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102-537: Peshtera (461 m asl) is located in the foothills of the Rhodope Mountains, at 18 km from Pazardzhik and 38 km from Plovdiv and 125 km from the national capital Sofia . The river Stara reka , a right tributary of the Maritsa , flows through the town. The local climate is temperate and sudden temperature fluctuations are uncommon. Peshtera average annual temperature is 12.6 °C. Rainfall

204-788: A novus homo , deciding by himself to engage in battle against the Cimbri , on the Rhone . There, the Roman army suffered a crushing defeat and complete destruction, in the so-called Battle of Arausio (modern Orange ). Upon his return to Rome, Caepio was tried for "the loss of his Army" and embezzlement . He was convicted and given the harshest sentence allowable; he was stripped of his Roman citizenship , forbidden fire and water within 800 miles of Rome, fined 15,000 talents (about 825,000 lb) of gold, and forbidden from seeing or speaking to his friends or family until he had left for exile . He spent

306-530: A century and a half after the alleged sack, the Romans ruled Gallia Narbonensis . In 105 BC, while marching to Arausio , the Proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul Quintus Servilius Caepio plundered the sanctuaries of the town of Tolosa , whose inhabitants had joined the Cimbri , finding over 50,000 15 lb. bars of gold and 10,000 15 lb. bars of silver. The riches of Tolosa were shipped back to Rome, but only

408-655: A century and hard work to recover the city. However, it was destroyed again by Attila 's Huns in 441–442 and by the Goths of Teodoric Strabo in 471. An ancient Roman inscription written in Ancient Greek dated to 253 – 255 AD were discovered in the Great Basilica . The inscription refers to the Dionysian Mysteries and also mentions Roman Emperors Valerian and Gallienus . It has been found on

510-685: A century. The later half of the 1st century BC brought much change to the power relations of barbarian tribes in Pannonia. The defeat of the Boian confederation by the Geto - Dacian king Burebista significantly curtailed Celtic control of the Carpathian basin, and some of the Celticization was reversed. However, more Celtic tribes appear in sources. The Hercuniates and Latobici migrated from

612-477: A far different version. Strabo reports a story told in his time of a semi-legendary treasure – the aurum Tolosanum , fifteen thousand talents (450 metric tonnes /990,000 pounds) of gold and silver – supposed to have been the cursed gold looted during the sack of Delphi and brought back to Tolosa (modern Toulouse , France ) by the Tectosages , who were said to have been part of the invading army. More than

714-513: A great army comprising about 85,000 warriors left Pannonia , split into three divisions, and marched south in a great expedition to Macedon and central Greece . Under the leadership of Cerethrius , 20,000 men moved against the Thracians and Triballi. Another division, led by Brennus and Acichorius moved against the Paionians , while the third division, headed by Bolgios , aimed for

816-559: A large force under Acichorius against Aetolia . The Aetolian detachment, as Brennus hoped, left Thermopylae to defend their homes. The Aetolians joined the defence en masse – the old and women joining the fight. Realizing that the Gallic sword was dangerous only at close quarters, the Aetolians resorted to skirmishing tactics . According to Pausanias, only half the number that had set out for Aetolia returned. Eventually, Brennus found

918-561: A large stele which was used as construction material during the building of the Great Basilica. In August 2024, archaeologists from the Regional Archaeological Museum announced the discovery of a well-preserved Thracian temple dated to the third century BCE. The 10-metre-long temple is made of dry joints and clay-sand mortar and has two rooms. The Slavs had fully settled in the area by the middle of

1020-631: A major city, with the city walls rebuilt and new Christian basilicas and Roman baths constructed in the 4th century. The city was again sacked by the Huns in 441/442, and the walls were again rebuilt. Roman Philippopolis resisted another attack, by the Avars in the 580s, after the walls were renewed yet again by Justinian the Great ( r.  527–565 ). In the Middle Ages , Philippopolis fell to

1122-483: A population of 4,704 and 876 households. Industry is the most important sector of the town's economy. The two largest factories are "Biovet Peshtera", producing antibiotics and medicines, and "Vinprom Peshtera", producing alcoholic beverages. A number of smaller plants produce metal constructions, footwear and food. Peshtera Glacier on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands , Antarctica

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1224-569: A result of a successful revolt against Alexander the Great 's rule resulting in a stalemate. The Odrysian kingdom gradually overcame the Macedonian suzerainty, while the city was destroyed by the Celts as part of the Celtic settlement of Eastern Europe , most likely in the 270s BCE. In 183 BCE, Philip V of Macedon conquered the city, but shortly after, the Thracians re-conquered it. In 72 BCE,

1326-719: A sanjak centre within Rumelia between 1443 and 1593, the sanjak centre in Silistra Eyalet between 1593 and 1826, the sanjak centre in Eyalet of Adrianople between 1826 and 1867, and the sanjak centre of Edirne Vilayet between 1867 and 1878. During that period, Plovdiv was one of the major economic centers in the Balkans, along with Istanbul ( Constantinople ), Edirne , Thessaloniki , and Sofia. The richer citizens constructed beautiful houses, many of which can still be seen in

