Stobi archaeological site

The ancient city of Stobi lies in a fertile valley, 15 km away from town of Kavadarci and just a few minutes off the central north-south highway that connects Macedonia with Greece, on the place where the Crna Reka River (Erigon) joins the Vardar River (Axious). Stobi was established on the vital trade route that led from the Danube to the Aegean Sea in its day, making it important strategically as a center for both trade and warfare. This crossroad of ancient civilizations has left a rich historical and cultural legacy of antique theaters, palace ruins, brightly-colored mosaics and religious relics for visitors today to enjoy. As a city, Stobi is first mentioned in documents from the 2nd century B.C.E. However, archaeologists believe that the town had been inhabited from at least 400 years earlier. Stobi became a rich and prosperous city due to its location on the crossroads of important trade routes and experienced its biggest period of growth from the 3rd-4th centuries A.D. The Stobi archaeological site (located just 3 km from the Gradsko exit on Highway E-75) offers sweeping views of the central Macedonian plain and contains buildings such as the 2nd century amphitheater, the Theodosia Palace, and early Christian ruins with extensive and ornate mosaic floors.