The most ancient cities of Russia: a list. What is the oldest city in Russia? Old Russian city

Russian chronicles, Byzantine and other sources tell us about the existence of cities on the territory of Ancient Russia. The Scandinavians mention the territory of Ancient Russia as a country of cities and call it Gardaria. It is possible with a high degree of probability to list at least 25 large ones that existed in the ancient Russian state already in the 9th-10th centuries. These cities are mentioned in Russian chronicles. Slavic roots sound in their names - Beloozero, Belgorod, Vasilev, Izborsk, Vyshgorod, Vruchey, Iskorosten, Ladoga, Kyiv, Lyubich, Novgorod, Murom, Crossed, Przemysl, Pskov, Polotsk, Pereyaslavl, Smolensk, Rostov, Rodnya, Turov, Cherven , Chernihiv. Not being mentioned in the annals does not yet mean that the city did not exist. For example, the ancient Russian city of Suzdal is mentioned for the first time in the chronicles in the 11th year, although archaeological excavations confirm that the city existed much earlier. The same with the rest of the cities, they appear much earlier than the annals mention them. For example, the Byzantine emperor Konstantin Bagryanorodsky left a description of the ancient Russian cities that were located on the way "from the Varangians to the Greeks." Historians have learned that the ancient Russian city of Vitichev, which is mentioned in the Russian chronicle only in the 11th century, is older by one or two centuries.

The existence of cities is a confirmation of the existence of the state. Cities arose as centers of administrative control, the development of crafts, and, of course, the perpetual motion machine of civilization - trade. The territory of the ancient Russian state was crossed by two busy military and trade routes - the Volga and "from the Varangians to the Greeks". The most ancient, the Volga route, connected Scandinavia and the states located on the shores of the Caspian Sea. On its way, such cities as Pereslavl, Chernigov arose and rapidly developed , Rostov. But in the 10th century, the Pechenegs cut off this trade route for many centuries, which also affected the development of cities. The situation was completely different with the cities that arose on the way "from the Varangians to the Greeks." Lively trade between distant regions had a beneficial effect on the development of cities. From small settlements, they grew into military-administrative centers that controlled the river systems. Cities became centers of a wide variety of crafts, which were used not only in the cities themselves, but also became objects of trade. The very term "city" in the Middle Ages in Russia had a completely different meaning than now. It was a settlement that necessarily had a fortification. guests. Therefore, the place for the city was chosen taking into account natural barriers - an island in the middle of the river, hills or impenetrable swamps. In addition to the natural barrier, additional fortifications were installed. If there was an opportunity, and there were enough workers, then an artificial earthen obstacle was built around the city - an earthen ditch. This made it possible to additionally fortify the city with an earthen rampart and made it difficult for opponents to access the settlement.Wooden fortifications in ancient Russian cities were called kremlin or detinets.Actually, everything that was inside the kremlin was a city.

The inhabitants of the ancient Russian cities did not differ much from the peasants. They cultivated vegetable gardens, orchards and kept domestic animals. Archaeologists find bones not only of horses, but also of cows, pigs, and sheep. The central place is the city square. It was the venue for city meetings, when residents elected or expelled the prince, traded. In the pre-Christian period, all kinds of rituals were held here. After the adoption of the Christian faith, the central place of the city, as a rule, became the temple and the square in front of it. Such were the ancient Russian cities during the early feudal period.

The Old Russian city is a fortified settlement, which at the same time was the military, economic, political, social and cultural center of the entire surrounding territory. Merchants, artisans, monks, painters, etc. settled in the cities.

Foundation of ancient Russian cities

The history of Russian cities began with the appearance in a certain place of people who built housing and settled in it for a long time. In the vicinity of ancient cities that have survived to this day (Moscow, Kyiv, Novgorod, Vladimir, etc.), traces of early eras have been found, starting from the Paleolithic. At the time of the Trypillian culture, settlements of several tens and hundreds of houses and dwellings already existed on the territory of the future Russia.

The settlements of Ancient Russia, as a rule, were located on elevated places near natural water sources (rivers, springs). They consisted of houses protected from enemy attacks by a log palisade. The forerunners of Russian cities in the Middle Ages are considered to be fortified sanctuaries and shelters (detinets and kremlin), erected by the inhabitants of several settlements in the district.

The early medieval cities were founded not only by the Slavs, but also by other tribes: Rostov the Great founded the Finno-Ugric tribe, Murom - the Murom tribe, Suzdal, Vladimir were founded by the Meryans together with the Slavs. In addition to the Slavs, the composition of Kievan Rus included the peoples of the Baltics and the Finno-Ugric peoples, who merged into a single people with the help of political unification.

In the 9th-10th centuries, along with cities of refuge, small fortresses began to appear, and then settlements, in which artisans and merchants settled. The exact dates of the founding of early Russian cities are usually established only by the first mentions in the annals of those times. Some dates of the founding of cities were established as a result of archaeological excavations of those places where there were ancient Russian cities. So, Novgorod and Smolensk are mentioned in the annals of the 9th century, but cultural layers earlier than the 10th century have not yet been discovered.

The largest cities that began to develop rapidly in the 9th-10th centuries. on the main waterways, these are the cities of Polotsk, Kyiv, Novgorod, Smolensk, Izborsk, and others. Their development was directly related to trade carried out at the intersections of roads and waterways.

Ancient fortresses and defensive structures

There were "senior" cities and suburbs (subordinates), which originated from settlements from the main cities, and their settlement proceeded according to orders from the capital. Any ancient Russian fortified city consisted of a fortified part and nearby unfortified settlements, around which there were lands used for haymaking, fishing, grazing livestock, and forest areas.

