The old city of Stobi “…Stobis, vetus urbs…”, as the Roman historian Livy named it, at the confluence of rivers Crna and Vardar, was the largest city in the northern part of the Roman province Macedonia, later capital city of the Roman province Macedonia Secunda, an important urban, military, administrative, trade and religious center of two large empires: Roman and Early Byzantine. Located in the heart of Macedonia, on the crossroads between the Aegean World and the Central Balkan, during the whole period of its existence it was a place where cultural achievements of the ancient world gathered in a unique way.
The city rests on 3 terraces, surrounded by walls, narrating the colorful history. It is a truly rare example of a massive ancient city where several empires have left their mark.
The town of Stobi was built in the Hellenic period, some time before the rule of the Macedonian king Philip the Fifth. It was situated 160 km from Thessalonica on the main road Via Egnatia that led from the Danube to the Aegean Sea. Because of its location, Stobi was an important army, strategic, economic and cultural center at the time. Owing to the numerous historical and literary documents and archeological findings from thorough research done in the area, there is a complete urban picture of Ancient Stobi, its architectural structure and organization of life, which speaks of a highly developed urban society with a high level ofcultural development. Considering these facts and according to some additional sources, the beginnings of Stobi were much earlier, in the 7th and 6th Century BC. Some bronze objects discovered here and dating from ancient times include ceramic findings, which point to life in it as early as the Neolith and the Iron Age. The town was rather developed in the early and middle Roman period, partly owes this status of a “municipium” to its mint, where coins with the sign “Municipium Stobensium” were made. The “denar” coins were produced here, too. Numerous monuments with signs and buildings that are unique for their beauty have also been found.
Among these are the great sanctuaries and, certainly, the famous Theatre. The town wasn’t any less significant later, at the time of the establishment of the Christianity. Stobi was quite influential as the Archbishop’s Seat and later as an Archbishopric. A lot of churches and basilicas with rich interior decoration, luxurious private palaces and other significant buildings come from this period. There was also a Jewish community in Stobi in the 3rd Century. The Synagogue that proved this was torn down at the end the 4th Century and a Christianbasilica was built on its remains. In the late 5th and early 6th Century, the town was ravaged in the great Avaro-Slavonic invasions and was destroyed in an earthquake in the year 518. The discovered Justin II coins from the second half of the 6th Century and the necropolis with 23 Slavonic crests from the 9th to the 12th Century confirm that there was life in Stobi after the earthquake. The town was renovated, but never reached its previous level of prosperity.
Today, the remains of this famous archaeological site are equally easily approachable from the E-75 corridor of the international highway, thus making it very popular tourist destination in Macedonia. The nocturnal illumination of the city walls and preserved monuments, additionally emphasize its beauty and attractiveness.