Cultural Corridors of South East Europe

South East Europe / Sofia-Ohrid Road

Stobi, archaeological site

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Stobi, archaeological site

About the site


Corridor: Sofia-Ohrid Road
Country: FYR of Macedonia, Stobi, Gradsko
Type: Ancient Site
Epoch: Antiquity
Theme: Antiquity
World Heritage:
AntiquityAntiquityAncient Site

The town of Stobi is situated in the central part of Macedonia, 10 km. far from Gradsko, in the fertile central Vardar valley where the Erigon River (Crna Reka) flows into the Axios River (Vardar). The city was probably founded in the Hellenistic period, during the 3rd -2nd centuries BC. First time it was mentioned according to the reign of Philip II and his war against the Paeonians. The city began to expand extensively in the 1st century, at the time of the Roman Emperor Augustus. In the 5th and the 6th centuries Stobi was the capital of the newly formed province of “Macedonia Secunda”. Since the 4th century. Stobi has been known as a Episcopal seat. It is confirmed by the remnants of the oldest Christian church in the region (the Episcopal basilica and the Baptistery), reconstructed in the 5th century and in the beginning of the 6th century. Fragments of its fresco decoration are preserved in situ. The Baptistery, built in the 4th century has remarkable floor mosaics, also preserved in situ.
The city has suffered the earthquake in 527, a disaster that causes Stobi to be abandoned by its population.
There are many excavated buildings from the Roman period, such as: the palaces of Theodosius, Parthenius, Polycharmos, Peristeria, a synagogue, Roman theatre, streets, gates, squares etc. The movable artifacts of stone, marble, fragments of floor mosaics are represented in the Museum of Macedonia (in Skopje) and in the Museum of Veles.

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