Mesembria

Mesembria

Originally a Thracian settlement the town became a Greek colony when settled by Dorians from Megara at the beginning of the 6th century BC, and was an important trading centre from then on and a rival of Apollonia. It remained the only Dorian colony along the Black Sea coast, as the rest were Ionian colonies. At 425-424 BC the town joined the Delian League, under the leadership of Athens. Bronze and silver coins were minted in the city since the 5th century BC and gold coins since the 3rd century BC. The town fell under Roman rule in 71 BC.