1428-572: A second wall was built to encompass Trimontium which had already extended out of the Three hills into the valley. Many of those are still preserved and can be seen by tourists. Today only a small part of the ancient city has been excavated. In 250 the city was captured and looted after the Battle of Philippopolis by the Goths , led by their ruler Cniva . Many of its citizens, 100,000 according to Ammianus Marcellinus , died or were taken captive. It took

1530-568: A sign of ethnic and national consciousness. Thus, although there is a little doubt about the Bulgarian origin of the Gulidas, the city could be considered of Greek or Bulgarian majority in the 19th century. Raymond Detrez has suggested that when the Gudilas and Langeris claimed to be Greek it was more in the sense of " Romei than Ellines, in a cultural rather than an ethnic sense". According to

1632-621: A union with Bulgaria. The Latin Empire conquered Philippopolis in 1204, and there were two short interregnum periods as the city was twice occupied by Kaloyan of Bulgaria before his death in 1207. In 1208, Kaloyan's successor Boril was defeated by the Latins in the Battle of Philippopolis . Under Latin rule, Philippopolis was the capital of the Duchy of Philippopolis , which was governed by Renier de Trit and later on by Gerard de Strem. The city

1734-522: A way around the pass at Thermopylae, but by then the Greeks had escaped by sea. Brennus pushed on to Delphi , where he was defeated and forced to retreat, after which he died of wounds sustained in the battle. His army fell back to the river Spercheios , where it was routed by the Thessalians and Malians . Both historians who relate the attack on Delphi, Pausanias and Junianus Justinus , say that

1836-546: Is 73% and is highest in December at 86% and the lowest in August at 62%. The total precipitation is 540 mm (21.26 in) and is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest months of the year are May and June, with an average precipitation of 66.2 mm (2.61 in), and the driest month is August, with an average precipitation of 31 mm (1.22 in). Gentle winds (0 to 5 m/s) are predominant in

1938-619: Is an important economic, transport, cultural, and educational centre. Plovdiv joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2016. Plovdiv is in a fertile region of south-central Bulgaria on the two banks of the Maritsa River . The city has historically developed on seven syenite hills, some of which are 250 metres (820 feet) high. Because of these hills, Plovdiv is often referred to in Bulgaria as "The City of

2040-401: Is hot, moderately dry and sunny, with July and August having an average high of 33 °C (91 °F). Plovdiv sometimes experiences very hot days which are typical in the interior of the country. Summer nights are mild. Autumn starts in late September; days are long and relatively warm in early autumn. The nights become chilly by September. The first frost usually occurs by November. Winter

2142-524: Is named after Peshtera. Plovdiv Plovdiv ( Bulgarian : Пловдив , pronounced [ˈpɫɔvdif] ) is the second-largest city in Bulgaria , 93 miles southeast of the capital Sofia . It had a population of 371 536 as of 2024 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is a cultural hub in Bulgaria and was the European Capital of Culture in 1999 and 2019. The city

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2244-640: Is normally cold and snow is common. The average number of days with snow coverage in Plovdiv is 15. The average depth of snow coverage is 2 to 4 cm (1 to 2 in), and the maximum is normally 6 to 13 cm (2 to 5 in), but some winters coverage can reach 70 cm (28 in) or more. The average January temperature is −0.4 °C (31 °F). Spring begins in March and is cooler than autumn. The frost season ends in March. The days are mild and relatively warm in mid-spring. The average relative humidity

2346-769: Is presented as fact by some popular modern historians. Most scholars deem the Greek campaign a disaster for the Celts. Some of the survivors of the Greek campaign, led by Comontoris (one of Brennus' generals) settled in Thrace . In 277 BC, Antigonus II Gonatas defeated the Gauls at the Battle of Lysimachia and the survivors retreated, founding a short-lived city-state named Tyle . Another group of Gauls, who split off from Brennus' army in 281 BC, were transported over to Asia Minor by Nicomedes I to help him defeat his brother and secure

2448-465: Is relatively high – from 670 to 680 L/m year. The population of Peshtera includes several ethnic communities. Bulgarians are prevailing, but there are also Turks, Roma and Aromanians . The latter ones have established an Aromanian cultural organization in Peshtera and have their own cultural tradition in the town. The number of Roma in the municipality is approximately 4,000. Different ethnic groups in

2550-484: Is revealed in their attacks on the Ardiaei . In 335 BC, the Celts sent representatives to pay homage to Alexander the Great , while Macedon was engaged in wars against Thracians on its northern border. Some historians suggest that this 'diplomatic' act was actually an evaluation of Macedonian military might. After the death of Alexander the Great, Celtic armies began to bear down on the southern regions, threatening

2652-454: Is suggested to have been modern Plovdiv by numismatic research or Odrin . The Greek historian Theopompus mentioned it in the 4th century BCE as a town named Poneropolis ( Greek : ΠΟΝΗΡΟΠΟΛΙΣ "town of villains") in pejorative relation to the conquest by king Philip II of Macedon who is said to have settled the town with 2,000 men who were false-accusers, sycophants, lawyers, and other possible disreputables. According to Plutarch ,

