The Roman theatre
On the town's slope.
Slavica Panova — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Vaurien — CC BY-SA 3.0 de · jjmusgrove from Glen Allen, VA, United States — CC BY 2.0 · This illustration was made by Rašo. An email to Rašo would be appreciated too. — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dean Lazarevski — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Boskoska — CC BY-SA 3.0 · jjmusgrove from Glen Allen, VA, United States — CC BY 2.0
Stobi lies where the Crna River meets the Vardar, near the town of Gradsko, about 85 kilometres south-east of Skopje beside the motorway to Greece. It began as a settlement of the Paeonians, grew into a prosperous Roman town and became the capital of the late Roman province of Macedonia Salutaris; the emperor Theodosius I stayed here in 388. The archaeological park shows how large the city was: paved streets, a Roman theatre, houses and palaces, and several early Christian basilicas whose floor mosaics are among the finest in the region. Its decline began when the Ostrogothic king Theodoric sacked it in 479; a strong earthquake struck in 518, and the invasions of the 6th century ended its life. The site has a visitor centre and a small entry fee in denars, and its opening hours change with the season, so check before you go. There is little shade, so bring water and a hat in summer, and allow two to three hours.
On the town's slope.
Basilica floors.
The Crna and the Vardar.
Near Gradsko where the Crna meets the Vardar, about 85 km south-east of Skopje
About 85 km south-east of Skopje near Gradsko, roughly an hour's drive on the motorway.