The main protective role was given to earth ramparts and wooden walls, under which there were ditches. For the construction of defensive fortifications, a suitable terrain was used. So, most of the fortresses of Ancient Russia were located in protected areas: hilltops, islands or cape mountains.

An example of such a city-fortress is the city of Vyshgorod, located not far from Kyiv. From the very foundation, it was built as a fortress, surrounded by powerful earthen and wooden fortifications with ramparts and a moat. The city was subdivided into the princely part (detinets), the kremlin and the settlement, where the quarters of artisans were located.

The rampart was a complex structure, consisting of huge wooden log cabins (often made of oak) standing right next to each other, the space between which was filled with stones and earth. The size of such log cabins, for example, in Kyiv was 6.7 m, in the transverse part more than 19 m. The height of the earthen rampart could reach 12 m, and the ditch dug in front of it often had the shape of a triangle. At the top was a parapet with a battle platform, where the defenders of the fortress were located, who shot at the enemies and threw stones. Wooden towers were built at the turning points.

The entrance to the ancient fortress was always the only one through a special bridge laid over the moat. The bridge was placed on supports, which were destroyed during the attacks. Later, drawbridges were built.

The interior of the fortress

Old Russian cities of the 10th-13th centuries. already had a complex internal structure, which evolved as the territory increased and united various fortified parts along with the settlements. The layout of cities was different: radial, radial-circular or linear (along a river or road).

The main social and economic centers of the ancient city:

• Church residence and Veche square.
• Prince's Court.
• Port and marketplace next to it.

The center of the city is a citadel or kremlin with fortified walls, ramparts and a moat. Gradually, socio-political administration is grouped in this place, princely courts, a city cathedral, dwellings of servants and squads, as well as artisans are located. The street layout consisted of highways that ran along or perpendicular to the river bank.

Roads and utilities

Each ancient Russian city had its own plan, according to which roads and communications were laid. The engineering device for that time was at a fairly high level.

Wooden pavements were built, consisting of longitudinal logs (10-12 m long) and wooden logs laid on top, split in half with the flat side up. Pavements had a width of 3.5-4 m, and in the 13-14 centuries. already 4-5 m and usually functioned for 15-30 years.

Drainage systems of ancient Russian cities were of 2 types:

• "sewer", which diverted groundwater from under the buildings, consisting of barrels to collect water and wooden pipes through which water flowed into the sump;
• a water collector - a square wooden frame, from which dirty water then flowed down a thick pipe towards the river.

The structure of the city estate

The estate in the city consisted of several residential buildings and outbuildings. The area of ​​such yards was from 300 to 800 sq. m. Each estate was fenced with a wooden fence from neighbors and the street, which were made in the form of a palisade of spruce logs sticking up with a tip up to a height of 2.5 m. Inside it, residential buildings stood on one side, and household buildings (a cellar, a medusa, a cage, a cowshed, a granary, a barn, a bathhouse, etc.). Hut called any heated building with a stove.

The ancient dwellings that made up the ancient Russian city began their existence as semi-dugouts (10-11 centuries), then ground buildings with several rooms (12 century). Houses were built in 1-3 floors. Semi-dugouts had a pillared wall structure up to 5 m long each and up to 0.8 m deep, a round clay or stone oven was placed near the entrance. The floors were made of clay or boards, the door was always located on the south wall. The roof was gable made of wood, which was smeared with clay on top.

Old Russian architecture and religious buildings

Cities in Ancient Russia were the place where monumental buildings were built, which were mainly associated with the Christian religion. The traditions and rules for the construction of ancient temples came to Russia from Byzantium, therefore they were built according to the cross-domed scheme. Temples were erected by order of rich princes and the Orthodox Church itself.

The first monumental buildings were tithe churches, the oldest of which has survived to this day is the Church of the Savior in Chernigov (1036). Starting from the 11th century, they began to build more complex temples with galleries, stair towers, with several domes. The ancient architects tried to make the interior expressive and colorful. An example of such a temple is the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, similar cathedrals were erected in Novgorod and Polotsk.

Slightly different, but bright and original, an architectural school has developed in the North-East of Russia, which is characterized by many decorative carved elements, slender proportions and plasticity of facades. One of the masterpieces of that time is the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl (1165).

The population of ancient Russian cities

The bulk of the city's population are artisans, fishermen, day laborers, merchants, the prince and his squad, the administration and the master's "servants", an important role in connection with the baptism of Russia began to play the clergy (monks and churchmen). A very large group of the population was made up of all kinds of handicraft people who settled according to their specialties: blacksmiths, gunsmiths, jewelers, carpenters, weavers and tailors, tanners, potters, masons, etc.

In every city there was always a market through which the sale and purchase of all manufactured and imported goods and products was carried out.

The largest ancient Russian city was Kyiv in the 12th-13th centuries. numbered 30-40 thousand people, Novgorod - 20-30 thousand. Smaller cities: Chernigov, Vladimir, Polotsk, Smolensk, Rostov, Vitebsk, Ryazan and others had a population of several thousand people. The number of people living in smaller towns rarely exceeded 1 thousand people.

The largest lands of Ancient Russia: Volyn, Galicia, Kyiv, Novgorod, Polotsk, Rostov-Suzdal, Ryazan, Smolensk, Turovo-Pinsk, Chernigov.

History of the Novgorod land

In terms of the territory that Novgorod land covered (the north and east of the living Finno-Ugric tribes), it was considered the most extensive Russian possession, including the suburbs of Pskov, Staraya Russa, Velikiye Luki, Ladoga and Torzhok. Already by the end of the 12th century. this included Perm, Pechora, Yugra (Northern Urals). All cities had a clear hierarchy, dominated by Novgorod, which owned the most important trade routes: merchant caravans coming from the Dnieper, passing to Sweden and Denmark, as well as leading to the northeastern princely destinies through the Volga and to Bulgaria.