2754-577: Is the most densely populated city in Bulgaria, with 3,769 inhabitants per km . Inside the city proper are six syenite hills. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were seven syenite hills, but one ( Markovo tepe ) was destroyed. Three of them are called the Three Hills ( Bulgarian : Трихълмие Trihalmie ), the others are called the Hill of the Youth ( Bulgarian : Младежки хълм , Mladezhki halm ),

2856-524: The protospatharios Nikephoros Xiphias . In the middle 11th century, the city was attacked by the Pechenegs , who occupied it briefly around 1090. The city continued to prosper, with the walls restored in the 12th century, during which the historian and politician Niketas Choniates was its governor and the physician Michael Italikos was its metropolitan bishop . According to the Latin historian of

2958-606: The Battle of Maritsa in 1371, after which, the citizens and the Bulgarian army fled leaving the city without resistance. Refugees settled in Stanimaka . During the Ottoman Interregnum in 1410, Musa Çelebi conquered the city killing and displacing inhabitants. The city was the centre of the Rumelia Eyalet from 1364 until 1443, when it was replaced by Sofia as the capital of Rumelia . Plovdiv served as

3060-748: The Bulgars of the First Bulgarian Empire in 863, during the reign of Boris I ( r.  852–889 ), having been briefly abandoned by the Christian inhabitants in 813 during a dispute with the khan Krum ( r.   c.  803  – 814 ). During the Byzantine–Bulgarian wars , the emperor Basil the Bulgar-Slayer ( r.  960–1025 ) used Philippopolis as a major strategic fortification, governed by

3162-611: The Byzantine Empire in 855–856 for a short time until it was returned to Boris I of Bulgaria . From Philippopolis, the influence of dualistic doctrines spread to Bulgaria forming the basis of the Bogomil heresy. The city remained in Bulgarian hands until 970. However, the city is described at the time of Constantine VII in the 10th century as being within the Byzantine province ( theme of Macedonia ). Philippopolis

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3264-676: The Church of Virgin Mary , the Christmas liturgy was served for the first time in the Bulgarian language since the beginning of the Ottoman occupation. Until 1906 there were Bulgarian and Greek bishops in the city. In 1868 the school expanded into the first grammar school. Some of the intellectuals, politicians, and spiritual leaders of the nation graduated that school. The city was conquered by

3366-733: The Danube , another eastward from Italy. According to legend, 300,000 Celts moved into Italy and Illyria . By the 3rd century, the native inhabitants of Pannonia were almost completely Celticized . La Tène remains are found widely in Pannonia, but finds westward beyond the Tisza and south beyond the Sava are rather sparse. These finds are deemed to have been locally produced Norican-Pannonian variation of Celtic culture . Nevertheless, features are encountered that suggest ongoing contacts with distant provinces such as Iberia . The fertile lands around

3468-693: The Danube , the Aegean Sea , and the Black Sea . The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius ( r.  161–180 CE ) built a new wall around the city. In Late Antiquity , Philippopolis was an important stronghold, but was sacked in 250 during the Crisis of the Third Century , after the Siege of Philippopolis by the Goths led by Cniva . After this the settlement contracted, though it remained

3570-725: The Fourth Crusade , Geoffrey of Villehardouin , Philippopolis was the third largest city in the Byzantine Empire, after Constantinople ( Istanbul ) and Thessalonica ( Thessaloniki ). It suffered damage from the armies passing through the city during the Crusades as well as from sectarian violence between the Eastern Orthodox and the Armenian Orthodox and Paulician denominations. The city

3672-854: The International Fair Plovdiv , the international theatrical festival "A stage on a crossroad", the TV festival "The golden chest", and many more novel festivals, such as Night/Plovdiv in September, Kapana Fest, and Opera Open. The oldest American educational institution outside the United States , the American College of Sofia , was founded in Plovdiv in 1860 and later moved to Sofia. Plovdiv has been given various names throughout its long history. The Odrysian capital Odryssa ( Greek : ΟΔΡΥΣΣΑ , Latin : ODRYSSA )

3774-539: The Macedonians and Illyrians . Bolgios inflicted heavy losses on the Macedonians, whose young king, Ptolemy Keraunos , was captured and decapitated. However, Bolgios' contingent was repulsed by the Macedonian nobleman Sosthenes , and satisfied with the loot they had won, Bolgios' contingents turned back. Sosthenes, in turn, was attacked and defeated by Brennus and his division, who were then free to ravage

3876-404: The Treaty of San Stefano on 3 March 1878, the Principality of Bulgaria included the lands with predominantly Bulgarian population. Plovdiv which was the biggest and most vibrant Bulgarian city was selected as a capital of the restored country and for a seat of the Temporary Russian Government. Great Britain and Austria-Hungary , however, did not approve that treaty and the final result of the war

