The city was founded in the VI century B.C. In the first century A.D. it became dependent on Rome. In the XIII century there was Genoese fortress Kafa. In 1475 it was captured by Turkey. The city got the modern name after joining the Russian Empire in 1784. The most ancient Tartar symbol of Kafa was a gules tamga (symbol of power) with a crescent on argent field which also was a symbol of power.