The wealth of Novgorod merchants was multiplied by trade in inexhaustible forest resources, but agriculture on this land was lean, because grain was brought to Novgorod from neighboring principalities. The population of the Novgorod land was engaged in cattle breeding, growing cereals, horticultural and horticultural crops. Crafts were very developed: fur, walrus, etc.

Political life of Novgorod

According to archaeological excavations by the 13th century. Novgorod was a large fortified and well-organized city inhabited by artisans and merchants. His political life was controlled by local boyars. On these lands in Ancient Russia, very large boyar landownerships were formed, which consisted of 30-40 clans that monopolized many government posts.

The free population, which included Novgorod land, was the boyars, the living and the people (small landowners), merchants, merchants and artisans. And the dependents included serfs and smerds. A characteristic feature of the life of Novgorod is the calling of the prince with the help of drawing up a contract for reigning, and he was chosen only to make court decisions and military leadership in the event of an attack. All the princes were visitors from Tver, Moscow and other cities, and each tried to tear away some volosts from the Novgorod land, because of which they were immediately replaced. For 200 years, 58 princes have changed in the city.

Political rule in these lands was carried out by the Novgorod Veche, which, in fact, represented a federation of self-governing communities and corporations. The political history of Novgorod has developed successfully precisely due to the participation in all processes of all groups of the population, from the boyars to the "black people". However, in 1418 the dissatisfaction of the lower classes ended in their uprising, during which the inhabitants rushed to destroy the rich houses of the boyars. Bloodshed was avoided only through the intervention of the clergy, who resolved the dispute through the courts.

The heyday of the Novgorod Republic, which existed for more than one century, raised a large and beautiful city to the level of medieval European settlements, the architecture and military strength of which delighted contemporaries. As a western outpost, Novgorod successfully repelled all the attacks of the German knights, preserving the national identity of the Russian land.

History of the land of Polotsk

Polotsk land covered in 10-12 centuries. the territory from the Western Dvina River to the sources of the Dnieper, creating a river route between the Baltic and the Black Sea. The largest cities of this land in the early Middle Ages: Vitebsk, Borisov, Lukoml, Minsk, Izyaslavl, Orsha, etc.

The inheritance of Polotsk was created by the Izyaslavich dynasty at the beginning of the 11th century, which secured it by renouncing claims to Kyiv. The very appearance of the phrase "Polotsk land" already marked in the 12th century. separation of this territory from Kyiv.

At that time, the Vseslavich dynasty ruled the land, but there were also redistribution of tables, which, in the end, led to the collapse of the principality. The next Vasilkovich dynasty already ruled Vitebsk, pushing the Polotsk princes.

In those days, the Lithuanian tribes also obeyed Polotsk, and the neighbors often threatened to attack the city itself. The history of this land is very confused and little confirmed by sources. The princes of Polotsk often fought with Lithuania, and sometimes acted as its ally (for example, during the capture of the city of Velikiye Luki, which at that time belonged to the Novgorod land).

Polotsk troops made frequent raids on many Russian lands, and in 1206 they stormed Riga, but unsuccessfully. By the beginning of the 13th century. in this region, the influence of the Livonian swordsmen and the Smolensk principality increases, then there is a massive invasion of the Lithuanians, who by 1240 subjugate the Polotsk lands. Then, after the war with Smolensk, the city of Polotsk passes into the possession of Prince Tovtivill, by the end of whose principality (1252) the ancient Russian period in the history of Polotsk land ends.

Old Russian cities and their role in history

Old Russian medieval cities were founded as human settlements, standing at the crossroads of trade routes and rivers. Their other goal was to protect the inhabitants from the raids of neighbors and enemy tribes. With the development and enlargement of cities, there was an increase in property inequality, the creation of tribal principalities, the expansion of trade and economic ties between cities and their inhabitants, which further influenced the creation and historical development of a single state - Kievan Rus.

The data is still controversial, but at the moment this information is official. Yaroslavl is a large regional center.
The date of foundation is 1010. At the moment, the population is 602,000 people.

Judging by the date of the first mention in the annals, Yaroslavl is the oldest existing city on the Volga. It was founded by Prince Yaroslav the Wise during his Rostov reign (988-1010) on a cape above the Strelka at or near the pagan settlement of Medvezhiy Ugol. On a site naturally protected from three sides (the steep high banks of the Volga and Kotorosl and the Medveditsky ravine, along which a stream flowed), the Yaroslavl Kremlin was built. The first mention of Yaroslavl - the “uprising of the Magi” caused by famine in the Rostov land - is dated 1071. The name of the city is traditionally associated with the name of its founder: "Yaroslavl" is a possessive form meaning "Yaroslavov". In the XII century, the Yaroslavl Peter and Paul and Spassky monasteries already existed - then they were located outside the city. During the first two centuries of its existence, Yaroslavl remained a small border town of the Rostov-Suzdal land.

Kazan is the regional center, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The date of foundation is 1005. (The data is still not accurate, there is a version that the city was founded much earlier).

At the moment, the population is 1,206,100 people. There are several versions and legends about the origin of the name of Kazan. Most often they appeal to the version of a boiled cauldron: the sorcerer advised the Bulgars to build a city where a cauldron of water dug into the ground would boil without any fire. As a result, a similar place was found on the shore of Lake Kaban. From here came the name of the city of Kazan - cauldron in ancient Bulgarian, as well as in modern Bulgarian and Tatar, means "cauldron". Other versions associate the name of the city with the landscape, the Tatar words kaen ("birch") or kaz ("goose"), Prince Hassan and other options. I. G. Dobrodomov’s version is presented: “The primary name was the reconstructed Alanian-Burtas name Khadzang, associated with the location of the city at a sharp bend in the Volga channel. On Chuvash soil, it turned into Khuzan, and in Russian use, into Kazan"

Suzdal is a small city, which is part of the Vladimir region. Date of foundation - 999, or 1024. At the moment, the population is 10,061 people.