3978-529: The 16–17 century a significant number of Sephardic Jews settled along with a smaller Armenian community from Galicia . The Paulicians adopted Catholicism or lost their identity. The abolition of Slavonic as the language of the Bulgarian Church as well as the complete abolition of the church in 1767 and the introduction of the Millet System led to ethnic division among people of different religions. Christian and Muslim Bulgarians were subjected to Hellenization and Turkification respectively. A major part of

4080-408: The 2nd century BC, and are also mentioned as having occupied the territory of modern Slovakia . We learn of other tribes of the Boian confederation inhabiting Pannonia. There were the Taurisci in the upper Sava valley, west of Sisak , as well as the Anarti , Osi and Cotini in the Carpathian basin . In the lower Sava valley , the Scordisci wielded much power over their neighbours for over

4182-433: The 2nd–3rd millennium BCE have been discovered, while the Thracian town was established between the 2nd and the 1st millennium BCE. The town was a fort of the independent local Thracian tribe Bessi . In 516 BCE during the rule of Darius the Great , Thrace was included in the Persian empire . In 492 BCE, the Persian general Mardonius subjugated Thrace again, and it nominally became a vassal of Persia until 479 BCE and

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4284-409: The 4th century CE that the then city had been the old Eumolpias / Eumolpiada, ( Latin : EVMOLPIAS, EVMOLPIADA ), the oldest name chronologically. It was named after the mythical Thracian king Eumolpos , son of Poseidon or Jupiter , who may have founded the city around 1200 BCE or 1350 BCE. It is also possible that it was named after the Vestal Virgins in the temples – evmolpeya. In

4386-407: The 500 years of Ottoman rule, Filibe served as one of the important commercial and transportation nodes in the Ottoman Balkans. It also played a role as an administrative centre of various sanjaks and eyalets . On 4 January 1878, at the end of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) , Plovdiv was taken away from Ottoman rule by the Russian army. It remained within the borders of Bulgaria until July of

4488-441: The 6th century CE, Jordanes wrote that the former name of the city was Pulpudeva ( Latin : PVLPVDEVA ) and that Philip the Arab named the city after himself. This name is most likely a Thracian oral translation of the other as it kept all consonants of the name Philip + deva (city) . Although the two names sound similar, they may not share the same origin as Odrin and Adrianople do, and Pulpudeva may have predated

4590-407: The 6th century. This was done peacefully as there are no records for their attacks. With the establishment of Bulgaria in 681, Philippoupolis, the name of the city then, became an important border fortress of the Byzantine Empire . It was captured by Khan Krum in 812, but the region was fully incorporated into the Bulgarian Empire in 834 during the reign of Khan Malamir . It was reconquered by

4692-414: The Balkans. From their new bases in northern Illyria and Pannonia , the Gallic invasions climaxed in the early 3rd century BC, with the invasion of Greece . The 279 BC invasion of Greece proper was preceded by a series of other military campaigns waged in the southern Balkans and against the Kingdom of Macedonia , favoured by the state of confusion ensuing from the disputed succession after Alexander

4794-410: The Celts attempted a penetrating attack into Thrace and Macedon , where they suffered a heavy defeat near Haemus Mons at the hands of Cassander. However, another body of Celts led by the general Cambaules marched on Thrace, capturing large areas. The Celtic tribe of the Serdi lived in Thrace and founded the city of Serdica , present day Sofia . The Celtic military pressure toward Greece in

4896-495: The Gauls were defeated and driven off. They were overtaken by a violent thunderstorm, which made it impossible to manoeuvre or even hear their orders. The night that followed was frosty, and in the morning the Greeks attacked them from both sides. Brennus was wounded and the Gauls fell back, killing those of their own wounded who were unable to retreat. That night, a panic fell on the camp, as the Gauls divided into factions and fought amongst themselves. They were joined by Acichorius and

4998-480: The Great's death . A part of the invading Celts crossed over to Anatolia and eventually settled in the area that came to be named after them, Galatia . From the 4th century BC, Celtic groups pushed into the Carpathian region and the Danube basin , coinciding with their movement into Italy . The Boii and Volcae were two large Celtic confederacies who generally cooperated in their campaigns. Splinter groups moved south via two major routes: one following

5100-415: The Greek kingdom of Macedonia and the rest of Greece. In 310 BC, the Celtic general Molistomos attacked deep into Illyrian territory, trying to subdue Dardanians , Paeonians and Triballi . However Molistomos was defeated by the Dardanians. The new Macedonian king Cassander felt compelled to take some of his old Illyrian enemies under his protection even though the Illyrians emerged victorious. In 298 BC,

5202-440: The Greeks, leaving their western flank weak. While Alexander ruled Greece, the Celts dared not to push south near Greece. Therefore, early Celtic expeditions were concentrated against Illyrian tribes. The first Balkan tribe to be defeated by the Celts was the Illyric Autariatae , who, during the 4th century BC, had enjoyed a hegemony over much of the central Balkans, centred on the Morava valley . An account of Celtic tactics

