It was twenty-five centuries ago when the Creeks founded their new city of Tauric Chersonesos in this land. For two thousands years Chersonesos had being a pioneer of the best achievements of Greek and, later, Byzantine cultures.

It is hard to overestimate the significance of Byzantium for the history of humankind. It played an outstanding part as the heir and the custodian of scientific and cultural heritage of antiquity. That is the reason why Byzantine culture could rightly claim to be called the "golden bridge" between the ancient and modern history.

Let us remind you that at the peak of its power the Byzantine Empire included the Balkan Peninsula, Asia Minor, Aegean islands, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Cyrenaica, Crete and Cyprus islands, a part of Mesopotamia and Armenia, some regions in Arabia, and established its strongholds in Caucasus and in the Crimean Peninsula.

The history of mediaeval Chersonesos from the fifth to the mid-fifteenth century was in close relation with Byzantium. The beginning of this complicated and interesting stage in the history of Taurica, or the Crimea, coincided with the Great Migration period. At the turn of the fourth and fifth century, the Huns penetrated to the Crimean Peninsula. They occupied the steppes and destroyed Theodosia. After that, the importance of Chersonesos increased greatly as the only fortress at the peninsula that protected the northern frontiers of the Byzantine Empire.

Byzantine emperors settled their allies, the Goths and Alans, at the approaches to Chersonesos. There were fortresses built on high mountain plateaux as a protection against barbarians. Today they are referred to as "cave towns"; among them, there are sites named Eski-Kermen and Mangup-Kale, Chufut-Kale and Kalamita.

The map near the entrance to the hall shows the location of Byzantine fortresses in the mountains of the south-western part of the Crimea.

Below the map, there is horizontal vitrine presenting bronze and silver details of costumes that were worn by Goths and Alans: various clasps, or fibulae, buckles, earrings, pendants, and bracelets dated back to the sixth and seventh centuries.