In the annals, Suzdal is first mentioned when it speaks of the uprising of the Magi in 1024. According to A. A. Zaliznyak, Suzdal is mentioned in the oldest known Russian book, called the Novgorod Codex. The so-called "hidden texts" say that in 999 a certain monk Isaac was made a priest in Suzdal in the church of St. Alexander the Armenian.

Vladimir is the regional center. The date of foundation (one of the versions) is 990. At the moment, the population is 350,087 people.

In the ancient form (used in oral speech to this day) - Volodymyr - the princely name Volodymyr is combined with the possessive suffix -јь-, that is, "the city of Vladimir". Toponyms in -јь- are the most ancient types characteristic of the names of Slavic cities. Over time, the name of the city, first in sound, and then in spelling, coincided with the personal name Vladimir. In the past, the variants Vladimir-on-Klyazma and Vladimir-Zalessky were also used, which was associated with the existence of the city of the same name in Southwestern Russia - this is Vladimir-Volynsky in modern Ukraine, in the Volyn region. (The first mention of the southwestern city in the annals dates back to 988; Vladimir Svyatoslavich is considered the founder. Unlike Vladimir-on-Klyazma, the second component of the name Vladimir-Volynsky was officially fixed.)

Bryansk is a regional center. The city was founded in 985. At the moment, the population is 408,472 people.

The city was first mentioned in the Ipatiev Chronicle as "Dbryansk" under 1146, later - in the Resurrection, Laurentian, Trinity Chronicles and other sources. The name of the city of Bryansk comes from the Old Russian word "Dbryansk", derived from the word dbr. The old Russian word dbr / debr means "mountain slope, gorge, ditch, valley or lowland, overgrown with dense forest and shrubs." According to the law of falling weak er, the er between d and b fell out, and the complex combination of db was simplified to b.

Trubchevsk is a small city in terms of population. Bryansk region. Year of foundation - 975. At the moment, the population is 14,073 people.

In early sources, the city is called Trubech, Trubezh, Trubetskoy, Trubchesky or Trubezhskoy. Initially, the settlement was located 10 km downstream of the Desna, near the modern village of Kvetun. The thickness of the cultural layer in the settlement was 60 - 80 cm. The lower layers belong to the Yukhnovskaya archaeological culture of the Early Iron Age. Dwellings and metallurgical furnaces have been explored in the Old Russian layers. Among the finds of the Old Russian period are brooches, glass bracelets and beads, coins (including the Byzantine Constantine VII). Judging by the finds of thin plinths and fragments of the golosnik, at the settlement in the 11th - 12th centuries. there was a stone temple.

Uglich - First mentioned in the annals in 1148, however, some local sources provide other information: 937, 947, 952 and other years.
Uglich is a city in Russia, the administrative center of the Uglich district of the Yaroslavl region. At the moment, the population is 32,766 people.

It got its name, in all likelihood, because the Volga makes a corner here. In addition, there are two opinions of probable versions: because coals were burned in this place, and because here, solely according to this hypothesis, the Uglich people were resettled from the Ugla River, a tributary of the Dnieper. According to archaeological research, a settlement on the site of the Uglich Kremlin existed approximately from the beginning of our era with a short break in the region of the 5th-6th centuries.

Pskov is a small regional center. The year of foundation is 859. At the moment, the population is 206,730 people.

The name of the city is associated with a hydronym - the Pskova River. There are various versions of the origin of the name of the city and the river. According to one of them - of Slavic origin - the name Pskov (Pleskov, Plskov) comes from the old Russian word "ples" - part of the river between two bends, or from the word "sand". According to another version - of Baltic-Finnish origin - the name comes from the word piskava (in Liv), piskva, pihkva (in Estonian), meaning "resinous water" and reflects the polyethnicity of the early population of the city. Other interpretations of the hydronym are “splash”, “shine”, “fish river”, “sand”. Archaeologists have established that in Pskov X-XI centuries. the ancestors of the Slavs lived - the Pskov Krivichi, representatives of the Baltic-Finnish, Baltic and Scandinavian tribes.

Smolensk is a large city, the regional center of the Smolensk region. The date of foundation is 863. At the moment, the population is 330,961 people.

There are several versions of the origin of the city's name. So, for example, there are versions that it goes back to the name of the Smolnya River (Old Slavonic "smol" - black earth), or to the ethnonym Smolensk. The most common version of origin mentions "the path from the Varangians to the Greeks." The city was located at the end of the place where ships were dragged from the Western Dvina to the Dnieper. This portage passed through the original place of origin of Smolensk (now Gnezdovo), where local artisans tarred merchants' boats.

Belozersk (first name - Beloozero). The same age as Rostov the Great. Small town. Year of foundation - 862. Vologda region. At the moment, the population is 9,380 people.

Belozersk is one of the oldest cities in Russia. First mentioned in The Tale of Bygone Years under 862 as the city of Beloozero, which participated in the calling of the Varangians. Archaeological evidence of the existence of the city at that time has not yet been found, although there are suggestions that it could be located on the northern shore of the White Lake.

Rostov the Great is the same age as the city of Murom, a small city included in the Yaroslavl region. In 1995, the Rostov Kremlin Museum-Reserve was included in the collection of especially valuable objects of the cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia. At the moment, the population is 30,923 people.

