Archaeologists excavating in central Odesa have uncovered a large ancient Greek defense wall that could help define the boundaries of a settlement that existed on the Black Sea coast more than 2,000 years ago.
The wall was found beneath Primorsky Boulevard, one of the Ukrainian city’s best-known historic areas. It measures about 2 meters, or 6.5 feet, across. Archaeologists have traced the structure for about 20 meters, or 66 feet, including sections uncovered during earlier work.
Researchers believe the wall formed part of the defenses of an ancient Greek settlement associated with the Harbor of the Istrians. The settlement existed in the area between the fifth and third centuries B.C. The discovery adds to evidence of the extensive ancient Greek presence around the Black Sea. The exact date of the wall has not yet been established.
Ancient Greeks in Ukraine?
The ancient Greeks established cities across the four corners of the Mediterranean. However, the Black Sea was of particular importance to them, with the area becoming a hub of the ancient Greek world beyond its metropolis.
The ventures into the Black Sea of the ancient Greeks stand out to this day as a testament to the Greek spirit of adventure and strategic thinking. Starting in the 8th century BC, these free-thinking explorers embarked upon journeys that would expand the Greek world beyond the then-known lands.
Excavation enters fourth season
A joint expedition from South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K. D. Ushynsky and the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine is conducting the research. Historians Svitlana Ivanova and Andrii Krasnozhon are leading the project, now in its fourth excavation season. The team is examining previously unexplored sections of Primorsky Boulevard.
Archaeologists in Odesa have uncovered a massive ancient Greek defensive wall beneath the heart of the modern city.
The structure stretches at least 66 feet and could reveal the boundaries of a Greek settlement that flourished on the Black Sea more than 2,000 years ago. pic.twitter.com/FN7biaNYz9
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) September 3, 2026
Researchers believe the size and location of the structure point to a defensive purpose. Much of the original wall was dismantled over time. Surviving remains include stones mixed with fragments of ancient amphorae. The discovery could help archaeologists identify the northwestern boundary of the ancient settlement. It may also provide evidence of how its inhabitants protected the community from the inland side.
Another major Greek settlement in southern Ukraine was Olbia, an ancient Greek city near the modern city of Mykolaiv. It developed into an important center of trade after its foundation in the sixth century B.C.
Genoese and Ottoman finds reveal later history
The Greek remains are part of a broader archaeological record beneath modern Odesa. Researchers have also uncovered 14th-century artifacts associated with Ginestra, a Genoese trading post. Finds include coins and pottery from Crimea and Trabzon, in present-day Turkey.
Archaeologists also identified worked stone blocks and architectural elements from the Ottoman period. Researchers believe some could be connected to Khadjibey Castle, suggesting major parts of the fortress may have stood nearby.
Reconstructing the area’s earlier history has proved difficult because development during the 19th and 20th centuries damaged many archaeological layers.
Excavations challenge ’empty site’ claim
Previous excavations on Primorsky Boulevard produced more than 1,000 artifacts spanning antiquity through the modern period. Some trenches reached more than 5 meters, or about 16 feet, below the present surface. Researchers say the evidence shows that communities repeatedly occupied and transformed the area long before modern Odesa developed.
The city later became an important center for the Greek diaspora. In 1814, three Greeks founded the Filiki Eteria in Odesa, the secret organization that helped prepare the Greek War of Independence. Krasnozhon explained that the excavations prove that the version claiming Odesa was founded ‘on an empty site’ is completely untenable.
Excavations are continuing. Archaeologists hope further work will clarify the Greek settlement’s boundaries and reveal more about the Genoese and Ottoman presence along this part of the Black Sea coast.
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