History of Sandanski



Antiquity

      It was in the 5th century BC that the ancient historians first mentioned the Thracian tribes from the Struma valley. Works by Thucydides, Pliny the Elder, Strabo, and later Polybius and Titus Livy, showed that Thracians had gradually commenced a process of integration into Hellenic civilization. Under Philip II of Macedonia (359–336 BC) the region was annexed to the young kingdom, which would soon emerge as the new power on the Balkans. The campaigns of Philip's son, Alexander the Great, introduced local Thracian tribes to civilizations of the Mediterranean and this would leave an enduring legacy on the region's culture.
  Later in the 3rd century BC the center's control over the outer territories weakened and Thracia became an arena of constant border raids. In 168 BC Rome conquered Macedonia and the once mighty kingdom became a Roman province. Thus the Thracians, and especially the Maedi tribe from the Struma valley, found themselves neighbours of the Roman empire. Roman generals lead consecutive campaigns into Thracian lands. In one such raid in 85-83 BC the Romans captured Spartacus, whom ancient sources described as Thracian by birth. Later (74-71 BC) he would instigate the biggest slave rebellion against Rome. According to the German classical philologist K. Ziegler, Plutarch of Chaeronea stated in his “The Life of Crassus” that the famous slave was a Thracian from the Maedi tribe and his place of birth was somewhere on the banks of the Struma river.
    It is assumed that Spartacus's revolt failed and he died in battle. With the Romans conquering the Balkans and establishing the province of Thracia in 46 AD, the region entered a period of economic boom. Under the new rulers the ancient settlement in the Struma valley flourished and prospered. In II-III century AD it was proclaimed a city and its statute in the Empire changed accordingly. Many ancient historians mention the region in their works, yet the name of the city in Antiquity remains uncertain. Further research will show whether it was Desudaba, Alexandroupolis, Parthicopolis, Gareskos or Zapara.