Ukraine

 

Above is a Greek fresco found in the ancient Bosporan Kingdom, the first truly Hellenistic state, where a mixed population adopted Greek language and civilization.  It was an area originally inhabited by the Cimmerians, a nomadic Indo-European people, in what is now present-day Ukraine.

The Bosporan Kingdom later became a Roman client state, and one of the longest that survived.  It was eventually overrun by the Huns.  Centuries later, it was revived under Byzantine and Bulgarian protection.

By the end of the 7th century, most Bulgar tribes had migrated and the remains of the state were absorbed by the Khazars.

But Kyiv culture began in the 3rd century, and is considered to be the first identifiable Slavic archaeological culture.

The city of Kyiv was established as part of the Khazar state.  During this time, several Slavic tribes were native to Ukraine: the Polans, the Drevlyans, the Severians, the Ulichs, the Tiverians, the White Croats, and the Dulebes.

The name Ukraine, usually interpreted as "border land," first appears in historical documents of the 12th century.

During the 14th century, Poland and Lithuania fought against Mongol invaders, and Ukraine eventually came under their rule.  By this time, Ukrainian people were known as Ruthenians.  In 1490, Petro Mukha led rebellions against Poland's oppression, but Ukraine became part of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland in 1569.

Ruthenian peasants who fled from Catholic conversion became known as Cossacks.  The Cossack Hetmanate became their state, but they eventually rebelled against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.  They were at odds with the Ottomon Turks who controlled the south, and so they sought protection from the Tsardom of Muscovy to the east.

In 1686, Kyiv was annexed by the Moscow Patriarchate and initially retained official autonomy.  Eventually, the Tsarist rule of Russia took over.  By 1795, the extreme west of Ukraine fell to the Austrians, while the rest became part of the Russian empire.  They imposed strict rules regarding the language and culture, banning its use and study.

Between 1917 and 1920, Ukraine fought for independence, and it was then that their flag was first introduced.  With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine finally received independence.  

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