The name of the city is traditionally, although not very confidently, associated with the Slavic personal name Rost (cf. Rostislav), from which the possessive adjective is formed with the help of the suffix -ov. Rostov is mentioned in The Tale of Bygone Years. In the entry for 862, it is referred to as an existing city, which was owned by Rurik and where the "first inhabitants" belonged to the Merya tribe.

Murom is a medium-sized city. It is part of the Vladimir region. Year of foundation - 862. At the moment, the population is 111,474 people.

Murom was first mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years under 862 among the cities subject to Prince Rurik after the calling of the Varangians. Gleb Vladimirovich is considered the first specific prince of Murom. In 1088 the city was captured by the Volga Bulgars.

Veliky Novgorod is a regional center with a small population. The date of foundation is 859. At the moment, the population is 219,971 people.

Veliky Novgorod is one of the oldest and most famous cities in Russia (in 2009 it officially celebrated its 1150th anniversary). The place of calling of the annalistic Rurik and the birth of Russian statehood. In the Middle Ages - the center of Novgorod Russia, and then the center of the Novgorod land as part of the Old Russian and Russian states. At the same time, in 1136 it became the first free republic on the territory of feudal Russia (from that moment, when Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich fled the battlefield after the battle at Zhdana Mountain, the powers of the Novgorod prince were sharply limited). For the period of time starting from 1136 and ending in 1478, when Novgorod lost (as a result of the victory of the Moscow prince Ivan III the Great over the Novgorodians in the Moscow-Novgorod war of 1477-1478) political independence, it is customary to use the term Novgorod land in relation to the Novgorod land. republic" (the government of the latter used the designation Mr. Veliky Novgorod).

Derbent is a medium-sized city that is part of the Republic of Dagestan, the Russian Federation. Date of foundation - the end of the 4th millennium BC. e. At the moment, the population is 120,470 people.

Derbent is considered one of the oldest "living" cities in the world. The first settlements arose here in the Early Bronze Age - at the end of the 4th millennium BC. e. The first mention of the Caspian Gates - the most ancient name of Derbent - dates back to the 6th century. BC, it is given by the famous ancient Greek geographer Hecateus of Miletus. The modern city was founded in 438 AD. as a Persian fortress, consisting of a citadel (Naryn-kala) located on a hill and two stone walls going from it to the sea, which blocked a narrow (3 km) passage between the sea and the Caucasus mountains and protected the territory of the city from the north and south. Thus, Derbent is the oldest city in Russia.

Brief historiography of the issue. The problem of the emergence of the first Russian cities is still controversial. V. O. Klyuchevsky believed that they arose as a result of the success of the eastern trade of the Slavs, as points of storage and departure of Russian export. In Soviet times, M.N. Tikhomirov opposed this. In his opinion, trade did not bring cities to life, it only created the conditions for singling out the largest and richest from them. He considered the development of agriculture and handicrafts in the field of economy and feudalism in the field of social relations to be the real force that brought Russian cities to life. The specific paths of the emergence of cities seemed to Soviet historians to be quite diverse. According to N. N. Voronin, cities in Russia were built on the basis of trade and craft settlements, feudal castles or princely fortresses. E. I. Goryunova, M. G. Rabinovich, V. T. Pashuto, A. V. Kuza, V. V. Sedov and others agreed with him, to one degree or another. M. Yu. Braichevskii singles out one of the listed possibilities. Most of the cities, from his point of view, arose around the early feudal fortresses-castles. V. L. Yanin and M. Kh. Aleshkovsky believe that the Old Russian city developed not from princely castles or trade and craft settlements, but from the administrative veche centers of rural districts-graveyards, places of concentration of tribute and its collectors. V. V. Mavrodin, I. Ya. Froyanov and A. Yu. Dvornichenko believe that the cities in Russia at the end of the 9th - 10th centuries. built on a tribal basis. They arose as a result of the formation of tribal unions, as vital bodies coordinating and directing the activities of the unions.

Kyiv. According to archaeological data on the appearance of manor buildings, bridges, drainage systems, etc., in relation to the 10th century, we can talk about the existence of only five real cities. At the end of the 9th - beginning of the 10th century, Kyiv and Ladoga arose, in the first half of the century - Novgorod, and at the end of the century - Polotsk and Chernigov.

Author of "The Tale of Bygone Years" calls the first Russian city Kyiv, and considers the founder of the Russian land Oleg. This follows from the words that he puts into the mouth of the prophetic prince: And Oleg, the prince, sat down in Kyiv and Oleg said:This will be the mother of Russian cities ". And he had- continues the chronicler, - Varangians, and Slovenes, and others who were nicknamedRussia » . By "others" he meant other participants in the campaign (Chud, I measure, Krivichi) and polyan. It turns out that " Russian land" arose as a result of the merger of heterogeneous clans with the arrival of Oleg and his troops in Kyiv. The meaning of the phenomenon is clear. It has been well known since ancient times and is usually called the Greek word "sinoikism". The expression "mother of Russian cities", like the Greek "metropolis" (from meter - mother and polis - city) - means the founding city. The words of the Prophetic Oleg “Kyiv is the mother of Russian cities” is a kind of prophecy that predicts Kyiv the laurels of the founder of all Russian cities (or older cities).

Such information also penetrated into the chronicle that does not fit into the concept of the Kyiv scribe. Based on the Greek chronicles, he tells that the Russian land became known during the reign of the Roman Emperor Michael. According to the chronicle, in 866 (according to Greek sources in 860), the Rus attacked Constantinople. These Russ are connected by the chronicler with the Kyiv princes Askold and Dir. If this was indeed the case, it turns out that the Russian land arose at least a quarter of a century before the arrival of Oleg.

