Derbent’s fortress line guards the narrow corridor between the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian Sea. Settlement remains date to the 8th century BCE, while the main walls and Naryn-Kala citadel belong to the Sasanian defensive complex. Medieval writers connected the gates with Alexander and Gog and Magog; there is no evidence Alexander built them. The UNESCO-listed fortifications survive, but they did not repel every invader—the Mongols captured Derbent in 1222. Eastern Rome aided the Sasanian defense against the Huns with troops and ships.
Derbent Gates: Fortifications and the Alexander Legend
RussiaArchitecture
Site mentioned
Key facts
- Derbent’s fortress line crosses the narrow Caspian corridor between the Caucasus Mountains and the sea, about 3 km long.
- Settlement remains date to the 8th century BCE; the principal surviving walls and Naryn-Kala citadel are Sasanian-era, chiefly from the 5th–6th centuries CE.
- Medieval traditions associated the gates with Alexander and Gog and Magog, but there is no evidence Alexander built them.
- The UNESCO-listed fortifications survive, but the Mongols captured Derbent in 1222, so they did not repel the Mongols.
- Roman involvement is documented as troops and ships sent to help defend against the Huns; the supplied record does not support a Roman gold tribute used to fund the fortifications.
Sources
Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbentwhc.unesco.org
The fortification was built in stone. It consisted of two parallel walls that formed a barrier from the seashore up to the mountain. The town of Derbent was ...
The most ANCIENT city in Russia (PHOTOS)rbth.com
Records say the city of Derbent's walls appeared on the shores of the Caspean Sea almost 2,000 years ago. The Russian Academy of Sciences ...
Fortifications of Derbent - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
The Fortifications of Derbent (Darband) are one of the fortified defense lines, some of which date to the times as early as those built by the Persian Sasanian ...
Fortifications of Derbent - Grokipediagrokipedia.com
The primary purpose of these fortifications was to secure the Sasanian Empire's northern border against invasions by nomadic tribes from the Caucasus and ...
Derbent - World History Encyclopediaworldhistory.org
Derbent prospered for over 1,500 years under Persian, Arab, Turkish, Azeri, Mongol, Timurid, and Russian rule due to its position on the Silk ...
(PDF) Derbent-UNESCOacademia.edu
The short review about Derbent - UNESCO World heritage monument in Russia. Download Free PDF Download Free
Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbentwhc.unesco.org
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent … published by the World Heritage Centre. UNESCO World Heritage Centre ...
Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbentwhc.unesco.org
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. ... Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent. Description · Maps · Documents · Gallery · Indicators. Citadel, Ancient ...
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