Pages: 145-172

The article is dedicated to the problem of deserting of the rural territories of the North-Western Black Sea region in the beginning of the second quarter of the V c. B.C. The author believes that the most important reason there was a military threat from the part of a new wave of nomads – Scythians from the East. Together with this the author emphasizes that the point should be not a powerful simultaneous attack but also a gradually increasing pressure. However, after deserting of the chora (agricultural neighbourhood) of Olbia we note a strange thing. Firstly, Olbia (as other Poleis of the North-Western Black Sea region) continues to develop rapidly and, moreover, the epoch of its prosperity comes. Secondly, there appears an unprotected settlement near Olbia itself – «Suburb». The author supposes that there were the inhabitants of the suburb who provided Olbia in new conditions with agricultural products, having changed the population of chora. But why the inhabitants of the suburb didn’t settle in Olbia itself where there was a lot of space. The author thinks that the suburb was populated by hellenized Barbarians. They were in dependence of the inhabitants of Olbia. Later, when the political situation in the region did not change, the recolonization of rural territories took place. One of its main members became the inhabitant of the suburb. Touching upon their social-economic status, the author supposes that in the decrete in honour of Protogenus they were called «oikets» — «rural slaves».