Azov

Azov (former names Azak (XIII-XIV centuries), Tana (XV-XVI centuries) - a city in the Rostov region, the administrative center of two municipalities "Urban Okrug city of Azov" and "Azov region".
The city dates back to its official chronology since 1067. However, such facts are not confirmed by archaeologists conducting field research in the city.
Azov is located on the banks of the Don and its tributary, the Azovka River, 15 km of the waterway from its confluence with the Taganrog Bay of the Azov Sea. From time immemorial, the city occupied an important strategic position that had a great influence on its history. The city is the oldest in the Rostov region, its history began more than two thousand years ago, when the first settlements of the Scythians arose. It is also known from history about such peoples inhabiting the territory of the city as Cimmerians, Scythians, Savromats and Meots. In the era of the Scythians, many settlements arose in the Northern Azov region, which later played an important role in the development and formation of the region: this is the Taganrog settlement, the Elizavetovsky settlement, and the Great Greek colony, the Bosporan colony Tanais (city) and several others.
In 1559, Azov was besieged by Dmitry Vishnevetsky. In 1637, the Don and Zaporozhye Cossacks took Azov and held it until 1642 (the so-called Azov siege seat).
In 1695-1696, Peter the Great undertook the Azov campaigns, which led to the capture of the Turkish fortress of Azov.
In 1709, Azov became the provincial city of the Azov province.