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5304-410: The Hill of the Liberators ( Bulgarian : Хълм на освободителите , Halm na osvoboditelite ), and the Hill of Danov ( Bulgarian : Данов хълм , Danov halm ). Plovdiv has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ) with considerable humid continental influences. There are four distinct seasons with large temperature jumps between seasons. Summer (mid-May to late September)

5406-451: The Neolithic era (roughly 6000–5000 BCE) like the mounds Yasa Tepe 1 in the Philipovo district and Yasa Tepe 2 in Lauta park. Archaeologists have discovered fine pottery and objects of everyday life on Nebet Tepe from as early as the Chalcolithic era, showing that at the end of the 4th millennium BCE, there was already an established settlement there which was continuously inhabited since then. Thracian necropolises dating back to

5508-433: The Pannonian rivers enabled the Celts to establish themselves easily, developing their agriculture and pottery, and at the same time exploiting the rich mines of modern Poland . Thus, it appears that the Celts had created a new homeland for themselves in the southern part of Central Europe ; in a region stretching from Poland to the Danube, but there is little to no non-Christian evidence of that. The political situation in

5610-402: The Russians under Aleksandr Burago for several hours during the Battle of Philippopolis on 17 January 1878. It was the capital of the Provisional Russian Administration in Bulgaria between May and October. According to the Russian census of the same year, Filibe had a population of 24,000 citizens, of which ethnic Bulgarians comprised 45.4%, Turks 23.1% and Greeks 19.9%. According to

5712-420: The Second World War, the tobacco industry expanded as well as the export of fruit and vegetables. In 1943, 1,500 Jews were saved from deportation in concentration camps by the archbishop of Plovdiv, Cyril , who later became the Bulgarian Patriarch. In 1944, the city was bombed by the British-American coalition. Tobacco Depot workers went on strike on 4 May 1953 . On 6 April 1956, the first trolleybus line

5814-423: The Serbs were defeated in the Serbo-Bulgarian War , Bulgaria and Turkey reached an agreement that the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia had a common government, Parliament, administration, and army. Today, 6 September is celebrated as the Unification Day and the Day of Plovdiv. After the unification, Plovdiv remained the second most populous city in Bulgaria after the capital Sofia . The first railway in

5916-468: The Seven Hills". There is evidence of habitation in the area dating back to the 6th millennium BCE, when the first Neolithic settlements were established. The city was subsequently a Thracian settlement, later being conquered and ruled also by Persians , Ancient Macedonians , Celts , Romans , Byzantines , Goths , Huns , Bulgarians , Thraco-Romans , Bulgars , Slavic tribes , Crusaders , and Ottoman Turks . Philippopolis ( Greek : Φιλιππούπολις)

6018-478: The Union of Thracians. In those times, the Via Militaris (or Via Diagonalis), the most important military road in the Balkans , passed through the city. The Roman times were a period of growth and cultural excellence. The ancient ruins tell a story of a vibrant, growing city with numerous public buildings, shrines, baths, theatres, a stadium, and the only developed ancient water supply system in Bulgaria. The city had an advanced water system and sewerage . In 179

6120-521: The architectural reserve of Old Plovdiv. From the early 15th century till the end of 17th century the city was predominantly inhabited by Muslims. Under the rule of the Ottoman Empire , Filibe (as the city was known at that time) was a focal point for the Bulgarian national movement and survived as one of the major cultural centers for Bulgarian culture and tradition. Filibe was described as consisting of Turks, Bulgarians, Hellenized Bulgarians, Armenians, Jews, Vlachs, Arvanites, Greeks, and Roma people. In

6222-408: The birthplace of Bulgaria's movement for democratic reform, which by 1989 had garnered enough support to enter government. Plovdiv has hosted specialized exhibitions of the World's Fair in 1981, 1985, and 1991. Plovdiv is located on the banks of the Maritsa river, southeast of the Bulgarian capital Sofia . The city is in the southern part of the Plain of Plovdiv , an alluvial plain that forms

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6324-410: The city Filibe , a corruption of "Philip", in a document from 1448. The history of the region spans more than eight millennia. Numerous nations have left their traces on the twelve-metre-thick (39- foot ) cultural layers of the city. The earliest signs of habitation in the territory of Plovdiv date as far back as the 6th millennium BCE. Plovdiv has settlement traces including necropolises dating from

6426-418: The city in 183 BCE and his successor Perseus ( r.  179–168 BCE ) held the city with the Odrysians until the Roman Republic conquered the Macedonian kingdom in 168 BCE. Philippopolis became the capital of the Roman province of Thracia . The city was at the centre of the road network of inland Thrace, and the strategic Via Militaris was crossed by several other roads at the site, leading to

6528-405: The city that recounted the deeds of Alexander the Great and his predecessors over 1300 years before. Byzantine rule was interrupted by the Third Crusade (1189–1192) when the army of the Holy Roman emperor Frederick Barbarossa conquered Philippopolis. Ivanko was appointed as the governor of the Byzantine Theme of Philippopolis in 1196, but between 1198 and 1200 separated it from Byzantium in

