Heraclea Pontica

Heraclea Pontica was an ancient Greek city on the southern shore of the Black Sea and the regional centre of a coastal polis in classical antiquity.

Remains and finds associated with the ancient city occur in and around the modern coastal town that occupies the site; archaeological traces reflect long occupation from the Greek colonial period onward. Interest is primarily archaeological and historical rather than a single extensive ruin complex.

Established by Greek colonists in the Archaic period, the city later became incorporated into Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine political structures and was an important Black Sea trading and maritime centre. Over centuries the settlement shifted with changing political and economic conditions.

The ancient site corresponds to the modern town of Karadeniz Ereğli in Zonguldak Province on Turkey’s Black Sea coast.

• Founding: Founded as a Greek colony in the Archaic period by settlers from Megara, the site later developed through Roman and Byzantine periods.