The Pontians are one of the oldest surviving Greek communities in history. For nearly 3,000 years, Greeks lived on the southern coast of the Black Sea, building cities, schools, monasteries, churches and one of the region’s richest cultures. From the ancient colonies of Sinope and Trapezus to the Empire of Trebizond, Pontic Greeks left an enduring mark on the Black Sea world. Between 1914 and 1923, this centuries-old community was devastated through persecution, deportations, massacres and force