6630-403: The city was built in 1874 connecting it with the Ottoman capital, and in 1888, it was linked with Sofia. In 1892 Plovdiv became the host of the First Bulgarian Fair with international participation which was succeeded by the International Fair Plovdiv . After the liberation, the first brewery was inaugurated in the city. The noteworthy English travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor visited Plovdiv in

6732-409: The city was seized by the Roman general Marcus Lucullus but was soon restored to Thracian control. In 46 CE, the city was finally incorporated into the Roman Empire by emperor Claudius ; it served as the capital of the province of Thrace . Although it was not the capital of the Province of Thrace, the city was the largest and most important centre in the province. As such, the city was the seat of

6834-422: The city with wind speeds of up to 1 m/s, representing 95% of all winds during the year. Mists are common in the cooler months, especially along the banks of the Maritsa. On average there are 33 days with mist during the year. Meteomanz (precipitation and days 2000-2013) The population by permanent address for the municipality of Plovdiv in 2007 was 380,682, which makes it the second most populated in

6936-416: The city, but a treaty restored Byzantine rule once again in 1323. In 1344 the city and eight other cities were surrendered to Bulgaria by the regency for John V Palaiologos as the price for Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria 's support in the Byzantine civil war of 1341–47 . In 1364 the Ottoman Turks under Lala Shahin Pasha seized Plovdiv. According to other data, Plovdiv was not an Ottoman possession until

7038-425: The country. After these expeditions returned home, Brennus urged and persuaded them to mount a third united expedition against central Greece, led by himself and Acichorius. The reported strength of the army of 152,000 infantry and 24,400 cavalry is impossibly large. The actual number of horsemen has to be intended half as big: Pausanias describes how they used a tactic called trimarcisia , where each cavalryman

7140-409: The early rule of Xerxes I . The town became part of the Odrysian kingdom (460 BCE – 46 CE), a Thracian tribal union. The town was conquered by Philip II of Macedon , and the Odrysian king was deposed in 342 BCE. Ten years after the Macedonian invasion, the Thracian kings started to exercise power again after the Odrysian Seuthes III had re-established their kingdom under Macedonian suzerainty as

7242-437: The first Bulgarian school was inaugurated, and in 1850, modern secular education began when the "St Cyrill and Methodius" school was opened. On 11 May 1858, the day of Saints Cyril and Methodius was celebrated for the first time; this later became a National holiday which is still celebrated today (but on 24 May due to Bulgaria's 1916 transition from the Old Style ( Julian ) to the New Style ( Gregorian ) calendar). In 1858 in

7344-579: The inhabitants was fully or partly Hellenized due to the Greek patriarchate. The "Langeris" are described as Greeks from the area of the nearby Stenimachos . The process of Hellenization flourished until the 1830s but declined with the Tanzimat as the idea of the Hellenic nation of Christians grew and was associated with ethnic Greeks. The re-establishment of the Bulgarian Church in 1870 was

7446-569: The kendrisi. Another assumed name is the 1st century CE Tiberias in honor of the Roman emperor Tiberius , under whom the Odrysian Kingdom was a client of Rome. After the Romans had taken control of the area, the city was named in Latin : TRIMONTIUM , meaning "The Three Hills", and mentioned in the 1st century by Pliny . At times the name was Ulpia , Flavia , Julia after the Roman families. Ammianus Marcellinus wrote in

7548-541: The late summer of 1934 and he was charmed by the town and a local woman name Nadjeda. In the beginning of the 20th century, Plovdiv grew as a significant industrial and commercial center with well-developed light and food industry. In 1927 the electrification of Plovdiv has started. German, French, and Belgian capital was invested in the city in the development of modern trade, banking, and industry. In 1939, there were 16,000 craftsmen and 17,000 workers in manufacturing factories, mainly for food and tobacco processing. During

7650-571: The nation. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (NSI), the population of people who actually live in Plovdiv is 346,790. According to the 2012 census, 339,077 live within the city limits and 403,153 in the municipal triangle of Plovdiv, including Maritsa municipality and Rodopi municipality . Population of Plovdiv: At the first census after the Liberation of Bulgaria in 1880 with 24,053 citizens, Plovdiv

7752-425: The northern Balkans was in constant flux with various tribes dominant over their neighbours at any one time. Within tribes, military expeditions were conducted by "an enterprising and mobile warrior class able from time to time to conquer large areas and to exploit their population". The political situation in the Balkans during the 4th century BC played to the Celts' advantage. The Illyrians had been waging war against

7854-565: The northern regions (Germania). Altogether new tribes are encountered, bearing Latin names (such as the Arabiates ), possibly representing new creations carved out of the defeated Boian confederation. To further weaken Celtic hegemony in Pannonia, the Romans moved the Pannonian-Illyrian Azali to northern Pannonia. The political dominance previously enjoyed by the Celts was overshadowed by newer barbarian confederations, such

7956-553: The other names meaning "lake city" in Thracian . Since the 9th century CE the Slavic name began to appear as Papaldiv/n, Plo(v)div, Pladiv, Pladin, Plapdiv, Plovdin, which originate from Pulpudeva . As a result, the name has lost any meaning. In British English the Bulgarian variant Plòvdiv has become prevalent after World War I . The Crusaders mentioned the city as Prineople , Sinople and Phinepople . The Ottomans called

8058-695: The rest of his life in exile in Smyrna in Asia Minor . His defeat and ensuing ruin were looked upon as a punishment for his sacrilegious theft. Strabo distances himself from this account, arguing that the defeated Gauls were in no position to carry off such spoils, and that, in any case, Delphi had already been despoiled of its treasure by the Phocians during the Third Sacred War in the previous century. However, Brennus' legendary pillage of Delphi

8160-534: The rest of the army, but the Greeks forced them into a full-scale retreat. Brennus took his own life by drinking neat wine according to Pausanias, or by stabbing himself according to Justinus. Pressed by the Aetolians, the Gauls fell back to the Spercheios, where the waiting Thessalians and Malians destroyed them. In spite of the Greek accounts about the defeat of the Gauls, the Roman literary tradition preferred

8262-476: The same year, when it became the capital of the autonomous Ottoman region of Eastern Rumelia . In 1885, Plovdiv and Eastern Rumelia joined Bulgaria. There are many preserved ruins such as the ancient Plovdiv Roman theatre , a Roman odeon , a Roman aqueduct , the Plovdiv Roman Stadium , the archaeological complex Eirene, and others. Plovdiv is host to a huge variety of cultural events such as

8364-508: The silver made it: the gold was stolen by a band of marauders, who were believed to have been hired by Caepio himself and to have killed the legion guarding it. The Gold of Tolosa was never found, and was said to have been passed all the way down to the last heir of the Servilii Caepiones, Marcus Junius Brutus . In 105 BC, Caepio refused to co-operate with his superior officer, Gnaeus Mallius Maximus , because he thought of him as

8466-493: The southern Balkans reached its turning point in 281 BC. The collapse of Lysimachus ' successor kingdom in Thrace opened the way for the migration. The cause for this is explained by Pausanias as greed for loot, by Justin as a result of overpopulation, and by Memnon as the result of famine. According to Pausanias , an initial probing raid led by Cambaules withdrew when they realized they were too few in numbers. In 280 BC,

8568-437: The statistics by the Bulgarian and Greek authors, there were no Turks in the city; according to an alternative estimate the city was of Turkish majority. Filibe had an important role in the struggle for Church independence which was, according to some historians, a peaceful bourgeois revolution. Filibe became the center of that struggle with leaders such as Nayden Gerov , Dr Valkovich, Joakim Gruev , and whole families. In 1836

8670-405: The throne of Bithynia . They eventually settled in the region that came to be named after them, Galatia . They were defeated by Antiochus I , and as a result, they were confined to barren highlands in the centre of Anatolia. Celtic groups were still the pre-eminent political units in the northern Balkans from the 4th to the 1st century BC. The Boii controlled most of northern Pannonia during

8772-629: The town have always lived in harmony and tolerance. Peshtera presents an example of integration and understanding of all ethnic groups. The first traces of human presence in the area date from the Neolithic . The Thracian tribe of the Bessi inhabited the area in Antiquity and the settlement in the Peshtera Valley emerged in the fourth century BC. The earliest piece of writing documenting

8874-706: The town was named by this king after he had populated it with a crew of rogues and vagabonds, but this is possibly a folk name that did not actually exist. The names Dulon polis ( Greek : ΔΟΥΛΩΝ ΠΟΛΙΣ "slaves' town") and possibly Moichopolis ( Greek : ΜΟΙΧΟΠΟΛΙΣ "adulterer's town") likely have similar origins. The city has been called Philippopolis ( ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΠΟΛΙΣ pronounced [pʰilipopolis] ; Greek : Φιλιππούπολη , in modern Greek, Philippoupoli pronounced [filipupoli] ) or "the city of Philip", from Greek Philippos "horse-lover", most likely in honor of Philip II of Macedon after his death or in honor of Philip V , as this name

8976-690: The town's name dates from 1479, when Peshtera was part of the fief of a certain Mustafa in the Ottoman Empire . During the Bulgarian National Revival , many churches, bridges, fountains, schools and houses were built. The first secular school in Peshtera was opened in 1848, while the Nadezhda ('hope') community centre emerged in 1873. Many local residents took part in the armed struggle for the Liberation of Bulgaria . Peshtera

9078-511: The unification of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia. On 5 September, several hundred armed rebels from Golyamo Konare (now Saedinenie ) marched to Plovdiv. In the night of 5–6 September, these men, led by Danail Nikolaev, took control of the city and removed from office the General-Governor Gavril Krastevich . A provisional government was formed led by Georgi Stranski , and universal mobilization was announced. After

9180-706: The western portion of the Upper Thracian Plain . From there, the peaks of the Sredna Gora mountain range rise to the northwest, the Chirpan Heights to the east, and the Rhodope mountains to the south. Originally, Plovdiv's development occurred south of Maritsa, with expansion across the river taking place only within the last 100 years. Modern Plovdiv covers an area of 101 km (39 sq mi), less than 0.1% of Bulgaria's total area. It

9282-540: Was an old name of the city. Its earliest recorded use is on an artifact mentioning that king Beithys , priest of the Syrian goddess, brought gifts to Kendriso Apollo ; the deity is recorded to be named multiple times after different cities. Later Roman coins mentioned the name which is possibly derived from Thracian god Kendriso who is equated with Apollo, the cedar forests, or from the Thracian tribe artifacts known as

9384-564: Was captured by the Byzantines in 969, shortly before it was sacked by the ruler of Rus' Sviatoslav I of Kiev who impaled 20,000 citizens. Before and after the Rus' massacre, the city was settled by Paulician heretics transported from Syria and Armenia to serve as military settlers on the European frontier with Bulgaria. Aime de Varennes in 1180 encountered the singing of Byzantine songs in

9486-594: Was concluded in the Congress of Berlin which divided the newly liberated country into several parts. It separated the autonomous region of Eastern Rumelia from Bulgaria, and Plovdiv became its capital. The Ottoman Empire created a constitution and appointed a governor. In the spring of 1885, Zahari Stoyanov formed the Secret Bulgarian Central Revolutionary Committee in the city which actively conducted propaganda for

9588-546: Was destroyed by Kaloyan of Bulgaria ( r.  1196–1207 ) in 1206 and rebuilt thereafter. In 1219, the city became the capital of the Crusader Duchy of Philippopolis , part of the Latin Empire . The Second Bulgarian Empire recovered the city in 1263, but lost it to Byzantine control before recapturing it in 1323. The Ottoman Empire conquered Philippopolis ( Turkish : Filibe ) in 1363 or 1364. During

9690-443: Was first mentioned in the 2nd century BCE by Polybius in connection with the campaign of Philip V. Philippopolis was identified later by Plutarch and Pliny as the former Poneropolis . Strabo identified Philip II's settlement of most "evil, wicked" (Gr. πονηροτάτους ponerotatous ) as Calybe ( Kabyle ), whereas Ptolemy considered the location of Poneropolis different from the rest. Kendrisia ( Greek : ΚΕΝΔΡΕΙϹΕΙΑ )

9792-563: Was founded as a polis by the father of Alexander the Great , Philip the Great ( r.  359–336 BCE ), the king of ancient Macedonia , settling there both Thracians and 2,000 Macedonians ( Greeks ) in 342 BCE. Control of the city alternated between the Macedonian kingdom and the Thracian Odrysian kingdom during the Hellenistic period ; the Macedonian king Philip V ( r.  221–179 BCE ) reoccupied

9894-512: Was liberated during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 on 6 January 1878. In 1876, the town had 800 households, of which 500 Bulgarian , 60 Aromanian and about 250 Turkish and Romani . The first official Bulgarian census in 1880 stated 758 households and 3,871 inhabitants, of which 2,618 Bulgarians, 856 Turks, 341 Greeks (mostly Aromanians counted as such), 53 Roma and a single Karakachan . Five years later, in 1885, Peshtera had

9996-532: Was opened and in the 1950s the Trimontsium Hotel was constructed. In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a construction boom and many of the modern neighborhoods took shape. In the 1970s and 1980s, antique remains were excavated and the Old Town was fully restored. In 1990 the sports complex "Plovdiv" was finished. It included the largest stadium and rowing canal in the country. In that period, Plovdiv became

10098-447: Was possibly at times a vassal of Bulgaria or Venice . Ivan Asen II conquered the duchy finally in 1230 but the city had possibly been conquered earlier. Afterwards, Philippopolis was conquered by Byzantium. According to some information, by 1300 Philippopolis was a possession of Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria. It was conquered from Byzantium by George Terter II of Bulgaria in 1322. Andronikos III Palaiologos unsuccessfully besieged

10200-479: Was supported by two mounted servants, who could supply him with a spare horse should he have to be dismounted, or take his place in the battle, should he be killed or wounded. A Greek coalition made up of Aetolians , Boeotians , Athenians, Phocians , and other Greeks north of Corinth took up quarters at the narrow pass of Thermopylae , on the east coast of central Greece . During the initial assault, Brennus' forces suffered heavy losses. Hence he decided to send

10302-538: Was the second largest city with 126,563 inhabitants compared to 487,000 for the capital. Celtic settlement of Southeast Europe Gallic groups, originating from the various La Tène chiefdoms , began a southeastern movement into the Balkans from the 4th century BC. Although Gallic settlements were concentrated in the western half of the Carpathian basin , there were notable incursions and settlements within

10404-406: Was the third largest city behind Stara Zagora , which had 25,460 citizens prior to being burnt to the ground as well as Ruse , which had 26,163 citizens then, and ahead of the capital Sofia , which had 20,501 citizens then. As of the 1887 census, Plovdiv was the largest city in the country for several years with 33,032 inhabitants compared to 30,428 for Sofia. According to the 1946 census, Plovdiv

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