reputed by the Greeks to be inhospitable and cruel to strangers : they were said to offer human sacrifices, especially of shipwrecked mariners, to a virgin gorldeas, whose temple stood on the promontory of Parthenion. In this temple Iphigenoia, the daughter of Agamemnon, was a priestess ; and llorodotus says that the Tauri identified Iphigeneie with the goddess. This legend enters into the composition of the ' 1phigeneia in Timis' of Euripides.
From about the sixth century before Christ downwards, several Greek colonies were planted on the Chersoneee, and these were gradually formed into two states, that of Chamonesua, comprehending the smaller peninsula on the south-west, and the kingdom of Bosporus on the southeast. These two states were united under lilithridates. palming.; Celina.]