Defensive Structures atop of the Plateau of Eski-Kermen in the Context of Fortification Building on the Early Byzantine Frontier: Presentation of the Question

The construction of fortifications atop of the plateau of Eski-Kermen in the south-western Crimea was a part of the policy of the Byzantine Empire under the Justinian dynasty aimed at the strengthening of the borders of the state in difficult contact zones. Today this conclusion is generally accepted and confirmed by archaeological discoveries. However, the unique features in the layout of the fortress ensemble built into the complex landscape of the plateau allowed the researchers to put forward other hypotheses concerning the history of its origin. Among the problems of such hypotheses was that they observed the urban fortifications of Eski-Kermen outside the historical and archaeological context. Nevertheless, today their connection with similar complexes of the early Byzantine frontier has been considered only superficially. The solution of this problem is a necessary step for the researches of the mediaeval town located on the plateau of Eski-Kermen.