Trade relations between the maeotian tribes of the kuban region

Based on amphorae material, three distinct periods have been identified in trade relations between the maeotian tribes of the kuban region and the ancient greek world. The first (end of the 7th-5th century bc) was a time of gradual growth of trade. Maeotian tribes obtained wine of clazomenae, chios, lesbos, thasos, mende, the north aegean centres.

in the second period, the 4th century bc, graeco-maeotion trade bloomed. ?He rapid growth in trade at the beginning of the century was connected with the rise of the spartocids, the supremacy of panticapaeum, and the activation of political and trade relations between the cimmerian bosporus and athens. The volume and variety of wine imports reached a maximum in the second and third quarter of the 4th century bc, at the same time as maeotian grain exports peaked. Mende was the leading wine exporter to the kuban in the first and second quarters of the 4th century. An unknown mediterranean centre supplanted it in the third quarter of the 4th century, and kos and cnidus took the leading positions in the last quarter.

the third period was a time of rapid contraction in trade, starting in the first quarter of the 3rd century bc, connected with economic and political changes after the siraces (one of the sarmatian nomadic tribes) established supremacy in the kuban, and at its most severe in the first half of the 1st century bc. Thus, not only was the kuban region involved in graeco-barbarian trade, it was also one of the important agricultural regions of the ancient world in the 4th century ?c.