The discovery of the location of the roman city of Astibo, has attracted the attention and caused curiosity of different explorers for a long time.
During history, this name has been mentioned for the first time by antique historiographer Polien, in the 3th century BC, who brings it in connection with the river where Payonic emperors have been crowned. It is presumed that this is river Bregalnica of today. Towards the end of the 4th century, a very important roman settlement has been designated as Astibo, also mentioned in the map of Poytinger as the second station along the Stobi-Pautalija road.
There are different theories about the exact location of this settlement: I.Venedikov locates it under the Ezovo mount, in the proximity of the village of Cardaklija; F. Papazoglu locates it in the city of Stip itself; Blaga Aleksova mentions the locality Kale in the village of Krupiste, and V. Sanev offers the theory that Astibo stood at the location of present district Star Konak in Stip, on the eastern foot of mount Isar. This theory is supported by Z. Beldedovski who discovered a series of archeological findings at this location: water supply installations, mining dugouts, a necropolis, marble workshop, also extending its location to Tuzlija and Gorno district.
At present, the collections at the Archeology museum of Republic of Macedonia, Institute and museum in Stip, as well as in the National museum in Belgrade, contain many items of rich findings of marble sculpture, discovered at the locality of Star Konak: a head of young Epheb, torso of naked Aphrodite, man’s portrait head, statue of Nike, statue of Aphrodite, and a large number of statue fragments portraying horses and horsemen, compositions of lions etc.
There is no information about the time when life ceased in this city.
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