Stobi: Capital of Roman Macedonia Salutaris Province

#hellohalloween #stobi Stobi, nestled near the Crna and Vardar rivers in North Macedonia, was an ancient Paeonian settlement annexed by Philip V of Macedon in 200 BC. It boomed under Roman rule, becoming a bustling trade hub on the Via Egnatia route linking Danube to Aegean. By 69 AD, as Municipium Stobensium, it minted coins and housed diverse citizens with Roman rights. Peaking in the 3rd-4th centuries AD, Stobi served as capital of Macedonia Salutaris, blending Roman, Byzantine, and early Christian influences. Excavations reveal a 2nd-century theater seating thousands, grand Episcopal Basilica from the 5th century—North Macedonia's earliest Christian evidence—and a 3rd-century synagogue, highlighting Jewish, pagan, and Christian coexistence. Vivid mosaics adorn palaces like Theodosius's, depicting myths and daily life. Public baths, aqueducts, and walls encircled three terraces. Emperor Theodosius I visited in 388 AD, but disasters struck: Gothic raids in 479, a 518 earthquake, and 6th-century Slavic invasions razed it. Abandoned, it slumbered until 1920s digs. Today, Stobi's ruins near Gradsko draw explorers. Wander columned streets, touch frescoed walls, and ponder a city's layered legacy. Entry: €2; open daily. A hidden gem for history buffs, evoking empires' echoes in Balkan soil.