Two massive defensive walls run from the Caucasus mountains all the way down to the Caspian Sea, flanking the old city on its north and south sides. Built under the Sassanid dynasty in the 5th and 6th centuries, they are among the best-preserved ancient fortifications in the former Soviet Union. Several watchtowers survive along the length of the walls, and sections are still standing to their original height. The walls were part of the same defensive system as the citadel and were designed to make Derbent an impassable barrier across the Caucasian corridor.
The Sassanid City Walls
Massive Sassanid walls stretching from the Caucasus to the Caspian Sea.