The story about Oleg's campaign against Kyiv is contradictory, and as it turns out, it is full of legendary details that never really happened. The chronicler claims that Oleg took Smolensk and Lyubech along the way and planted his husbands there. However, these cities did not exist at that time. According to the chronicle, Oleg went to Kyiv with a large army - "we will drink a lot of howls." But, having come to the mountains of Kyiv, for some reason he began to hide him in the boats and pretend to be a merchant. Firstly, if this multi-tribal army was really large, it was not so easy to hide it. Secondly, if it was really significant, why didn’t Oleg take Kyiv openly - by siege or attack, as he allegedly did with Lyubech and Smolensk, the news of the capture of which would have reached the Kyiv princes before the largest army? Most likely, Oleg's campaign was in fact a robber raid of a small detachment, consisting of representatives of Slovenes, Krivichi, Varangians, Mary, etc. But not a state enterprise. In this case, it makes sense to pretend to be merchants, especially since to a certain extent this actually happened. The raids of the Rus on the Slavs, which are described by Eastern authors, were directly related to the trade interests of the latter.

According to archaeological excavations, Kyiv arose on the site of a nest of Slavic settlements located in the 7th - 9th centuries on the Starokievskaya mountain and its slopes, the Kiselevka, Detinka, Shchekovitsa and Podol mountains. The settlements were interspersed with empty spaces, arable land and burial grounds. The ancient settlement was located in the north-west of the Starokievskaya mountain. According to B. A. Rybakov, it dates from the end of the 5th - beginning. 6th century At the end of the 9th century, Kyiv Podil developed rapidly, yard buildings and street planning appeared here.

In 969 - 971, during the reign of the famous warrior prince Svyatoslav Igorevich, Kyiv almost lost its status as the "middle" of the Russian land. Not only the prince and his family could leave him, but also the best part of the local nobility. The Kiev boyars were ready to change their place of residence to a more attractive one, having agreed, together with the prince, to settle in another city - Pereyaslavets on the Danube. Both Svyatoslav and his squad were only waiting for the death of the sick mother of the prince. The reason why such an outcome did not take place was the failure of the Russians in the fight against the Roman Empire. The reason why such an outcome could have taken place was that the Kyiv squad by that time had not yet completely settled on the ground and the old squad ideals of loyalty and brotherhood meant more to it than their own villages in the district of Kyiv.

Under Vladimir, not only religion was changed, but the final step was taken towards the settlement of the Russian squad. The development of Kyiv, its strengthening and growth begins at this time. This can be seen from the construction undertaken by the prince. First, a pagan sanctuary "outside the courtyard" of the Terem was built, then the Church of the Tithes and the fortifications of the "city of Vladimir".

A real leap in the development of Kyiv took place in the era of Yaroslav the Wise after a period of temporary decline caused by the shock of the introduction of Christianity and the struggle of the sons of Vladimir for the Kievan inheritance. Then the boundaries of the city are noticeably expanding. The plan becomes sustainable. The center is being finalized - the "city of Vladimir" and the "city of Yaroslav" with the Golden Gate and the grandiose St. Sophia Cathedral. The fortifications of Kyiv increase in area by 7 times.

Ladoga. Judging by archaeological data, Ladoga arose at the same time as Kyiv. This is the only possible place where the legendary Rurik could come, and from where Prophetic Oleg could go on a campaign against Kyiv. The calling of Rurik to Ladoga, and not Novgorod, is mentioned in the Ipatiev and Radzivilov chronicles.

Archaeological excavations have shown that Ladoga as a settlement appears in the middle of the VIII century, but at that time, along with the Slavs, the Balts, Finns and Scandinavians lived here. Archaeologists have discovered both Slavic square log cabins with a stove in the corner, and large Scandinavian-style houses. The Slavs began to dominate here in the 10th century. The first fortress in Ladoga was built at the turn of the 9th - 10th centuries. Gradually, Ladoga becomes a Slavic city. The first streets appear, stretching along the banks of the Volkhov, and courtyard and estate buildings, typical of ancient Russian cities.

When Rurik came to Ladoga, it was an international trading post, with a more or less permanent agricultural and trade and craft population. Oleg left her together with his gang even when Ladoga did not represent a single organism. And only with his direct participation, it acquires urban features. Most likely, it was Oleg who built a stone fortress here, dated by archaeologists to the end of the 9th - beginning of the 10th centuries, which became the first step towards Slavic predominance. Oleg and his people took the trade route "from the Varangians to the Greeks" under their control - this is the goal of strengthening the northernmost point of this trading system. In the X century, the Kyiv community persistently sought to master the East Slavic lands, rebuilding fortresses in the most important places, from the point of view of Kyiv. The most ancient Russian cities (Kyiv fortresses) ensured the dominance of Kyiv among the Slavic tribes.

Novgorod. Information about the construction of Novgorod is contradictory. Initially, according to chronicles, the Novgorod fortress was built by the Slovenes who came to these places, then Rurik set up his fortifications here. Finally, in 1044 Novgorod was once again laid by Vladimir, son of Yaroslav the Wise. Slovenian Novgorod is a ancestral village or tribal center, the location of which is unknown. Rurik's Novgorod is associated by many with the "Rurik settlement", located 2 km from ancient Russian Novgorod. Excavations have shown that a settlement existed here already in the middle of the 9th century. Along with the Slavs, who built wooden log cabins here (the walls are 4-6 meters long) and left behind molded dishes and socketed arrowheads, characteristic of the Western Slavs, a certain number of Scandinavians lived here. The Scandinavian trace is represented by torcs with pendants in the form of Thor's hammers, equal-armed and shell-shaped brooches, playing checkers, pendants with runic spells, etc. Only the last message pertains to the now-famous Novgorod citadel. It has been confirmed by archaeological excavations. Novgorod of Vladimir Yaroslavich is the oldest citadel, which occupied the northwestern part of the modern citadel and included St. Sophia Cathedral and the episcopal court. V. L. Yanin and M. Kh. Aleshkovsky believe that a pagan temple used to be on the site of the St. Sophia Cathedral, i.e. this part of the detinets was the center of the boyar farms surrounding it in pre-Christian times. There was also an older citadel. The first fortress of detinets could have been erected on this site during the reign of Oleg or Igor.

