ak ▁village ▁near ▁the ▁city ▁as cert ained ▁that ▁the ▁area ▁had ▁already ▁been ▁inhab ited ▁in ▁ 1 7 th – 1 5 th ▁centuries ▁BC . ▁ ▁Ker ch ▁as ▁a ▁city ▁starts ▁its ▁history ▁in ▁ 7 th ▁century ▁BC , ▁when ▁Greek ▁colon ists ▁from ▁M ile t us ▁founded ▁a ▁city - state ▁named ▁P antic ap ae um ▁on ▁Mount ▁M ith rid at ▁near ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁Me lek - Ch es me ▁river . ▁P antic ap ae um ▁sub du ed ▁nearby ▁cities ▁and ▁by ▁ 4 8 0 ▁BC ▁became ▁a ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Bos por us . ▁Later , ▁during ▁the ▁rule ▁of ▁M ith rad ates ▁VI ▁E up ator , ▁P antic ap ae um ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁period ▁of ▁time ▁became ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁much ▁more ▁powerful ▁and ▁extensive ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Pont us . ▁ ▁The ▁city ▁was ▁located ▁at ▁the ▁intersection ▁of ▁trade ▁routes ▁between ▁the ▁ste ppe ▁and ▁Europe . ▁This ▁caused ▁it ▁to ▁grow ▁rapidly . ▁The ▁city ' s ▁main ▁exports ▁were ▁gra in ▁and ▁salt ed ▁fish ; ▁wine - making ▁was ▁also ▁common . ▁P antic ap ae um ▁mint ed ▁its ▁own ▁co ins . ▁According ▁to ▁ext ant ▁documents ▁the ▁Me lek - Ch es me ▁river ▁( small ▁and ▁shall ow ▁now ad ays ) ▁was ▁navig able ▁in ▁Bos por an ▁times , ▁and ▁sea ▁g alle ys ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁river .