Philippopolis, Thrace

Philippopolis was an ancient city located where modern Plovdiv, Bulgaria stands. Founded as a Thracian settlement and renamed after Philip II of Macedon, it became a major Roman urban center and capital of the province of Thracia[1]. The city was described by ancient writer Lucian as "the largest and most beautiful of all cities"[2]. According to historian Ammianus Marcellinus, Philippopolis had a population of approximately 100,000 during the Roman period[3]. Archaeological evidence shows habitation on the site dating back to the 6th millennium BC, making it one of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited cities.