Initially, Novgorodians were part of the Kyiv city community. The unity of Kyiv and Novgorod of the 10th century is evidenced by the chronicle reports about the tributes established by Oleg, and then Olga, quitrents, traps and banners of the Kyiv princes in the Novgorod land. The connection with the "mother" was mainly political. Posadniks were sent from Kyiv. If it was a prince, for example, Svyatoslav, Vladimir, Yaroslav, this flattered the Novgorodians and made them more independent. The personality of the prince gave the city completeness - both political and spiritual: the pagans believed in a mystical connection between the ruler and the good of society.

Polotsk. For the first time, Polotsk is mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years under the year 862 among the cities subject to Rurik. It is also on the list of Russian cities to which the Greek tribute taken by Oleg in 907 was intended. Under the year 980, the chronicle speaks of the first prince of Polotsk, Rogvolod, who allegedly came "from beyond the sea."

Systematic archaeological study of the city began in Soviet times. A. N. Lyavdansky, M. K. Karger, P. A. Rappoport, L. V. Alekseev and others excavated here. According to archaeological data, the original settlement in Polotsk arose in the 9th century on the right bank of the river. Cloths. The oldest Slavic strata date back to the 10th century. Detinets at the mouth of the Polota River was built in the second half of the 10th century. It became the center of the future city. Polotsk acquires city features in the late 10th - early 11th centuries, when courtyard and manor buildings spread and pavements were built. Polotsk was founded to control the trade route "from the Varangians to the Arabs" (as I. V. Dubov puts it), which passed from the Baltic Sea along the Western Dvina, through the Volga portage to the Caspian Sea.

Chernigov. The city was first mentioned in the annals under the year 907, among the Russian cities - recipients of Greek tribute. Konstantin Porphyrogenitus speaks of Chernigov as one of the “Russian fortresses”, from where Slavic one-trees come to Constantinople. The first event associated with the city dates back to 1024. Then Prince Mstislav Vladimirovich, not accepted in Kyiv, " gray hair on the table Chernihiv».

The city has long attracted the attention of researchers. Mass excavations of the Chernihiv mounds were carried out in the 70s of the XIX century by D. Ya. Samokvasov. Detinets was studied by B. A. Rybakov. Architectural monuments were studied by N. V. Kholostenko and P. D. Baranovsky. In our time, excavations in Chernigov are led by V.P. Kovalenko. P. V. Golubovsky, D. I. Bagalei, M. N. Tikhomirov, A. N. Nasonov, V. V. Mavrodin, A. K. Zaitsev, M. Yu. Cuza and others.

Archaeological excavations have shown that on the territory of Chernihiv in the VIII-IX centuries there were several settlements of the Romny culture, traditionally associated with the tribes of the northerners. At the end of the 9th century, they cease to exist as a result of a military defeat. Their place is occupied by monuments of the Old Russian type. The first fortifications in the area of ​​the Chernigov citadel, apparently, were built at the beginning of the 10th century (there is no exact data on this). It is believed that in the 80s and 90s of the 10th century the citadel was rebuilt by Prince Vladimir. Chernihiv acquires urban character at the beginning of the 11th century, like Polotsk. The city probably followed the movement along the Desna and held the exit to the trade route "from the Varangians to the Greeks", connecting it through the Ugra and Oka with the Volga route.

Forced Synoykism. Among the first Kyiv fortresses are Vyshgorod and Pskov. AT Vyshgorod there are no undisturbed deposits of the 10th century, there are only isolated finds. AT Pskov the first fortifications date back to the beginning or middle of the 10th century, but the settlement becomes a city only in the 11th century.

At the end of the 10th century, Vladimir Svyatoslavich built a number of fortresses near Kyiv to protect it from Pecheneg raids. Among them were Belgorod and Pereyaslavl. Archaeological excavations have confirmed the information of the chronicle. Belgorod was built on the site of a Slavic settlement (8.5 hectares in area), located on a cape formed by a ravine and the bank of the river. Irpin. According to excavations, at the end of the 10th century, fortifications of the citadel (12.5 hectares) and the first roundabout city were built here. The ramparts of the city had internal log structures and powerful mud-brick masonry. Ancient fortifications Pereyaslavl also belong to the end of the 10th century.

Chronicle reports about the construction of Belgorod and information under the year 988 make it possible to find out exactly how Kyiv created its colonies. According to the chronicle, Vladimir " chop”, i.e. collected,scored people in Belgorod from other cities. He did the same when settling other, nameless cities, the construction of which is reported in the article of 988. Therefore, Vladimir united into one whole representatives of various tribes and clans, i.e. artificially did what had previously happened by itself in Kyiv. Before us is the real forced synokism, similar to those arranged by the Seleucids in their kingdom more than a thousand years before.

