The Ancient Russian Cities By the 10th century Kiev was an important Russian city . At this time Novgorod , too , was established as a major cen tre of crafts and trade . The cities of Chernigov , Smolensk and Polotsk all played an important part in the economic life of Ancient Rus . Moscow appears as a city with extensive trade routes in the 9th century and began to develop rapidly in the middle of the 12th century , becoming the capital of the principality of Muscovy early in the 13th century . The majority of Russian cities were built according to the following plan : a fortified area with a moat and very thick walls ( a kremlin ) was erected in the middle of a town ; this was the residence of the duke or military commander , his garrison and courtiers . Settlements of merchants and crafts men were located around the kremlin . The ancient Russian cities traded with the regions along the Volga , the Caucasus , Byzantium , Central Asia , Iran , the Arab ian countries and the countries of the Mediterranean . There was extensive trade between Muscovy and the Northern Slav ic Pomorye , Scandinavia , Čechy , Moravia , Poland , Hungary , Germany and other countries .
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