Scythian Neapolis, Simferopol

temporarily unavailableas of 2026-10-07-300Crimea

Photo: Vahe Martirosyan from Glendale, CA, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Capital of the Late Scythian kingdom on the Petrovski Rocks, with the mausoleum of King Skilurus.

Researchers identify the Late Scythian hillfort within Simferopol with Kermenchik, and the rise of the city is dated from the end of the 3rd to the second quarter of the 2nd century BC — the Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine gives the later date. From the mid-2nd century BC the settlement of about 30 hectares was enclosed by walls. A mausoleum was excavated here in which, according to the encyclopedia, Skilurus was buried in 114–113 BC. At the end of the second and the beginning of the third quarter of the 3rd century AD the city suffered catastrophic destruction in a nomad attack. In 2011 a historical and archaeological reserve was created here. Under occupation the museum-reserve is stepping up the “militarisation” of its exhibition and plans reenactments of ancient battles (Krym.Realii, 26.11.2024).