Information from the chronicles about other ancient Russian cities has not been confirmed as a result of archaeological excavations. First fortifications Smolensk dated by archaeologists at the turn of the 11th-12th centuries. The settlement of Podil dates back to the middle of the 11th century. As you know, the ancient Russian Smolensk was preceded by Gnezdovo X-XI centuries - an open trade and craft settlement with a multinational population. However, Gnezdovo cannot be recognized as the original Smolensk. In fact, it was a settlement closely associated with the interests of international trade and distant predatory campaigns. It was primarily trading place, a trading post and had no direct relation to the future of Smolensk. Beloozero(up. under 862) in the X century - the village of Vesi. It became an Old Russian city only in the 12th century. fortifications Izborsk were built at the turn of the 10th-11th centuries, although the settlement has been known here since the 8th century. Rostov According to archaeological data, it appears no earlier than the 11th century. It is preceded by the Sarskoye settlement of the 9th-10th centuries, but, like Gnezdovo in relation to Smolensk, it cannot be recognized as the original Rostov. The oldest layers Turov belong to the turn of the 10th-11th centuries, and the fortifications of the city were built no earlier than the 11th century. fortifications Lyubech were also built in the 11th century.

So, the top ten includes: in Russia - this. Date of foundation - the end of the 4th millennium BC. e. Now this city is part of the Republic of Dagestan. The citadel, the old town and fortifications are included in the UNESCO Heritage List. (photos from the sites http://proffi95.ru and http://ru-tour.com)

It is followed by a village, - 753. Until 1703, the village was a city. The village is positioned as the "ancient capital of Northern Russia". Leningrad region.

Date of foundation - 859 year. The historic center of the city and the monuments of the surrounding area are included in the UNESCO Heritage List. Novgorod region.

Year of foundation - 862. Vladimir region.

Year of foundation - 862. Included in the list of cities of the Golden Ring. Yaroslavskaya oblast.

Year of foundation - 862. Now a village, used to be a city. Pskov region.

Year of foundation - 862. In the "Tale of Bygone Years" it is referred to as Beloozero. Vologda Region. (photo from http://nesiditsa.ru)

The year of foundation is 862. Center of the Smolensk region.

The year of foundation is 903. Center of the Pskov region.

It was first mentioned in the annals in 1148, but some local sources provide other information: 937, 947, 952 and other years. Yaroslavskaya oblast.

And 55 more cities:

Trubchevsk. Year of foundation - 975. Bryansk region.

Bryansk. The year of foundation is 985. Center of the Bryansk region.

The year of foundation is 990. The white-stone monuments of Vladimir are included in the UNESCO Heritage List. Included in the list of cities of the Golden Ring. Center of the Vladimir region.

Founded in 999. The white-stone monuments of Suzdal are included in the UNESCO Heritage List. Included in the list of cities of the Golden Ring. Vladimir region.

Kazan. The year of foundation is 1005. The Kazan Kremlin is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Capital of the Republic of Tatarstan.

Yelabuga. Year of foundation - 1007. Republic of Tatarstan.

Founded in 1010. The historic center of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Included in the list of cities of the Golden Ring. Center of the Yaroslavl region.

Kursk. Year of foundation - 1032. The center of the Kursk region.

Azov. Year of foundation - 1067. Rostov region.

Rybinsk. Year of foundation - 1071. Yaroslavl region.

Toropets. Year of foundation - 1074. Tver region.

starodub. Year of foundation - 1080. Bryansk region.

Year of foundation - 1095. The center of the Ryazan region.

Year of foundation - 1135. The center of the Tver region.

Volokolamsk. Year of foundation - 1135. Moscow region.

Roslavl. Year of foundation - 1137. Smolensk region.

Bezhetsk. Year of foundation - 1137. Tver region.

Mikhailov. Year of foundation - 1137. Ryazan region.

Onega. Year of foundation - 1137. Arkhangelsk region.

Olonets. Year of foundation - 1137. Republic of Karelia.

Totma. Year of foundation - 1137. Vologda region.

Torzhok. Year of foundation - 1139. Tver region.

Year of foundation - 1146. The center of the Tula region.

Dace. Year of foundation - 1146. Lipetsk region.

Mtsensk. Year of foundation - 1146. Oryol region.

The year of foundation is 1146. Moscow region.

Kargopol. Year of foundation - 1146. Arkhangelsk region.

Karachev. Year of foundation - 1146. Bryansk region.

Kozelsk. Year of foundation - 1146. Kaluga region.

Moscow. The year of foundation is 1147.

Veliky Ustyug. Year of foundation - 1147. Vologda region.

Belev. Year of foundation - 1147. Tula region.

Vologda. Year of foundation - 1147. Center of the Vologda region.

Dorogobuzh

Yelnya. Year of foundation - 1150. Smolensk region.

Year of foundation - 1152. Included in the list of cities of the Golden Ring. Yaroslavskaya oblast.

Year of foundation - 1152. Vladimir region.

Lgov

Rylsk. Year of foundation - 1152. Kursk region.

Kasimov. Year of foundation - 1152. Ryazan region.

Zvenigorod. Year of foundation - 1152. Moscow region.

Year of foundation - 1152. Included in the list of cities of the Golden Ring. Center of the Kostroma region.

Gorodets. Year of foundation - 1152. Nizhny Novgorod region.

Year of foundation - 1154. Moscow region.

Novosil. Year of foundation - 1155. Oryol region.

Kovrov. Year of foundation - 1157. Vladimir region.

Year of foundation - 1158. Vladimir region.

Galich. Year of foundation - 1159. Kostroma region.

Velikiye Luki. Year of foundation - 1166. Pskov region.

Staraya Russa. Year of foundation - 1167. Novgorod region.

Gorokhovets. Year of foundation - 1168. Vladimir region.

Year of foundation - 1177. Moscow region.

Livny. Year of foundation - 1177. Oryol region.

Kirov. Year of foundation - 1181. The center of the Kirov region.

Kotelnich. Year of foundation - 1181. Kirov region.

I'll probably stop there. Travel around your country, there are so many interesting things here!